Elizabeth Dole on Crime Republican Sr Senator

Supports use of federal death penalty

Dole supports the following principles regarding crime:
• Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
• Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
• Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
• Support strict penalties for internet crime.
• Dole adds, “After many years of decline, the recent up tick in levels of violent crime is very disturbing. I am committed to making certain the federal government maintains a robust domestic law enforcement role while partnering with state and local law enforcement agencies to provide assistance where appropriate. If our citizens do not feel safe in their homes little else we do matters. ”

Double funding for bullet proof vests for local police

Voted NO on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program.

Proponents recommend voting YES because:

This amendment reinstates the COPS Program. I remind everyone, when the COPS Program was functioning, violent crime in America reduced 8.5% a year for 7 years in a row. Throughout the 1990s, we funded the COPS Program at roughly $1.2 billion, and it drove down crime. Now crime is rising again. The COPS Program in the crime bill worked, and the Government Accounting Office found a statistical link between the COPS grants and a reduction in crime. The Brookings Institution reported the COPS Program is one of the most cost-effective programs we have ever had in this country. Local officials urgently need this support.

Opponents recommend voting NO because:

The COPS Program has some history. It was started by President Clinton. He asked for 100,000 police officers. He said that when we got to 100,000, the program would stop. We got to 110,000 police officers and the program continues on and on and on.

This program should have ended 5 years ago or 6 years ago, but it continues. It is similar to so many Federal programs that get constituencies that go on well past what their original purpose was. It may be well intentioned, but we cannot afford it and we shouldn't continue it. It was never thought it would be continued this long.