[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 39 (Wednesday, April 13, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
      TODAY'S CRIME BILL DOES NOTHING TO SOLVE OKLAHOMA'S PROBLEMS

  (Mr. INHOFE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks and include extraneous 
matter.)
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. Speaker, we have a serious crime problem in my 
district. Tulsa, OK, and the surrounding areas have problems with 
gangs, drugs and a host of other things. Let me give you a few 
examples.
  Nathan Vann, 19, was driving down Frankfort Avenue at about 4:30 in 
the afternoon when two bullets struck the windshield of his car. One 
bullet went through the car, striking Vann's hair, causing him to loose 
control of his automobile and crash into a nearby home.
  Beverly Turner, her husband, and her mother-in-law were returning 
from church when they were approached by someone trying to steal the 
women's purses. When the thief grabbed at her mother-in-laws purse and 
ran, Beverly and her husband chased the thief and pinned him to the 
ground until the police arrived.
  A 13-year-old was shot in the leg as he walked down the street in his 
neighborhood one evening. Witnesses told police that they heard several 
shots and then say a red sports car left the area. The shooting 
appeared to be gang-related.
  Thankfully, I can say that none of these individuals were fatally 
wounded. But, who is to say that someone else, on another day, that is 
in the wrong place at the wrong time, will not loose their life and 
become another statistic.
  Mr. Speaker, what kind of society do we live in where people cannot 
drive down the street without having bullets fly through their car 
windows and where children cannot walk down the street of their 
neighborhoods safely? My district is by no means unique. All across the 
country my colleagues have crime problems, all ranging from purse 
snatching thefts to gang and drug related shootings.
  Mr. Speaker, we will be considering the crime bill on the floor 
today. Unfortunately, the crime bill we are considering is a fake crime 
bill that does not solve the problems in Tulsa, OK. The crime bill we 
are considering today has several defects, First, $8 billion goes to a 
variety of society-style programs including one to increase the self-
esteem of young criminals and fund midnight basketball leagues; second, 
one part of the bill reduces the penalty for drug crimes, possibly 
leading to the release of as many as 16,000 criminals; third, another 
part of the bill allows convicted killers to file for appeal after 
appeal after appeal and avoid the death penalty all together; fourth, 
88 percent of the money is discretionary--going wherever the President 
needs to build political support at the time; and fifth, this crime 
bill is not funded. There is nothing in the language that provides a 
mechanism to pay for these programs.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I hope that my colleagues will join me in taking a 
closer look at this crime bill we are debating today. Let us not pass 
the first thing that comes along. Let us pass a bill that is tough on 
criminals, and will help Tulsa and all Americans.

            Crime Statistics--State of Oklahoma and Tulsa\1\
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     \1\Source: Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
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       1 murder every 42 hours.
       1 rape every 5\1/2\ hours.
       1 robbery every 2 hours.
       1 aggravated assault every 36 minutes.
       1 burglary every 12 minutes.
       1 auto theft every 31 minutes.
       There is a reported violent crime every 26 minutes.
       15 is the average age for rape victims in Tulsa.
       Over 25,000 women are raped annually in Tulsa--only about 
     200 are reported--one out of five rapists are captured and 
     punished.
       Over 4,000 burglaries in Oklahoma each month.
       Robberies are up in last 4 years.
       Aggravated assault up in last 2 years. 54 percent of those 
     were committed with a weapon.
       Oklahoma is 4 percent higher than the national average in 
     the use of a firearm in violent crimes.
       (The above figures are in the 1992 year end figures--the 
     latest available.)
       In the first 6 months of 1993, Oklahoma had an increase in 
     murder by 21.8 percent, assault by 9.3 percent and in general 
     violent crimes by 3.7 percent.
       There was a 31-percent increase in rape in the last 2 
     years.
       (The above two figures are from the first 6 month outlook 
     report for 1993--by OSBI.)
       Since 1983 there has been a 93-percent increase in murder 
     and manslaughter.
       (This is a national figure. Not Oklahoma specific.)

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