2009 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Crime

Tim Kaine: Release non-violent inmates 90 days early

However, the state's budget for incarceration has dramatically outpaced other spending items over the past decade. While we must not make changes that would compromise public safety, we have a responsibility to examine the costs and benefits of such dramatic growth.

Current law allows the director of the Department of Corrections to release inmates up 30 days before the end of their term. I have proposed a change that would allow the director the discretion to release inmates convicted of non-violent crimes up to 90 days early, if warranted by good behavior.

This small change will result in significant budget savings without compromising public safety. It has been endorsed by Virginia's sheriffs and police chiefs because it will help us deal with persistent jail overcrowding problems.

Tim Kaine: Smart sentencing: reduce number of "technical violations"

Bobby Jindal: Increase penalties on child predators and sex offenders

Next session, we will also work to take the next step in our involuntary civil commitment pilot program legislation passed last session. We will also work to impose additional penalties when sex offenders fail to submit to electronic monitoring as required by law.

We will improve the safety of our child-care facilities by increasing penalties when a sex offender is on the premises and penalize childcare providers who knowingly employ sex offenders. We will also improve licensing procedures to include the ability to revoke or suspend licenses for certain alleged crimes, including the facility allowing a sexual offender to be present on the premises.

We will protect our ballparks, cub scouts and other kid groups and teams by prohibiting a sex offender from volunteering to coach or participate in any way when activities include children.

David Paterson: Intelligence-driven, state-of-the-art crime analysis centers

Given the success of the intelligence-driven approach, we are now opening state-of-the-art crime analysis centers in major Upstate cities. In the past four months, we have opened crime analysis centers in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, with plans for one in Albany later this year.

We should continue these efforts. And we call upon our new leaders in Washington to invest in the programs and people that will keep our communities safe.

Deval Patrick: Misuse of CORI system prevents getting back on their feet