George W. Bush 2000 On The Issues
Crime
Governor Bush believes that the
best way to protect the innocent is to fully enforce the law and to ensure
swift and sure punishment for criminals. During his term in office
as Governor of Texas, he has made combating juvenile crime a top priority.
As a result of his tough policies, violent crime in Texas is down 20
percent and violent juvenile crime is down 44 percent. Governor Bush
also advocated and signed legislation providing comprehensive juvenile
justice reform, tougher sex offender laws, longer sentences for violent
repeat offenders, and zero tolerance for drunk driving.
Governor Bush’s Approach
Juvenile Crime: As Governor, combating juvenile crime has
been a top priority. In 1995, Governor Bush called for and signed
legislation overhauling Texas’ outdated juvenile justice laws. The
new laws restored responsibility and tough consequences for crimes
committed by juveniles. As a result, juvenile crime is down 17
percent in Texas – the first decline in over a decade – and violent
juvenile crime is down 44 percent.
The Responsibility Era: Governor Bush has consistently called
for ushering in what he calls the “Responsibility Era” – a message
that tells children that there are right choices in life and wrong choices
in life. He has consistently called for increased character
education funding, abstinence education, and a dramatic expansion of
after-school programs. He also supports providing teachers and
school administrators the necessary authority and legal protections to
enact a zero-tolerance policy for disruptive behavior in the classroom.
Governor Bush believes that a good education is the best long-term
criminal justice program.
Consequences: Governor Bush believes the laws should be fully
enforced and that criminal conduct should have serious consequences.
In his two terms as Governor he has advocated and signed
comprehensive reforms toughening the juvenile justice code, abolishing a
mandatory release law for certain violent offenders, effectively ending
parole for violent repeat offenders, passing some of the toughest sex
offender laws in the country, and restoring a provision making it a felony
to assault a police officer. As a result, overall crime in Texas
decreased 14 percent and violent crime decreased 20 percent.
Governor Bush’s Policies
As a governor, Governor Bush understands that state and local authorities
are largely responsible for combating violent crime. He believes the
Federal government’s role in criminal justice is primarily international
and multi-jurisdictional, including tough policies against organized
crime, drug cartels, and international terrorism. In addition to
this role, Governor Bush believes the Federal government can do more to
improve our criminal justice system:
1. Enforce federal gun laws. Under the Clinton-Gore Administration,
federal gun prosecutions have dropped 46%. Governor Bush will give
prosecutors the resources they need to aggressively enforce our gun laws
and will provide more funding for aggressive gun law enforcement programs
such as Texas Exile and Project Exile in Richmond, Virginia. In
addition, he supports the Republican legislation to allow active and
retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons across state
lines.
2. Develop and promote successful criminal justice initiatives, such as
the abolition of parole and truth in sentencing in the federal system.
3. Support state and local law enforcement with federal funding, technical
assistance where needed, and a national database to help state and local
police identify, track, and arrest fugitives who move across
jurisdictional lines and to prosecute serious hate crimes where local
jurisdictions lack the resources to do so.
4. Promote federal and state partnerships to develop advanced technology
to help police work both smarter and more efficiently.
5. Combating terrorism. Governor Bush strongly opposed the granting
of clemency to 16 FALN terrorists by the Clinton-Gore Administration.
He believes that, as a nation, we must have zero tolerance for
terrorism
Texas Record
Under Governor Bush Texans are Safer:
During Governor Bush’s tenure, violent
crime decreased 20 percent while overall crime decreased 14 percent.
Juvenile crime is down. During Governor Bush’s term,
violent juvenile crime decreased 44 percent and overall juvenile crime
by 17 percent – the first decline in over a decade.
Juvenile sentences longer, tougher. The average length of
stay for all juvenile offenders increased 35 percent under Governor
Bush.
Effectively abolished parole for violent offenders. Under
current parole policies, violent criminals in Texas are serving over 90
percent of their sentences; violent sex offenders are serving 100
percent of their sentences.
Juvenile Justice Laws Provide Tougher Penalties and Consequences:
Strengthened the Juvenile Justice Code. In 1995, the 74th
Legislature responded to Governor Bush’s call to rewrite Texas’
outdated juvenile justice laws.
Lowered to 14 the age that most violent juveniles can be tried as
adults and streamlined the certification process;
Expanded determinate sentencing options – the toughest juvenile
incarceration penalty – for serious and habitual juvenile offenders;
Enacted new mandatory minimums for length of stay at the Texas Youth
Commission;
Made juvenile records freely available to law enforcement officials;
Expanded the use of fingerprinting and photographing of juveniles;
Adopted a Progressive Sanctions Model sentencing system of
incrementally more intrusive sanctions for juvenile offenders; and
Increased state funding for community-based programs to deter young
criminals.
Created zero tolerance policy for juvenile drinking and driving.
In 1997, Texas enacted a zero-tolerance policy for those under 21
who are caught drinking and driving.
Increased penalties for graffiti offenses. Lawmakers gave
law enforcement officials the incentive to crack down on graffiti
offenses.
Abolished mandatory release of inmates and increased parolee
supervision:
Abolished mandatory release. In 1995, Governor Bush and
the Legislature ended automatic release for all inmates convicted after
September, 1996.
Unprecedented efforts to track parolees. In 1997, the
Legislature appropriated $19 million for super-intensive supervision of
parolees required to be released from our prisons under the old state
mandatory release law.
Increased Capacity for Juvenile Offenders:
Doubled capacity at Texas Youth Commission. Texas has
more than doubled the capacity of TYC by adding 2,476 beds.
Created “Tough Love Academies.” These new facilities will
give judges an “option of last resort” to discipline a juvenile at
the local level before being sent to TYC.
Toughened Laws for Sex Offenders:
Passed “two strikes and you’re out” law for sex
offenders. The new law removes the "two priors"
provision and requires automatic life upon a second sex-related offense.
Provided voluntary castration for sex offenders. Signed a
voluntary castration bill for repeat violent sex offenders who meet
certain psychiatric and medical criteria.
Strengthened the Penal Code:
Eliminated automatic probation. Judges now have the
authority to place an offender convicted of a felony in jail regardless
of whether the offender has a prior conviction.
Protected police officers. Legislation also restored a
provision making it a felony to assault police officers and other public
servants.
Streamlined Death Row Appeals:
Shortened time on death row. Texas now allows the
consideration of the habeas corpus petition at the same time as the
direct appeal. The new law also requires all relevant issues to be
combined in the direct or the habeas appeal.
Improved counsel for capital defendants. Governor Bush
believes there is no more serious question than the guilt or innocence
of a capital defendant, and under his tenure hourly fees have increased
for indigent defense, state funds have been provided (although not
constitutionally required) for state habeas challenges, funding for
training and technical assistance has increased for counsel representing
indigent defendants, and capital defendants have been guaranteed
multiple attorneys meeting minimum qualifications.
Cracked Down On Stalkers:
Made stalking a criminal offense. Gave law enforcement the
ability to prevent stalkers from engaging in acts of violence.
Cracked Down On Domestic Violence:
Increased penalties. Texas increased penalties for repeat
domestic violence offenders and those who violate protective orders.
Provided better notification for victims. Law enforcement
officials are now required to notify victims of violence upon the
offender’s release from custody.
Source: George W. Bush for President 2000 Web Site
©2000-2007 by the 4President Corporation |