Law Enforcement and Crime
Getting
habitual criminals off of our streets under the Three Strikes law has been a
major step forward in controlling crime, and I firmly believe that penalties
for criminal acts must include full consideration of effects on victims.
Robbery is more than a loss of possessions. It is an assault on the security
that we need to live in a truly free society. And murder must be understood
and prosecuted as the irrevocable loss of a fellow human being along with
their hopes, dreams, and plans for the future and all of the love and comfort
that the victim might have contributed to others. So we must continue to
promote justice with stiff penalties for criminal acts, and do more to
provide timely prosecution so that justice delayed does not become justice
denied for crime victims. To accomplish this, we also must provide the
resources needed by law enforcement agencies to make the best use of new
technology.
In
addition, our debates about crime and punishment too often ignore the lack of
compassion and the lack of respect that must underlie a decision to harm
someone else or to take what belongs to another. I believe that our best hope
for reducing crime in the long run lies in developing attitudes of personal responsibility and respect
for others in our young people, so that we
can build character instead of prisons. These values come first from the
family and are reinforced by encouraging responsible behavior in our schools
and society at large.
Preventing
crime now and in the future will require:
- Adequate financial
support for law enforcement and criminal prosecution, including the three
strikes law.
- Promoting
programs that keep drugs off of our streets and young people out of gangs.
- Ensuring that
new technology is available to law enforcement agencies.
- Providing
support for state and local courts to ensure that justice is neither delayed
nor denied.
- Reforming civil
litigation processes to reduce both the delay and cost of these proceedings.
- Making sure
that laws intended to prevent criminal activity do not penalize or restrict
the rights of law abiding and responsible citizens.
- Developing
curriculum and materials that can be adopted by local schools, particularly
for younger students, to promote development of personal responsibility and a
clear understanding of the consequences of criminal behavior.
- Helping local
communities develop facilities and programs for cultural and recreational
activities that keep families together and young people off the streets.
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