[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 22, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E403]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 GET OUT OF THE WAY WASHINGTON: RETURN CRIME FIGHTING TO CRIME FIGHTERS

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                        HON. DONALD A. MANZULLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 22, 1995
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, this week, the House restored maximum 
crime fighting power to the people who best know how to use it--the men 
and women who make up the ranks of our local law enforcement. Broken 
down into six parts, the cornerstone of the GOP crime bill is the Local 
Law Enforcement Block Grants Act of 1995. This measure directly grants 
money to local communities based upon a formula which takes into 
consideration population and violent crime rate. Once the community 
receives the grant, it can decide how it wants to allocate the funds; 
for more cops, court personnel, prevention programs, etc. If it chooses 
to do so, it can spend all the money on cops or on prevention. The 
point being that the needs of the communities in McHenry County are 
different than the needs of New York, Los Angeles, or Detroit.
  The second major provision of the Republican crime bill is the 
Violent Criminal Incarceration Act. This legislation allocates $10.5 
billion in prison construction funds to States that enact or make 
significant progress toward truth in sentencing in their corrections 
programs. Truth in sentencing will require violent criminals to serve 
85 percent of their sentences. This measure is about protecting the 
American people. In Illinois, 46 percent of inmates released from 
prison are back in prison within 3 years.
  In 1980, Illinois released 21,000 prisoners 3 months before the 
completion of their sentences, solely for the purpose of saving money. 
The State saved $60 million; however, those prisoners committed 23 
murders, 32 rapes, 262 acts of arson, 681 robberies, 2,472 burglaries, 
2,571 assaults, and 8,000 other crimes in 3 months following their 
release. By requiring inmates to serve more of their sentence, fewer 
will be able to revictimize society.
  When a judge sentences a criminal to 20, 30, or 40 years, that 
sentence should be carried out. What will it cost to keep criminals 
locked up? In 1992, the U.S. Department of Justice reported that the 
average criminal, if not detained, costs society $171,566 per year in 
direct injuries to victims and direct costs such as lost jobs, sales 
taxes, and educational opportunities. Some of the costs associated with 
reincarcerating criminals include $26,000 for treatment of a gunshot 
wound, $2,711 to cover the cost of each criminal investigation, $700 
for pretrial detention, and $1,205 for prosecution, defense, and court 
cost for each felony case.
  The annual cost of keeping a criminal in prison is $16,000.
  The GOP crime bills also included the Effective Death Penalty Act 
which will dramatically shorten the appeals process for death row 
prisoners. This reform will place a 2-year limit on most Federal 
appeals and a 1-year limit on most State appeals.
  The House also passed the Victim Restitution Act which mandates that 
criminals pay full restitution to their victims for damages caused as a 
result of the crime. Current law allows judges to order such 
restitution, but does not require it. Under this reform, restitution 
can be used to reimburse the victim for necessary child care, 
transportation, and other expenses incurred while participating in the 
investigation or court proceedings. This law will also allow, but not 
require, the courts to order restitution of any person who was harmed 
physically, emotionally, or financially by the unlawful conduct of the 
defendant.
  Last year, the Democratic-controlled 103d Congress passed a crime 
bill that told local law enforcement agencies that Washington knows 
best when it comes to their needs in fighting crime. The House of 
Representatives in the 104th Congress has reversed this arrogance. 
These amendments to last year's crime bill put crime fighting power 
back in the local agencies and tells Washington to get out of the way. 
It is time that victims of crimes are served. It is time criminals are 
punished swiftly and serve out their sentences.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time that bureaucrats in Washington realize that 
they are not crime fighters.


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