Senator Bayh believes one of the most important responsibilities of government is ensuring the safety of its citizens. From combating gang violence and drug use to fighting on behalf of underfunded law enforcement, Senator Bayh has been a leader in bringing about common sense solutions to the public safety challenges facing Hoosier communities.

Putting More Police on the Streets

As governor, Senator Bayh saw first hand the impact of the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program, which put more police on the streets in communities across Indiana, helping lower crime rates. Since coming to the Senate, he has continued the fight to fully fund the COPS Program. Since its creation in 1994, local law enforcement agencies in Indiana have received more than $131 million in COPS grants, helping fund 1,578 additional police officers and sheriffs’ deputies; and more than $12 million has gone to the state’s schools to help improve safety in the classroom. Additionally, more than $28 million in COPS funds have helped put the latest crime-fighting technology, information-sharing systems and communications equipment in the hands of local law enforcement departments, allowing officers to spend more time on the streets fighting and preventing crime.

Waging War on Meth

Senator Bayh believes in taking aggressive action to curb the devastating effect that methamphetamine production and use is having on communities across the country. As a cosponsor of the Combat Meth Act, he has pushed for tighter control of over-the-counter drugs containing pseudoephedrine (a key ingredient in meth production). He has also called for full funding of the COPS Hot Spot anti-meth program to provide state and local law enforcement with more tools and training to investigage, prosecute and lock-up meth offenders. At the same time, he’s been an advocate for helping the true victims of meth, pushing for $5 million in the Combat Meth Act to help children whose parents are addicted to meth, along with $13 million to support treatment and to create a national meth treatment center to research effective treatment for meth abuse.

Stopping Internet Crimes against Kids

Child pornography is rapidly ballooning into a multi-billion dollar industry and is one of the fastest-growing businesses on the Internet, according to the Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Senator Bayh cosponsored the Combating Child Exploitation Act, establishing a special council within the Department of Justice to coordinate the prevention and investigation of child exploitation cases. The legislation also creates an internet crimes task force to crack down on online predators and prosecute child obscenity and pornography cases.

Cracking Down on Alien Smuggling

Alien smuggling is a transnational crime problem that poses a significant risk to national security and public safety. It is estimated that the international alien smuggling and sex trafficking trade generates $9.5 billion for criminal organizations worldwide, and the profits are used to finance additional criminal enterprises, such as the trafficking of drugs, weapons or other contraband. Smugglers endanger the safety and lives of those who seek to enter our country by subjecting them to physical abuse, rape, and deplorable and dangerous conditions. Senator Bayh believes that the crime of smuggling illegal aliens across the U.S. border, currently a misdemeanor, should be raised to a felony offense and has introduced the Alien Smuggling and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 with Senator Lindsey Graham.

Combating Gang Violence

Communities across the country are facing the reality that there are more gang members on the nation’s streets today than police officers. Senator Bayh believes that we can't let our communities be outmanned and outgunned in the battle against gang violence. Senator Bayh is a cosponsor of the Gang Abatement and Prevention Act of 2007, which makes the recruiting of gang members a federal crime, with the penalty doubled if a minor is recruited and increases federal penalties for gang-related crimes. The bill also provides more than $400 million to support local gang prevention and intervention programs by schools and community organizations, including mentoring and after-school programs for at-risk youth.

Victim’s Rights

Senator Bayh believes that the criminal justice system places disproportionate emphasis on the suspect instead of the victim. He is a strong advocate for programs aimed at eradicating domestic violence. He was a cosponsor of the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and has pushed for the creation of a Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network to help recruit lawyers to assist victims.