Crime and the Judiciary

Americans are making progress in the fight against crime and in the effort to ensure the appropriate treatment of victims and their families.  Dedicated volunteers, health care professionals, counselors, local law enforcement personnel, and federal representatives are increasing public awareness of important victims’ rights.  Decreasing crime rates are encouraging and the violent crime rate in the United States is the lowest in three decades.

Despite these reductions, we still have a long way to go in winning the fight against crime.  In the 29th district, we all must continue our efforts to stop crime and to improve services for victims.  One of the most disturbing crimes is an act of violence against a child. That’s why I’ve made it a priority to cosponsor bills, such as the Jessica Lunsford Act to reign in our national monitoring system of sexual offenders and predators.  The Act, named after the young Florida girl who was abducted from her family home in the middle of the night and violently murdered by an already known sexual predator, would tighten controls on monitoring these repeat offenders and, in the most extreme cases, provide physical monitoring of their movements with an electronic ankle bracelet.  As Mark Lunsford, Jessica’s father told me, “It’s those predators who ought to be afraid to walk the streets, not our little kids.”

During the 110th Congress, I have voted in favor of the COPS Improvement Act, which would expand the authority of the Attorney General to issue grants for public safety and community policing programs.  This measure would also authorize grants for hiring school resource officers and establishing local partnerships to combat crime, gangs, and drug activities.

I also voted for the Children’s Safety and Violent Crime Reduction Act, which would protect children, ensure the safety of judges and law enforcement officers, and reduce and prevent gang violence.  The bill would require states to maintain offender registries accessible to the public on the internet and direct the Justice Department to maintain a national database.  Failure to register would be classified as a felony.  We must fight crime at the federal, state, and local levels of government, and measures like this one will help us to do so.

Related Documents:

Recent Vote - Vote in favor of H. Res 1320, the resolution on China 7.30.2008

E-Newsletter - Vote in favor of HR 6358, the Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act 6.25.2008

Recent Vote - Vote in favor of H.R. 3546, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program Authorization 6.25.2008

Recent Vote - Vote to condemn the persecution of labor rights advocates in Iran 10.2.2007

Recent Vote - Vote in favor of supporting the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month 9.25.2007


More Documents...

Related Files:

CRS Report on Federal Sentencing Guidelines

CRS Report on Federal Crime Control

CRS Report on Victims of Crime Compensation and Assistance