Jim Risch on Crime

	Jim Risch on Crime Republican Jr Senator; previously Governor

Hold criminals accountable & punish for crimes

The U.S. is a society of laws and without consistent interpretation of these laws by an impartial judiciary our freedoms will be diminished. I therefore support judicial nominees who believe the U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land, who have an established record of judicial restraint and who do not see the judicial branch as a lawmaking body.

Those who violate our laws must be held accountable for their actions and punished for their crimes. I believe the punishment imposed by our judicial system must be appropriate to the crime to discourage and deter future criminal behavior.

Source: Vote-USA.org on 2020 Idaho Senate race , Apr 3, 2008

Eliminate epidemic of domestic violence from our society

Idaho's acting Governor Jim Risch will present a proclamation honoring the dedication of volunteers and professionals working for a violence-free society and people who assist victims of domestic violence. "Bringing domestic violence to the attention of all Idahoans so they can be informed of this epidemic and help eliminate it from our society," Risch said. Source: Press release, "Domestic Violence Awareness Proclamation" , Oct 15, 2003

Don't compromise community safety with sentencing reform.

Risch voted NAY First Step Act

Congressional Summary:

TITLE I--RECIDIVISM REDUCTION: establish a risk and needs assessment system to evaluate the recidivism risk of prisoners; to guide housing assignments; and to reward participation in recidivism reduction programs.
TITLE II--BUREAU OF PRISONS SECURE FIREARMS STORAGE: allow federal correctional officers to securely store and carry concealed firearms on BOP premises outside the security perimeter of a prison.
TITLE III--RESTRAINTS ON PREGNANT PRISONERS PROHIBITED: limits the use of restraints on federal prisoners who are pregnant or in postpartum recovery.
TITLE IV--SENTENCING REFORM: reduces the enhanced mandatory minimum prison terms for certain repeat drug offenses.

Opposing press release from Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-1):: The reform sentencing laws in this bill may compromise the safety of our communities. Criminals convicted of violent crimes would have the opportunity to achieve `low risk` status and become eligible for early release. California already has similar laws in place--Propositions 47 and 57--which have hamstrung law enforcement and caused a significant uptick in crime.

Supporting press release from Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-10):: S. 756 establishes a new system to reduce the risk that [federal prisoners] will commit crimes once they are released. Critically, S. 756 would not only implement these reforms to our prison system, but it also takes a crucial first step toward addressing grave concerns about our sentencing laws, which have for years fed a national crisis of mass incarceration. The bill is a `first step` that demonstrates that we can work together to make the system fairer in ways that will also reduce crime and victimization.

Legislative outcome: Concurrence Passed Senate, 87-12-1, on Dec. 18, 2018; Concurrence Passed House 358-36-28, Dec. 20, 2018; President Trump signed, Dec. 21, 2018

Source: Congressional vote 18-S756 on Dec 20, 2018

Rated 55% by the NAPO, indicating a moderate stance on police issues.

Risch scores 55% by the NAPO on crime & 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.

Source: NAPO ratings on Congress and politicians 2014_NAPO on Dec 31, 2014

Support law enforcement, according to CC survey.

Risch opposes the Christian Coalition survey question on defunding the police

The Christian Coalition inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'Defunding Law Enforcement Agencies at the Federal, State, and Local Level ?' Self-description by Christian Coalition of America: "These guides help give voters a clear understanding of where candidates stand on important pro-family issues" for all Senate and Presidential candidates.

Source: CC Survey 20CC-9A on Sep 10, 2020