Karen Thurman on Crime

Former Democratic Representative (FL-5)

Voted YES on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.

Vote on an amendment that would reduce the funding for violent offender imprisonment by and truth-in-sentencing programs by $61 million. The measure would increase funding for Boys and Girls Clubs and drug courts by the same amount. Reference: Amendment sponsored by Scott, D-VA; Bill HR 4690 ; vote number 2000-317 on Jun 22, 2000

Voted NO on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime.

Vote to pass a bill to appropriate $1.5 billion to all of the states that want to improve their juvenile justice operations. Among other provisions this bill includes funding for development, implementation, and administration of graduated sanctions for juvenile offenders, funds for building, expanding, or renovating juvenile corrections facilities, hiring juvenile judges, probation officers, and additional prosecutors for juvenile cases. Reference: Bill introduced by McCollum, R-FL; Bill HR 1501 ; vote number 1999-233 on Jun 17, 1999

Voted YES on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals.

Vote on an amendment to delete provisions in the bill that would make it harder for prisoners who have been given the death penalty in state courts to appeal the decision on constitutional grounds in the federal courts ['Habeas Corpus']. Bill HR 2703 ; vote number 1996-64 on Mar 14, 1996

Voted NO on making federal death penalty appeals harder.

Vote on a bill to make it harder for prisoners who have been given the death penalty in state courts to appeal the decision on constitutional grounds in the federal courts. Bill HR 729 ; vote number 1995-109 on Feb 8, 1995

Voted NO on replacing death penalty with life imprisonment.

Amendment to replace death penalty crimes in the 1994 Omnibus Crime Bill with life imprisonment. Bill HR 4092 ; vote number 1994-107 on Apr 14, 1994

More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes.

Thurman co-sponsored the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act:

Title: To provide Federal assistance to States and local jurisdictions to prosecute hate crimes.

Summary: Provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or other assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of any violent crime that is motivated by prejudice based on the race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability of the victim or is a violation of hate crime laws.

Award grants to assist State and local law enforcement officials with extraordinary expenses for interstate hate crimes.
Award grants to State and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles.
Prohibit specified offenses involving actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
Increase criminal sentencing for adult recruitment of juveniles to commit hate crimes.
Collect and publish data about crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on gender.

Source: House Resolution Sponsorship 01-HR1343 on Apr 3, 2001

Require DNA testing for all federal executions.

Thurman co-sponsored the Innocence Protection Act:

Title: To reduce the risk that innocent persons may be executed.

Summary:

the Federal crime of which the person was convicted; or
any other offense that a sentencing authority may have relied upon when it sentenced the person with respect to such crime.
Prohibits a State from denying an application for DNA testing made by a prisoner in State custody who is under sentence of death if specified conditions apply.
Provides grants to prosecutors for DNA testing programs.
Establishes the National Commission on Capital Representation.
Withholds funds from States not complying with standards for capital representation.
Provides for capital defense incentive grants and resource grants.
Increases compensation in Federal cases, and sets forth provisions regarding compensation in State cases, where an individual is unjustly sentenced to death.
Adds a certification requirement in Federal death penalty prosecutions.
Expresses the sense of Congress regarding the execution of juvenile offenders and the mentally retarded.

Source: House Resolution Sponsorship 01-HR912 on Mar 7, 2001

More prison cells; more truth in sentencing.

Thurman co-sponsored more prison cells; more truth in sentencing

To encourage each State to adopt truth in sentencing laws and to help fund additional spaces in the State correctional programs as needed.
Provide grants to States to build, expand, or operate space in correctional facilities in order to implement specified "truth in sentencing" requirements.
Requires a State, to be eligible for funding under this Act, to have in effect throughout the State such requirements, including provisions which:
1. restrict parole, good-time credit release, or other forms of early release to require that criminals convicted of crimes of violence serve at least 85% of the sentence imposed by a judge or jury;
2. require the sentencing authority to allow the defendant's victim or the victim's family the opportunity to be heard regarding the issue of sentencing;
3. allow as a sentencing option a "life sentence" without the possibility of parole; and
4. provide that the victim and the victim's family shall be notified whenever such defendant is to be released.

Source: Truth in Sentencing Act (H.R.3584) 1993-H3584 on Nov 20, 1993

Life imprisonment for repeat sexual predators.

Thurman co-sponsored restricting parole for repeat sexual predators

more seriously consider the relatively high recidivism rate of sexual offenders when deciding whether to plea bargain with first-time sexual offenders and whether to grant parole to sexual offenders; and
review their treatment and parole supervision programs for sexual offenders to assure that such programs are fulfilling their goals.
Whoever violates provisions regarding aggravated sexual abuse after previously having been convicted of another State or Federal sexual abuse offense shall be imprisoned for life.
Establish guidelines for State programs requiring any person who is convicted of a sex offense to register and keep up to date a current address with a designated State law enforcement agency for ten years after being released from prison
Maintain on-line availability of information obtained under this Act
Carry out a study of persistent sexual predators and to report to the Congress and the President.

Source: Protection from Sexual Predators Act (H.R.3990) 1994-H3990 on Mar 9, 1994

Click here for definitions & background information on Crime. Click here for a profile of Karen Thurman. Click here for HouseMatch answers by Karen Thurman. Agree? Disagree? Voice your opinions on Crime in The Forum. Click here for a summary of Karen Thurman's positions on all issues. Click here for issue positions of other FL politicians.
*Other candidates on Crime:*		*Karen Thurman on other issues:*
*FL Gubernatorial:* Charlie Crist *FL Senatorial:* Bill Nelson Mel Martinez Democratic retirements & special elections: D,AL-5:Cramer D,CA-12:Lantos D,CO-2:Udall D,IN-7:Carson D,NY-21:McNulty D,ME-1:Allen D,MD-4:Wynn D,NM-3:Udall D,OR-5:Hooley *Republican special elections:* R,IL-14:Hastert R,LA-1:Jindal R,LA-6:Baker R,MS-1:Wicker R,OH-5:Gillmor	*Republican retirements:* R,AL-2:Everett R,AZ-1:Renzi R,CA-4:Doolittle R,CA-52:Hunter R,CO-6:Tancredo R,FL-15:Weldon R,IL-11:Weller R,IL-18:LaHood R,KY-2:Lewis R,LA-4:McCrery R,MD-1:Gilchrest R,MN-3:Ramstad R,MO-9:Hulshof R,MS-3:Pickering R,NJ-3:Saxton R,NJ-7:Ferguson R,NM-1:Wilson R,NM-2:Pearce R,NY-13:Fossella R,NY-25:Walsh R,NY-26:Reynolds R,OH-7:Hobson R,OH-15:Pryce R,OH-16:Regula R,PA-5:Peterson R,VA-11:Davis R,WY-0:Cubin	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty

Page last updated: Sep 17, 2008