David Vitter on Crime Republican Jr Senator; previously Representative (LA-1)

More community crime tips; more DNA testing; more options

• Explore all short-term options to arrest the crime wave in New Orleans which threatens statewide tourism and job growth.
• Develop effective crime-fighting strategies like greatly increasing rewards for tips from the community.
• Implement best practices from other states to expand GED and skills training opportunities in prison, and cost-effective work release and monitoring programs.
• Require inmates to craft post-release plans that outline potential employment along with help from family, churches, and others that they will pursue immediately upon release, and tie any paroles to strict adherence to these plans.
• Focus and target resources on mental health evaluation and treatment so that we get effective help to persons with these disorders, reduce recidivism, and prevent them from clogging the criminal justice system.
• Prioritize testing all DNA evidence at Louisiana crime labs to ensure rapists and other violent criminals are caught immediately

Keep state police presence in New Orleans' French Quarter

"Violent crime is out of control in the city of New Orleans and the top reason is lack of leadership in the city of New Orleans," he said. Vitter went on to say New Orleans police had deteriorated and been mismanaged under Landrieu. Unless there was a leadership change in the city, the state would have to step up with extra resources. "I think his lack of leadership has let NOPD get to this point," said Vitter. "We are going to have to pick up the slack. Unfortunately, that's not going to turn a corner immediately."

Impose truth in sentencing

Vitter supports the following principles regarding crime:
• Impose “truth in sentencing” for violent criminals so they serve full sentences with no chance of parole.
• Impose harsher penalties for youths convicted of violent offenses.
• Support the use of “boot camps” as alternative sentencing for juvenile offenders.

Broaden use of death penalty

Vitter supports the following principles regarding crime:
• Broaden the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
• Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
• Provide block grants to states for implementation of programs to combat juvenile crime.

Voted YES 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.

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

Voted YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime.

Rated 20% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes.

CURE (Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants) is a membership organization of families of prisoners, prisoners, former prisoners and other concerned citizens. CURE's two goals are

1. to use prisons only for those who have to be in them; and
2. for those who have to be in them, to provide them all the rehabilitative opportunities they need to turn their lives around.

Opposes more severe penalties for Hate Crimes.

The Christian Coalition voter guide [is] one of the most powerful tools Christians have ever had to impact our society during elections. This simple tool has helped educate tens of millions of citizens across this nation as to where candidates for public office stand on key faith and family issues.

The CC survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: "Hate Crimes legislation that designates crimes as more severe due to the perpetrator's thoughts and motivations"

Rated 64% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues.

Ratings by the National Association of Police Organizations indicate support or opposition to issues of importance to police and crime. The organization's self-description: "The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) is a coalition of police units and associations from across the United States. NAPO was organized for the purpose of advancing the interests of America's law enforcement officers through legislative advocacy, political action, and education.

"Increasingly, the rights and interests of law enforcement officers have been the subject of legislative, executive, and judicial action in the nation’s capital. NAPO works to influence the course of national affairs where law enforcement interests are concerned. The following list includes examples of NAPO’s accomplishments:

• Enactment of the Fair Sentencing Act
• Enactment of the National AMBER Alert Act
• Enactment of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act
• Enactment of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act
• Enactment of the Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act (Right to Carry Legislation)

VoteMatch scoring for the NAPO ratings is as follows:

• 0%-50%: soft on crime and police issues;
• 50%-75%: mixed record on crime and police issues;
• 75%-100%: tough on crime and police issues.