2019 MS Governor's race: on Crime


Robert Foster: Help nonviolent offenders; often a better solution

Common sense criminal justice reform that differentiates between non-violent offenders who society is inconvenienced by compared to violent criminals, who society is scared of, must be implemented. In many cases helping a non-violent offender try and turn their life around is a better long-term economic solution than years of costly incarceration.
Source: 2019 Mississippi Gubernatorial campaign website governor.ms May 22, 2019

Bill Waller: Inmates need a passage back into society

While progress is being made in both the courts and the Legislature on criminal justice reform to help inmates try to work back into society, work still needs to be done.

"There is no doubt inmates need a passage back into society. Some of the things being done will reduce prison populations. It could be possible to take some of the savings and put into work centers and re-entry programs," he stated.

Source: Daily Times Leader on 2019 Mississippi Governor's race Mar 6, 2019

Robert Foster: Police officers don't shoot at people unless they need to

[With regards to officer-involved shootings]: Those officers are out there, putting their lives on the line, and I'm not going to try and judge their decisions. They have to make a split-second decision. It could be me dead or them, and until I think somebody has put themselves in that position to understand the reality, that is a reality they face every day when they're on the job. People out there in those streets would kill them if they had that opportunity. They don't want to go back to prison or jail, and they're going to pull a gun out and shoot back, and these cops have to live with that, and they have to work in a very dangerous, in a very stressful situation. And I just don't believe that they're out there trying to shoot people that don't need to. I mean, they're only shooting at people that are trying to kill them or they feel may kill them. And it's a life-or-death situation.
Source: Jackson Free Press on 2019 Mississippi Gubernatorial race Feb 6, 2019

Robert Foster: People have to respect police officers and answer questions

Q: The Jackson Free Press has reported often on officer-involved shootings and the lack of transparency from city government. Would you do anything as governor to improve law-enforcement training to help avoid these incidents?

A: I'm not familiar with there being an issue with officer-involved shootings.

Q: You are not aware of any circumstance where a police officer has unjustly killed someone?

A: I'm not aware of any now. I'm not saying this never happened. If it has, then I would want our district attorney and people to investigate that case, and hold anyone accountable that's abused their power or done something. People have got to learn that they've got to respect these officers and give them the attention that they deserve when they're asking them questions and not be so combative towards them. If you're breaking the law, you're going to have to answer for it. And if you're not, then you have nothing to hide, and you shouldn't have a problem with just answering the questions.

Source: Jackson Free Press on 2019 Mississippi Gubernatorial race Feb 6, 2019

Robert Foster: Reduce recidivism by differentiating non-violent offenders

Real criminal justice reform has to be on the forefront of our discussions so law enforcement can have the extra resources and time to devote towards more serious crimes. This is why Robert will support our President and his goal to reduce recidivism across America, working to ensure those non-violent offenders are on a path back to contributing to society, not back to jail.

A joint effort between the legislature, law enforcement, and our courts could spell a promising future for the countless communities and individuals who have become entrapped in the endless cycle of imprisonment and poverty. Common sense criminal justice reform that differentiates between non-violent offenders who society is inconvenienced by compared to violent criminals, who society is scared of, must be implemented. In many cases helping a non-violent offender try and turn their life around is a better long-term economic solution than years of costly incarceration.

Source: 2019 Mississippi governor campaign website Foster4MS.com Dec 31, 2018

Tate Reeves: Blue Lives Matter: public safety workers in protected class

Lt. Gov. Reeves is signaling he will endorse measures that he says will support law enforcement. Reeves indicated he plans to get behind a so-called Blue Lives Matter bill as well as legislation to prohibit so-called sanctuary cities. In May, Louisiana enacted a law that gave public safety workers similar protected class designation as racial and religious minorities. The change means crimes against law enforcement officers and paramedics could count as hate crimes under state law.
Source: Mississippi Today on 2019 Mississippi Gubernatorial race Jan 9, 2017

  • The above quotations are from 2019 Mississippi Gubernatorial race: debates and news coverage.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Crime.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
Candidates and political leaders on Crime:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Nov 28, 2019