[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 26 (Thursday, February 9, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                   VIOLENT CRIMINAL INCARCERATION ACT

  (Mr. NORWOOD asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. NORWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Violent 
Criminal Incarceration Act. In support, I will cite three statistics. 
Two-thirds of all violent crimes are committed by 7 percent of 
criminals; 51 percent of violent criminals are released within 2 years. 
We have 65 murders a day; 30 percent of all murders are committed by 
people on probation, parole, or bail. Mr. Speaker, we are abdicating 
our responsibility to protect society. By passing this act, we provide 
States with the incentive to keep violent criminals in prison, and we 
provide the support for them to do so. We cannot expect to deter crime 
in this country if we do not have serious punishment. This bill makes a 
real change in how we attack the problem of crime in America. If we 
cannot do this much to protect society, then we have no business being 
here.

                          ____________________