Well over $100 million tax dollars over five years has been spent on “to fight crime” according to Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., who also notes that at least $200,000 was spent for officials to visit Florida and Palm Springs golf resorts to attend conferences.

Coburn’s office highlighted a GAO report that reveals that the Justice Department cannot account for how it spends money on recreational activities it sponsors. A number of other reports highlight the absolutely ludicrous activities our government is using, again, “to fight crime:”

  • The Youngstown, Ohio, Northside Weed and Seed sponsors a Criminal Justice Fair that includes a doughnut-eating contest featuring city police.
  • In Florida, a rap and poetry contests are being held as part of an effort to reduce gun violence. The ―Spoken Word Café Contest Against Guns and Gang is ―a new crime prevention program aimed at reducing crimes involving guns and gangs sponsored by the Weed and Seed program in Brevard County.
  • The Weed and Seed program in Indianapolis, Indiana, is sponsoring a talent show in September 2010;

Oh, but it’s not all talent shows and donut-eating contests:

“The 2010 National School Safety Conference, funded by DOJ, features a ―brand new‖ golf course attached to the resort hosting the conference.”

And then…

“A 2006 Department of Justice sponsored Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program Conference was held at a Waldorf-Astoria Collection resort in Palm Springs, California, which—with five golf courses—boasts to be ―the perfect destination for golf vacations. DOJ spent over $278,000 on the event, although the total cost was likely much higher because grantees attending the event were encouraged to use federal grant money from the Office of Justice Programs to pay for travel, lodging, meals and incidentals related to the conference.”

This is what passes for making communities safer. Not firearms training or self-defense training in general, heaven forbid, but pizza parties and golf tournaments. It’s McGruff the Crime Dog in plaid trousers and a golf bag, paid for by you. P.G. Wodehouse would be proud. Read the report and try not to get outraged.