[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 75 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 75


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 29, 1997

        Received and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of the Congress that States should work more 
   aggressively to attack the problem of violent crimes committed by 
     repeat offenders and criminals serving abbreviated sentences.

Whereas a disturbing number of law-abiding citizens believe they are prisoners 
        in their own homes because of increasing violence in our society;
Whereas law-abiding citizens have the right to be fearful knowing that violent 
        offenders only serve on average 48 percent of the sentence they 
        received;
Whereas more than \2/3\ of persons under correctional supervision are currently 
        on parole and not incarcerated;
Whereas 1 in 3 offenders admitted to State prisons were on probation or parole 
        violators;
Whereas the Federal Government eliminated parole in 1984 and prisoners convicted 
        of Federal crimes now serve at least 85 percent of their sentences;
Whereas under current Federal law, States are eligible for prison construction 
        funds if they keep felons in prison for at least 85 percent of their 
        sentence;
Whereas in 1996, at least 25 States, among them Arizona, California, 
        Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, 
        Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North 
        Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, 
        Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, have laws that meet the 85 
        percent of sentence served requirements set forth in the 1994 crime 
        bill; and
Whereas the National Association of Police Organizations, the International 
        Chiefs of Police, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National 
        Association of Chiefs of Police, the National District Attorney's 
        Association, and the Safe Streets Coalition support the concept of an 85 
        percent minimum length of service for violent criminals: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) Congress commends Arizona, California, Connecticut, 
        Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, 
        Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North 
        Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South 
        Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Washington for their 
        existing efforts with respect to prison time served by criminal 
        offenders;
            (2) Congress encourages all remaining States to adopt as 
        quickly as possible legislation to increase the time served by 
        violent felons; and
            (3) with respect to Federal crimes, Congress reemphasizes 
        its support for the requirement that individuals who commit 
        violent crimes should serve at least 85 percent of their 
        sentence.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 29, 1997.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.