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Debbie Stabenow on Crime

Democratic Jr Senator; previously Representative (MI-8)


Voted YES on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program.

Amendment would increase funding for the COPS Program to $1.15 billion for FY 2008 to provide state and local law enforcement with critical resources. The funding is offset by an unallocated reduction to non-defense discretionary spending.

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.

Reference: Biden Amendment; Bill S.Amdt.529 on S.Con.Res.21 ; vote number 2007-110 on Mar 23, 2007

Voted NO 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 YES 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

More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes.

Stabenow 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.

  1. Award grants to assist State and local law enforcement officials with extraordinary expenses for interstate hate crimes.

  2. Award grants to State and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles.

  3. Prohibit specified offenses involving actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.

  4. Increase criminal sentencing for adult recruitment of juveniles to commit hate crimes.

  5. Collect and publish data about crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on gender.
Source: House Resolution Sponsorship 01-HR1343 on Apr 3, 2001

Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program.

Stabenow co-sponsored increasing funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program

COPS Improvements Act of 2007 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to make grants for public safety and community policing programs (COPS ON THE BEAT or COPS program). Revises grant purposes to provide for:

  1. the hiring o Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to:
  2. assign community prosecutors to handle cases from specific geographic areas and address counterterrorism problems, specific violent crime problems, and localized violent and other crime problems; and
    Source: COPS Improvements Act (S.368/H.R.1700) 07-S368 on Jan 23, 2007

    Other candidates on Crime: Debbie Stabenow on other issues:
    MI Gubernatorial:
    Jennifer Granholm
    MI Senatorial:
    Carl Levin
    Scotty Boman

    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
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    Page last updated: Sep 16, 2008