Bob Wise on Crime

Former Democratic Governor; previously Representative (WV-2)

$1.5M to raise pay for police and prison guards

Although we value their work, those who guard us against crime are paid far less in West Virginia than in our surrounding states. This is particularly true in the correctional system. After completing the required training, the starting salary for a correctional officer is $18,000. Severely understaffed and overworked, our correctional officers are spending long days in close quarters with dangerous and unpredictable criminals. I ask you to pass legislation that will provide a $2,000 annual raise for correctional officers.

Our State Police, too, are not paid adequately in accordance with the burden they carry. And, we are unable, in this tight budget year, to give them all they deserve. But I have set aside $1.5 million in the budget to offer an adjustment in the trooper longevity schedule that will reward our troopers for remaining on the job.

Source: State of the State Address to West Virginia Legislature Feb 14, 2001

Voted NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.

Vote on an amendment that would reduce the funding for violent offender imprisonment by and truth-in-sentencing programs by $61 million. The measure would increase funding for Boys and Girls Clubs and drug courts by the same amount. Reference: Amendment sponsored by Scott, D-VA; Bill HR 4690 ; vote number 2000-317 on Jun 22, 2000

Voted YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime.

Vote to pass a bill to appropriate $1.5 billion to all of the states that want to improve their juvenile justice operations. Among other provisions this bill includes funding for development, implementation, and administration of graduated sanctions for juvenile offenders, funds for building, expanding, or renovating juvenile corrections facilities, hiring juvenile judges, probation officers, and additional prosecutors for juvenile cases. Reference: Bill introduced by McCollum, R-FL; Bill HR 1501 ; vote number 1999-233 on Jun 17, 1999

Voted YES on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals.

Vote on an amendment to delete provisions in the bill that would make it harder for prisoners who have been given the death penalty in state courts to appeal the decision on constitutional grounds in the federal courts ['Habeas Corpus']. Bill HR 2703 ; vote number 1996-64 on Mar 14, 1996

Voted NO on making federal death penalty appeals harder.

Vote on a bill to make it harder for prisoners who have been given the death penalty in state courts to appeal the decision on constitutional grounds in the federal courts. Bill HR 729 ; vote number 1995-109 on Feb 8, 1995

Supports flexible federal block grants for crime programs.

Wise adopted the National Governors Association position paper:

The Issue

reauthorization of the juvenile justice program, which established a block grant to states for prevention and delinquency intervention programs;
reauthorization of programs in the 1994 crime bill, including the state criminal alien assistance program (SCAAP), a reimbursement program to state and local governments for housing illegal alien prisoners;
the state prison grants program, formally known as the Violent Offender Incarceration/Truth-in-Sentencing (VOI/TIS) grant program, [where states receive funds based on increasing the percentage of prison sentences actually served]; and
the Byrne block grant program, a flexible block grant that states use for innovative crime and illegal drug fighting programs.

NGA’s Position

NGA policy calls for reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (JJDPA) and supports the underlying principles of the act. However, NGA wants some flexibility in the core requirements, e.g., allowing some accidental contact between adults and juveniles; expanding the hours before removal from 24 hours to 48 hours; holding certain incorrigible juveniles in detention; and relaxing the disproportionate minority confinement record keeping process. The Governors urge maximum flexibility to implement the spirit and purpose of the act.
The Governors support authorization of the juvenile accountability incentive block grant (JAIBG) program.
The Governors also support reauthorization of SCAAP and seek to raise the reimbursement ratio.
For the Byrne block grant program, NGA seeks to continue the current program with flexibility.
For the state prison grants program, NGA seeks to abolish all requirements and have more flexibility, with the state designating the offender population to be served.

Source: National Governors Association "Issues / Positions" 01-NGA10 on Sep 14, 2001

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