Strict penalties; more prisons; status quo on death penalty
Hatch supports the following principles regarding crime:
Would not eliminate the use of the death penalty; but would not broaden its use either.
Impose stricter penalties for violent felons.
Increase spending to build more federal
prisons.
Impose “truth in sentencing” for violent criminals so they serve full sentences with no chance of parole.
Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when
released.
Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
Increase penalties for crimes committed on school grounds.
Enforcement of civil rights should primarily be the responsibility of the federal
government.
Hatch says, “Maintain and increase funds for law enforcement block grants.”
Source: Vote-Smart.org 2000 NPAT
Jan 13, 2000
Appointing conservative judges is more critical than Miranda
Q: Do you think the Miranda warnings have a place in our criminal justice system? A: This involves a congressional enactment after Miranda was upheld by the Supreme Court. [It] basically says that if a person commits a crime and they voluntarily
confess, that confession is admissible into a court of law. That’s the way it should be. But the most important single issue in this campaign is. one of us is going to appoint the other 50% [of judges] and up to five Supreme Court justices.
Source: Republican debate in West Columbia, South Carolina
Jan 7, 2000
10-20-Life plan: harsh penalties for gun use
Hatch described what he calls the “Hatch 10-20-life” plan, which says anyone who commits a felony while in possession of a gun should be sentenced to 10 years in prison. Someone who fires a gun while committing a felony would get 20 years, and someone
who harms or kills someone would get life in prison.
Source: Holly Ramer, Associated Press
Aug 16, 1999
More funding & prosecution of Hate Crimes
Hatch introduced a bill to fund state investigations of hate crimes, and to let federal prosecutors pursue hate crimes when the defendant crosses state lines. It does not extend protections to gays and lesbians or those with disabilities. “The Senate
[should not] sit by silently while these crimes are being committed,” Hatch said. “The ugly, bigoted and violent underside of some in our country that is reflected by the commission of hate crimes must be combated at all levels of government.”
Source: Atlanta Constitution editorial
Jul 27, 1999
Fight crime by fighting drugs and gangs
“I will continue the fight against crime, of course. And that includes efforts to get kids off drugs - because drugs and crime are connected - and better efforts to control gangs. We need to look at ways to rehabilitate youthful offenders; but equally,
we need to get really tough on juveniles who commit adult crimes.”
Source: (cross-ref to Drugs) Senate homepage
Jul 2, 1999
Punish minor juvenile crimes to prevent later serious crimes
Juvenile justice too often ignores minor crimes. [More serious] crimes might be prevented if the warning signs of early acts of antisocial behavior are heeded. A delinquent juvenile’s critical first brush with the law teaches what behavior will be
tolerated.
Our Juvenile Accountability Block Grant [proposes $450 million for] graduated sanctions:
community service for minor crimes
electronically monitored home detention
boot camps
traditional detention for more serious offenses.
Source: senate.gov/~hatch/ “Juvenile Offender Act”
May 11, 1999
Allow 14-year-olds to be tried & punished as adults
Our bill reforms and streamlines the federal juvenile code. It sets a uniform age of 14 for charging juveniles as adults]; lets prosecutors decide whether to charge a juvenile offender as an adult; and permits juveniles charged as adults to petition the
court to be returned to juvenile status.
When prosecuted as adults, juveniles in Federal criminal cases will be subject to the same procedures and penalties as adults, except for the application of mandatory minimums and disallowing the death penalty.
Source: senate.gov/~hatch/ “Juvenile Offender Act”
May 11, 1999
Prosecute drugs & gun crimes; protect victims’ rights
[My proposed 21st Century Justice Act] will expand current successful law enforcement practices. It is based on what we know reduces crime.Our plan contains four central elements:
More Federal assistance to State and local law enforcement
Reinvigorate the war on drugs
Vigorously prosecute gun crimes
Protections for the rights of crime victims.
The first obligation of government is to protect its citizens from crime. We have a long way to go.
Restore & expand block grants to local law enforcement
Clinton’s budget eliminates block grants that have proven so successful in helping state and local authorities reduce crime. [Our proposed] bill extends the block grant authorization. This program has provided more than $2 billion in funding for
equipment and technology, such as radios and scanners, directly to state and local law enforcement. The authorization for this program will be between $600-700 million per year.
Our bill reauthorizes truth-in-sentencing prison grants at approximately $700 million per year. These grants provide funds to States to build prisons, which lower crime by encouraging States to incarcerate violent and repeat offenders for at least 85% of
their sentence. The average time served by violent criminals nationally has increased 12% since 1993. Simply put, violent criminals cannot commit crimes against innocent victims while in prison.
How can there be justice if crime victims feel victimized by the criminal justice system? [Our proposed crime bill] ensures that victims are given respect in the criminal system, ensuring their right to attend trials in federal court, to be heard at
critical stages such as detention hearings, and to be notified when the defendant is released or escapes. Our bill also calls for ratification of a crime victim’s rights constitutional amendment to ensure that these rights are recognized everywhere.
Sen. Orrin Hatch announced today that over $1.3 million will be shared by three Utah communities to help hire additional law enforcement officers. The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) administers these federal grants which help pay
for the salary and benefits of each officer over three years. Hatch said, “These funds will put more crime-fighting resources on the front lines, which is good news for Utah communities.”
Source: senate.gov/~hatch “Press Release”
Mar 30, 1999
Proper federal role is seed money, not running programs
We are providing seed money for the construction of [Boys and Girls Clubs]. This is bricks and mortar money to open clubs; they will operate without any significant federal funds. In my view, this is a model for the proper role of the federal government
in crime prevention. We cannot afford vast never-ending federally run programs. [We spent] $4 billion in 1995 on 131 programs serving at-risk youth, yet we have not made significant progress in keeping our young people away from crime and drugs.
Source: Senate Statement
Mar 19, 1997
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.
Voted NO on $1.15 billion per year to continue the COPS program.
Vote on an amendment to authorize $1.15 billion per year from 2000 through 2005 to continue and expand the Community Oriented Policing Services program. $600 million of the annual funding is marked for hiring additional officers [up to 50,000]
Reference:
Bill S.254
; vote number 1999-139
on May 20, 1999
Voted YES on limiting death penalty appeals.
Vote to table, or kill, a motion to send the bill back to the joint House-Senate conference committee with instructions to delete the provisions in the bill that would make it harder for prisoners given the death penalty in state courts to appeal.
Reference:
Bill S.735
; vote number 1996-66
on Apr 17, 1996
Voted YES on limiting product liability punitive damage awards.
Approval of a limit on punitive damages in product liability cases.
Status: Conf Rpt Agreed to Y)59; N)40; NV)1
Reference: Conference Report on H.R. 956;
Bill H. R. 956
; vote number 1996-46
on Mar 21, 1996
Reference: H.R. 1058 passage over veto;
Bill H.R. 1058
; vote number 1995-612
on Dec 22, 1995
Voted YES on repealing federal speed limits.
Repeal federal speeding limits.
Status: Motion to Table Agreed to Y)64; N)36
Reference: Motion to table Lautenberg Amdt #1428;
Bill S. 440
; vote number 1995-270
on Jun 20, 1995
Voted YES on mandatory prison terms for crimes involving firearms.
Vote on the motion to instruct conferees on the bill to insist that the conference report include Mandatory prison terms for the use, possession, or carrying of a firearm or destructive device during a state crime of violence or drug trafficking
Reference:
Bill HR.3355
; vote number 1994-126
on May 19, 1994
Voted YES on rejecting racial statistics in death penalty appeals.
Vote to express that the Omnibus Crime bill [H.R. 3355] should reject the Racial Justice Act provisions, which would enable prisoners appealing death penalty sentences to argue racial discrimination using sentencing statistics as part of their appeal.
Reference:
Bill S 1935
; vote number 1994-106
on May 11, 1994
Rated 25% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes.
Hatch scores 25% by CURE on rehabilitation issues
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
to use prisons only for those who have to be in them; and
for those who have to be in them, to provide them all the rehabilitative opportunities they need to turn their lives around.
The ratings indicate the legislator’s percentage score on CURE’s preferred votes.
Rated 62% by the NCJA, indicating a "soft-on-crime" stance.
Hatch scores 62% by the NCJA on crime issues
OnTheIssues.org interprets the 2005 NCJA scores as follows:
0%- 74%: "soft-on-crime" record (approx. 133 members)
75%- 84%: mixed record on criminal justice (approx. 114 members)
85%-100%: "tough-on-crime" record (approx. 216 members)
About the NCJA (from their website, www.ncja.org):
The National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA) exists to promote the development of justice systems in states, tribal nations, and units of local government that enhance public safety; prevent and reduce the harmful effects of criminal and delinquent behavior on victims, individuals and communities; adjudicate defendants and sanction offenders fairly and justly; and that are effective and efficient.
Toward this end, the Association:
Maintains the focus of state, tribal, local and federal governments on the needs of the criminal and juvenile justice systems;
Represents state, tribal, and local criminal and juvenile justice system concerns to the federal government;
Provides support for the development of criminal and juvenile justice policy for the nation's governors and tribal leaders;
Supports the public and all levels of government in the achievement of public safety by the coordination of education, community and social service systems, in addition to law enforcement and criminal justice measures;
Serves as a catalyst for the careful consideration and promotion of effective and efficient criminal and juvenile justice policies and practices;
Advocates for the commitment of adequate resources to support all components of the criminal and juvenile justice systems; and
Coordinates between the different branches and levels of government and promotes broad philosophical agreement.
