Budget Cutting Starts at Justice Department

As President Barack Obama finalizes his proposals to increase federal funding for his priority programs, the White House is searching for ways to reduce spending elsewhere in the federal government.

At the Justice Department, officials are considering whether to shorten some federal prison terms and have already shut down a program that successfully encouraged fugitive criminals to turn themselves in.

The department—which saw years of rapid growth after the 2001 terrorist attacks—is just one of the federal agencies facing significant belt-tightening at a time of rising worries about the federal budget deficit.  Read more...