Ken Salazar on Crime Democratic Jr Senator (CO)

Establish rights for crime victims

"This legislation recognizes that violent crime victims, just as criminal defendants, are due certain guarantees and fairness in our criminal justice system," Salazar said. [The bill establishes]:

• The right to be reasonably protected from the accused.
• The right to notice of any public proceeding involving the crime or of any release or escape of the accused.
• The right to be reasonably heard at any public proceeding involving release, plea, or sentencing;
• The right to confer with the attorney for the Government in the case.
• The right to full and timely restitution as provided in law.
• The right to be treated with fairness and with respect for the victims' dignity and privacy.

Greater access to sex offender registration information

On Attorney General Ken Salazar's legislative agenda and priorities for consideration by the 2004 General Assembly:
• Greater access to sex offender registration information. Amend current laws to allow for universal access to already existing sex offender registries and to provide greater flexibility to local law enforcement agencies in providing such information.
• Assisting at-risk victims of crime. Authorize a trial judge to appoint in his or her place an active or senior district or county court judge to preside over a deposition of an at-risk criminal victim in order to ensure the victim's testimony.
• Additional protections for victims of identity theft. Legislation is expected to be introduced to establish a judicial process providing for a civil determination of the innocence of a victim of ID theft, to give legal protection to the victim as they deal with restoring their credit rating or disputing wrongful credit charges.

Heinous crimes deserve the ultimate sanction

"These two defendants abducted, tortured, raped and murdered two young women. We exhausted all reasonable efforts to see that they received the appropriate sentences for their crimes," Salazar said. "These heinous crimes committed by Woldt and Martinez deserve the ultimate sanction of law. While we are disappointed in the disposition announced on their death sentences, the outcome is that these individuals will be in prison for the rest of their lives without the possibility of parole," said Salazar.

Streamline Colorado's criminal sentencing statutes

On Attorney General Ken Salazar's legislative agenda and priorities for consideration by the 2002 General Assembly:
• Streamline Criminal Justice Sentencing Statutes. Enact certain changes to begin the overhaul of the criminal justice sentencing provisions within the Colorado Revised Statutes. An interim legislative committee has been working on this issue and recommendations are expected to be introduced.
• Overhaul of Sex Offender Registry. Enact changes to Colorado's sex offender registry system.
• Rural Law Enforcement Relief. Provide continuing law enforcement education to the State's smaller law enforcement agencies that lack the local resources to fund ongoing training of their officers through the establishment of a minimal surcharge on registered motor vehicles and administered through the Peace Officers Standards and Training Board (POST).

Limit post-conviction appeals, allow more restitution

On Attorney General Ken Salazar's legislative agenda and priorities for consideration by the 2000 General Assembly:
• Limit post-conviction appeals
• Enhance the ability of victims to receive restitution from criminals through changes in the restitution laws.
• Expand Colorado's identity theft laws to target those in possession of materials used in committing identity theft.
• Revise Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) laws to allow reciprocal law enforcement agreements

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

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.

Rated 87% by the NCJA, indicating a "tough-on-crime" stance.

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)

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.