Public Input:

We will be looking to various law enforcement agencies and community groups as a resource for submitting bills and advice on pending legislation being introduced concerning Public Safety.

Stronger Enforcement and Prosecution:

              There are crimes committed in our society that require punishment rather than rehabilitation. There are those that need to be incarcerated for public safely. Unfortunately, there are also those who have a propensity to be repeat offenders. 

              One the major flaws that has been witnessed in the Justice System is that we tend too be disproportionately overly lenient on violent offenders and too severe on non-violent offenders (due to extenuating circumstances); comparatively longer than those who commit a violent crime, in reference to their respective social impact.

·    Laws that are un-enforced devalue the creation of those laws. Give prosecutors and law enforcement the tools and ability needed to enforce them.

·    We need to pass adequate laws that protect those who are defenseless from repeat offenders of violent crimes.

·    Stronger prosecution for crimes committed against children and elderly.

·    Stronger prosecution and follow-up on domestic violence including dating violence  - Cooperation with all law enforcement - All cases investigated - All conditions meet on time - Child protection notified in all cases involving children.

·    Stronger victim rights in the sentencing and prosecution of crimes.

·    Continue to eliminate all Statutes of Limitations on crimes involving violence.

·    Offenders who purposely infect others to a terminal disease need to face appropriate charges.

Sexual Offenses:

·    “One Strike Laws”: 

         Vigorously campaign for stronger legislative mandates requiring a minimum of a life sentence, without the chance of parole for: Sexual Crimes Committed Against Children, Child Molestation, Pedophilia, Forcible Rape and Premeditated Murder; as well as pass laws that protect the more vulnerable of our citizens. Once we've lost our children - we've lost the future.

(It is important that we are not talking about consenting relationships between reasonable aged adolescents).                            

More than ½ of the offenders will re-offend again. Not to mention that the victims will live with the crime as part of their life forever. The victims of these crimes serve a life sentience and so should the perpetrators.

Any re-offend rate on violent sexual crimes will ultimately create more victims. Are we putting our children at unnecessary risk? Are our children worth that chance? If you’re one of those who more worried about the money for incarceration it should be noted that incarceration can be less expensive than the combined cost of: rehabilitation that often does not work, court costs for trials of re-offenders, monitoring of these individuals, counseling for victims, search and rescue for missing victims, other long term costs associated with the possibility of the abused becoming abusers themselves. The theft of your child’s or loved ones innocence is priceless.

·    Our group will also continue to work on laws to eliminate all Statutes of Limitations on these crimes.

·    Help pass laws that protect the more vulnerable of our citizens. The victims of violent sexual crimes have had damage inflicted that will last a lifetime, so it is only fitting that the punishment fit the crime.

·    Uphold laws requiring sexual offenders to submit to D.N.A. registration. -Their rights were forfeited when their victims lost theirs. We are so afraid of putting the offenders rights above the victims. What about rights of the victims or potential victims. The perpetrators of these crimes rights end when they take the same rights away from their victims.

·    Continue pursing minimum prison sentencing for out of state and in state sexual offenders that do not register. Offenders are notorious for moving into our state from others. That means Idaho has a problem harboring criminal activity.

·    Work on extending discloser laws and restraining orders for convicted sexual offenders moving into our area to adequately protect potential victims.

·    Work on extending discloser laws and restraining orders for any individuals convicted of a sexual crimes involving children from entering the property or living near Day Care Centers, Schools, Public Areas where children congregate.

·    Extend sentencing for those individuals who harbor perpetrators of sexual crimes and/or misconduct. People that let the criminal activity continue need to face more serious charges of aiding and abetting.

Keeping Silence:

·    Stricter required penalties against those who know of abuse and neglect and do not report it.

·    Extend sentencing for those individuals that cover-up and/or do not report violent and sexual crimes to the proper authorities.

Background and Database Checks:

·    Extend training programs, background checks and database resources for those entrusted in the care of the more vulnerable of our citizens.

·    We need more effective and efficient up-to-date database for law enforcement and protection agencies, of the criminal history of individuals entrusted in the supervision of minors and those adults unable to protect themselves.

·    More reliant and crossed checked database and tracking for all offenders already in and moving into our state. The “Cycle Of Abuse” must end. Idaho has had a shortfall in protection, especially children and the elderly.

·    Extend the current criminal history background checks to all owners, operators, employees and volunteers who have direct, indirect, unsupervised and supervised contact, in all facilities and organizations, in charge of dependent adults, seniors and children.

·    We need more accurate and easily assessable information on those that are entrusted to protect and serve children and elderly. The tracking and prosecuting of those who abuse, steal and take advantage of the vulnerable elderly and children is a personal priority.

Prevention:

·    Help pass and enforce laws that protect our children, elderly and the more vulnerable of our citizens to be safe from those who would take advantage of them. Once we've lost our children - we've lost the future.

·    Extend programs that allow the more vulnerable of our citizens to become strong emotionally, physically, economically, and socially.

·    Supporting and/or creating programs and legislation that prevent “Cycles of Abuse” or “Self-Destructive Behavior”. “An ounce of prevention is worth as pound of cure.” If we truly believe in breaking these behaviors we must be willing to devote our resources to that end and see it to its’ conclusion. We need to break the cycle of hopelessness. The “Cycle Of Abuse” must end. Idaho has had a shortfall in the protection and punishment concerning acts of violence against children. Children in Idaho are not property, they are citizens entitled to equal rights and protection under the law. They, like all citizens, deserve an obtainable positive and optimistic future.

Rehabilitation:

We must make a clear distinction between punishment and rehabilitation, and not only give the tools, but the opportunities, to those who want to better themselves.

A great disadvantage that has been witnessed in the “Social System in Idaho” is that we continue to devote resources to those who refuse (or cannot) be rehabilitated, while at the same time having lack of resources to those “who want a helping hand up”, to the point of what can be perceived by those people as forced abandonment. We must eliminate hopelessness and the attitude of “what does it matter.”

Our prisons are overcrowded with non-violent individuals that require treatment programs and rehabilitation or at least a reasonable alternative and outlook to goals that they may see as unobtainable, while we release violent felons to early who have propensities to re-offend. If we expect any offender to be a productive citizen they must have the proper tools to achieve those goals. Not only does overcrowding create disparity, but it is also a huge financial burden on the taxpayers. It makes more sense to teach them how to be productive, contributing citizens, rather than create a cycle where we are forced to support them. Not only will this help those who have had a tough life adjust to society but will keep the prisons open for those who belong there.

We need to offer adequate support for those who qualify and who can be rehabilitated, to become self-sufficient and productive members of society. In our inability to adequately rehabilitate we fail to protect and support potential victims of crimes.

Investment in the Future:

·    Help eliminate financial disparity by offering the proper opportunities for individuals and families to become financially independent. Financial disparity often creates a negative atmosphere of hopelessness. “If you have no present and no hope for a future, then what is the point of obeying the rules?

·    Give the proper resources and authority to those programs that create the opportunity and structure to those who wish to succeed at reaching an obtainable/positive goal.

·    At risk youth\Youth activities - Prevention is worth a pound of cure - Provide them opportunities and show them they are obtainable - Help establish places where they congregate and activities that are popular with the youth, while providing safe and reliable atmosphere. We must teach, as well as encourage and reward social responsibility. We must not only accept responsibility for our actions, but the choices that we place on others.

·    Keep what can be left of the family unit intact by providing the authority to remove those destructive or undesirable influences completely; whether they are elements of an abusive parent/spouse or financial/social obstacles; while assisting in maintaining what can be left of the family unit. Siblings should never be separated due to financial hardship alone.

·    Offer adequate support for the victims of crimes to prevent them from possibly becoming offenders themselves.

·    Take a pro-active and progressive approach to ever changing social issues of our society. We must be proactive, not reactive.