[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 104 (Tuesday, August 2, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 2, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
           THE CRIME BILL: A HISTORIC AND GREAT NEW BEGINNING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
February 11, 1994, and June 10, 1994, the gentlewoman from Colorado 
[Mrs. Schroeder] is recognized during morning business for 1\1/2\ 
minutes.
  Mrs. SCHROEDER. Mr. Speaker, today there is going to be a lot of talk 
about the crime bill that came out of conference last week.
  I just wanted to tell people that my city has been a real laboratory 
this summer for trying out some of the principles in the crime bill. 
You see, this crime bill is unique, because for the first time it is 
half prevention; half punishment.
  If you look at a State like mine, we have been spending like $300 to 
$400 million a year on prisons and only about $3 million a year on 
prevention. If you look at the Federal Government, we have had about 
that same 1 percent of prevention to 99-percent incarceration and 
punishment.
  Well, this is a half and half, and many people say that is too soft, 
that will not work, oh, do not do that. We had all sorts of gang 
problems, all sorts of trouble in Colorado, and we were really fearing 
this summer, and I must say so far, knock on wood, this has been a 
summer of safety, because we have gotten all sorts of preventive grants 
into community organizations who want to work with these young people 
and give them hope.
  You know what, when you give them hope, you get them off the street, 
and you get them out of trouble. We have put in a tough curfew, yes. 
That is the punishment part, but we have also told them, ``We want you 
in here. We want you doing things. We want you bettering your lives. We 
will give you money to help plant trees or do whatever it is that 
happens to keep you busy through the summer,'' and that has begun a 
summer of safety in Denver, CO.
  We want that summer of safety to go all across the Nation and that 
formula is in this crime bill, and I think it is a historic and a great 
new beginning.

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