State of Pennsylvania Archives: on Crime

Everett Stern: Focus on rehabilitation and prevention

A: Oppose.˙The Federal Government should focus on rehabilitation and prevention through kids programs and education.

Arlen Specter: Toughen sentences for career criminals

Ed Rendell: Supports the death penalty

Indicate which principles you support regarding crime.
• Support the death penalty in Pennsylvania.
• Require that crimes based on race, ethnic background, religious belief, sex, age, disability, or sexual orientation be prosecuted as hate crimes.
• Strengthen sex-offender laws.
• Rendell adds, “I have fought to reduce domestic violence and protect domestic violence victims, and I strengthened Megan’s Law and improved Pennyslvania’s Amber Alert system.”

Ed Rendell: End parole for repeat violent offenders

Indicate which principles you support regarding crime.
• Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills.
• End parole for repeat violent offenders.
• Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
• Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
• Increase state funding for state and local emergency agencies to prevent or respond to terrorism.

Brendan Boyle: More prisons; less parole

Boyle indicates support of the following principles regarding crime.
• Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
• Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
• End parole for repeat violent offenders.
• Strengthen penalties and sentences for drug-related crimes.
• Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.

Tom Ridge: More prisons; more death penalty

Supports the following principles concerning crime:
• Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
• Support contracting with private sector firms to build and/or manage state prisons.
• Expand the use of the death penalty for additional circumstances relating to murder.
• Prosecute juveniles who commit murder or other serious violent crimes as adults.

Tom Ridge: Stricter penalties; less parole

Supports the following principles concerning crime:
• End parole for repeat violent felons.
• Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
• Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
• Strengthen penalties and sentences for drug-related crimes.
• Strengthen penalties and sentences for sex offenders.
• Lower the limit defining drunk driving to .08 blood alcohol content.