2019 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Crime
Bill Lee:
Electronic monitoring for low-risk offenders
One area of reform is our use of community supervision for low-risk offenders. It costs about 20 times more to incarcerate someone than to put them under community supervision, and the latter leads to better outcomes. One of the first things we will
do is add funds to the Electronic Monitoring Indigency Fund and add the use of GPS monitoring so that low-risk, non-violent individuals can keep their jobs and provide for their families instead of spending unnecessary time in jail.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Tennessee legislature
Mar 6, 2019
Bill Lee:
Volunteer to mentor degree-seeking inmates
We are launching the Volunteer Mentorship Initiative to equip Tennesseans throughout our state to mentor fellow Tennesseans who are currently in prison. And I'm signing up tonight as the first volunteer. This initiative will begin by working with
Tennessee-based non-profits to pair degree-seeking inmates with mentors on the outside as they seek better opportunities for themselves during their time in prison and their first days back in their communities.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Tennessee legislature
Mar 6, 2019
Janet Mills:
Expand personnel to fight crime in courtrooms and computers
Our budget bolsters public safety: By beefing up security in courtrooms. By authorizing fifteen additional state troopers and sergeants to ensure a 24-hour police presence statewide, including in all rural areas. By adding seven positions to the
Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit. There can be no more important purpose of government than to protect our children from violent predators. We will continue to work with community groups to combat the scourge of domestic violence.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Maine legislature
Feb 11, 2019
Greg Abbott:
Crack down on human trafficking
We must also work together to crack down on human trafficking and to protect the victims of this heinous crime. I ask the legislature to increase funding to create six regional human trafficking squads. These squads will investigate and shut down human
trafficking operations across Texas. And absolutely every trafficker should get mandatory jail time. These predators should be locked up, not freely roaming our streets looking for victims.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Texas legislature
Feb 5, 2019
Tom Wolf:
Make it easier for ex-cons to get jobs
We cannot comprehensively address our workforce development system without fixing our criminal justice system. Tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians are shut out of our workforce or underemployed because of mistakes they've made in their past.
Families are being denied providers. Employers are being denied skilled workers. We have to improve reentry programs and make it easier for those who have done their time to succeed in the workforce and their daily lives.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to Pennsylvania legislature
Feb 5, 2019
Kevin Stitt:
Make it easier for ex-cons to go to work
But money is not the sole action government must take. I am encouraged by legislation in the House to accomplish licensing reform for those with a felony.
We must give Oklahomans re-entering society more opportunities to be gainfully employed and we must give employers more discretion on who they can hire.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Oklahoma legislature
Feb 4, 2019
Mike Dunleavy:
Declare war on criminals
I'm Governor today because of the campaign promises I made to the people of Alaska. So, here it is:- We're going to declare war on criminals.
- We're going to get our spending in line with our revenue. This has to be done.
- We're going to
protect Alaskans' Permanent Fund dividends.
- We're going to grow our economy and put Alaskans to work.
- And we must restore public trust in government and elected officials.
That's what my plan was last year, and that's my plan now.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Alaska legislature
Jan 22, 2019
Brian Kemp:
Address the growing threat of gang activity
It's time to renew our commitment to public safety. As governor, I am committed to addressing the rise of gang activity in our state--a growing threat requiring our immediate attention. According to a recent survey conducted by the Georgia Gang
Investigators Association, there are over 71,000 validated gang affiliates and 1,500 suspected gang networks in our state. These gangs are pawns for Mexican drug cartels--pushing opioids and drugs, buying and selling children for sex. My budget
proposal includes $500,000 in initial funds to form a gang taskforce within the GBI. This highly qualified group of experienced law enforcement personnel and prosecutors will work with local district attorneys and law enforcement to stop and dismantle
street gangs. By utilizing the Criminal Gang and Criminal Alien Database, and working with the Attorney General, federal, state, and local partners, we can undermine organized crime. Together, we can build a safer future for all Georgia families.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Georgia legislature
Jan 17, 2019
Brian Kemp:
Give non-violent offenders a second chance at life
There's no doubt that criminal justice reform will be a lasting legacy of the Deal administration. Without question, the leadership of Governor Deal and the General Assembly has changed our state for the better. I look forward to supporting initiatives
that save costs, strengthen communities, and give non-violent offenders a second chance at life. To keep all Georgians safe, we must build on these reform efforts.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Georgia legislature
Jan 17, 2019
John Carney:
Help ex-offenders back into community
I signed an Executive Order to help ex-offenders more successfully reenter their communities. We're creating individualized plans for each inmate. The goal is to give them the drug treatment, education, and job skills they need to survive on the outside.
Bottom line is really quite simple: over 90 percent of inmates will eventually leave prison. We need to make sure they're better off when they leave prison than when they got there in the first place.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to Delaware legislature
Jan 17, 2019
Steve Sisolak:
Help inmates ready to go straight
I am recommending we add new staff who will focus on supporting mental health and substance abuse programs and handling the increased caseload in the Parole and Probation division. This will be coupled with an increased investment in a pilot program
aimed at providing education and skills training for inmates. In the first year of this program, over 80 percent of the inmates enrolled graduated with either credits going towards a traditional college degree or a pre-apprenticeship experience.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Nevada legislature
Jan 16, 2019
ACLU:
Eliminating cash bail perpetuates racist system
We need to reform our criminal justice system by eliminating cash bail once and for all. And enacting speedy trial. And discovery reform.ACLU commentary on California's elimination of cash bail; NPR, 8/29/18: Every day, people who have
not been convicted of a crime are incarcerated pretrial because they're too poor to afford cash bail. The California Legislature eliminated this cash bail industry, and that's a good thing. But it replaces this current system with another system that
could be even worse, by creating broad new categories of people who will now be presumed to be subjected to pretrial incarceration--essentially algorithms that pop out a number that tells a judge what risk you are. Communities of color are over-policed
& come in contact with the criminal justice system much more frequently. If you build an algorithm that gives you a worse score on a risk assessment because you have been arrested before, then that perpetuates racial bias in the criminal justice system.
Source: ACLU on Cuomo's 2019 New York State of the State address
Jan 15, 2019
Andrew Cuomo:
Eliminate cash bail
We need to reform our criminal justice system by eliminating cash bail once and for all. And enacting speedy trial. And discovery reform.ACLU commentary on California's elimination of cash bail; NPR, 8/29/18: Every day, people who have
not been convicted of a crime are incarcerated pretrial because they're too poor to afford cash bail. The California Legislature eliminated this cash bail industry, and that's a good thing. But it replaces this current system with another system that
could be even worse, by creating broad new categories of people who will now be presumed to be subjected to pretrial incarceration--essentially algorithms that pop out a number that tells a judge what risk you are. Communities of color are over-policed
& come in contact with the criminal justice system much more frequently. If you build an algorithm that gives you a worse score on a risk assessment because you have been arrested before, then that perpetuates racial bias in the criminal justice system.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
Andrew Cuomo:
Focus on enforcement: $45M for anti-gang operations
When it comes to public safety, we spent a hundred millions dollars to fight MS-13 the fight goes on, let's invest another $45 million dollar in anti-gang operations, violence prevention, and school base support. We have a growing problem of
online sexual offenses against children. We want to launch a specialized police unit to prosecute these predators, nothing could be worse. Let's pass the New York City speed camera laws and stop playing politics that they did last year.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the New York legislature
Jan 15, 2019
Asa Hutchinson:
Give criminals a second chance
We have invested more in reentry centers to give people a second chance in life. More than 1,200 inmates have graduated through our reentry facilities, and this results in a lower incarceration rate, more people working, and a reduced burden on
taxpayers. We want to give people a second chance in life after they have paid the penalty for any wrongdoing, and I am proud of our employers who give them a chance!
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Arkansas legislature
Jan 15, 2019
Asa Hutchinson:
Increased funding for law enforcement
I have submitted my balanced budget to you, and it includes additional funding for public safety with 30 additional probation and parole officers. It also includes $2.3 million for an increase of 24 new troopers over the next two years.
The Arkansas State Police is our top law-enforcement agency, and we must support our law enforcement. And Arkansas does.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Arkansas legislature
Jan 15, 2019
Eric Holcomb:
Train prisoners to reduce recidivism
In 2018, we began enrolling Department of Correction offenders in programs to train them for high-wage, high-demand jobs everything from welding to computer coding. I said last year we'd graduate 1,000 by 2020 and we're already there, a year ahead of
schedule. In less than a year, we already have coding programs in two of our facilities, and Google.org recently announced it would invest $2 million into this proven program that has a zero percent recidivism rate.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to Indiana legislature
Jan 15, 2019
Kim Reynolds:
Restore ex-felon voting rights
Our constitution takes away the voting rights of anyone convicted of a felony. Forever. The governor can restore those rights, and I have done that 88 times since taking office. But I don't believe that voting rights should be forever stripped, and
I don't believe restoration should be in the hands of a single person. Our founders gave us a process to amend the constitution. Let's begin that process now. I believe Iowans recognize the power of redemption; let's put this issue in their hands.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to Iowa legislature
Jan 15, 2019
Mark Gordon:
More funding for local police and sheriff's offices
We need to support our local police departments, sheriff's offices, fire halls; our local communities. I believe the best decisions are made closest to where the impact of those decisions is felt. It is also at the local level where individuals and
entrepreneurs can spur new businesses that align with a community's values and assets.
I applaud Governor Mead's dedication to providing funding to locals these past eight years, and I will continue that work. But beyond dollars, I hope to move forward with improving the tools required for cities,
towns and counties to prosper. This means finding ways to enhance the services of the State Loan and Investment Board.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to Wyoming legislature
Jan 9, 2019
Brad Little:
Expand community re-entry centers for former offenders
We must hold those who violate our laws accountable, but we also must invest in changing their behavior, so our communities will be safer once offenders pay their debt to society.My budget recommendation takes on this challenge in a way that provides
not only an increase in our prison capacity but also the resources needed to reduce the flow of inmates to our prisons. This will be done by expanding the St. Anthony Work Camp in eastern Idaho and opening a community reentry center in northern Idaho.
In addition to providing timely relief to Idaho's overcrowded prisons, these combined 220 beds focus specifically on helping those in custody acquire critical skills to successfully transition back into society after release.
Former offenders cannot
be successful after reentry and on parole if we don't have the necessary bed space and programs--such as drug courts--to halt the revolving door.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to Idaho legislature
Jan 7, 2019
Charlie Baker:
Account for criminal history in dangerousness hearing
We've made progress on criminal justice. But our work here is not done. In deciding whether or not it makes sense to hold a dangerousness hearing, current law requires a judge to ignore any previous criminal history and to focus only on the crime before
the court. Moreover, the list of crimes for which a prosecutor is allowed to make that request is quite narrow. Too often, dangerous career criminals are arrested only to be released as soon as they appear in court. This sort of revolving door serves to
undermine people's faith in law enforcement and the courts. And it's a threat to public safety.Nobody wants to see someone's life ruined over a small-time lapse in judgment. But, we still need a common sense approach that provides the system with the
ability to schedule a dangerousness hearing when individuals with violent histories come before the court. We owe it to law enforcement and to our citizens to ensure that we're doing all we can to keep dangerous people off of our streets.
Source: 2019 Massachusetts governor inaugural (State of the State)
Jan 3, 2019
Page last updated: Apr 02, 2019