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Ken Salazar on Crime
Democratic Jr Senator (CO)
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Establish rights for crime victims
Ken Salazar and 49 fellow attorneys general are urging the US House of Representatives to pass S. 2329 and H.R. 4342, legislation to establish certain rights for crime victims in federal judicial proceedings. S.2329 “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.
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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.
Source: Attorney General’s office News Release, “Victim Rights”
Aug 11, 2004
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.
Source: Attorney General’s News Release, “Legislative Priorities”
Jan 5, 2004
Heinous crimes deserve the ultimate sanction
Attorney General Ken Salazar issued a statement today in response to the denial of certiorari by the US Supreme Court in the death penalty cases of George Woldt and Francisco Martinez, Jr. In May, Salazar sought US Supreme Court review of the Colorado
Supreme Court’s rulings striking down the two death sentences. Based upon the US Supreme Court disposition today, the Woldt and Martinez cases will be remanded to the trial court for re-sentencing to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“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.
Source: Attorney General’s News Release, “Writ of Certiorari”
Oct 6, 2003
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).
Source: Attorney General’s News Release, “Legislative Priorities”
Jan 7, 2002
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
Source: Attorney General’s News Release, “Legislative Priorities”
Jan 7, 2000
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
Increase funding for "COPS ON THE BEAT" program.
Salazar 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:
- the hiring or training of law enforcement officers for intelligence, antiterror, and homeland security duties;
- the hiring of school resource officers;
- school-based partnerships between local law enforcement agencies and local school systems to combat crime, gangs, drug activities, and other problems facing elementary and secondary schools;
- innovative programs to reduce and prevent illegal drug (including methamphetamine) manufacturing, distribution, and use; and
- enhanced community policing and crime prevention grants that meet emerging law enforcement needs.
Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to: - 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
- develop new technologies to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in crime prevention.
Source: COPS Improvements Act (S.368/H.R.1700) 07-S368 on Jan 23, 2007
Reduce recidivism by giving offenders a Second Chance.
Salazar co-sponsored reducing recidivism by giving offenders a Second Chance
Recidivism Reduction and Second Chance Act of 2007- Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to expand provisions for adult and juvenile offender state and local reentry demonstration projects to provide expanded services to offenders and their families for reentry into society.
- Directs the Attorney General to award grants for:
- state and local reentry courts;
- Comprehensive and Continuous Offender Reentry Task Forces;
- pharmacological drug treatment services to incarcerated offenders;
- technology career training for offenders;
- mentoring services for reintegrating offenders into the community;
- pharmacological drug treatment services to incarcerated offenders;
- prison-based family treatment programs for incarcerated parents of minor children; and
- a study of parole or post-incarceration supervision violations and revocations.
Legislative Outcome: Became Public Law No: 110-199.
Source: Second Chance Act (S.1060/H.R.1593) 08-S1060 on Mar 29, 2007
Page last updated: Nov 22, 2009