Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 16, 1995 TAG: 9510170109
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
2. Cite one thing the state should do, or could do, to make Virginians feel safer.
For the state Senate seat covering Roanoke and most of Roanoke County:
JOHN EDWARDS (D)
1. Emphasis: ``As a former U.S. attorney who has put criminals behind bars, I know that both prevention and punishment measures are necessary to fight crime effectively. While ... we must have a sufficient number of prisons to protect the public, we must also focus on the prevention side so that our neighborhoods and schools will be safe."
2. Proposals:``Expansion of the community oriented policing program and providing additional policemen on the streets is one important thing the state can do to make citizens feel safer. Last year, the Allen administration's budget would have cut seven police officers in Roanoke and two in Roanoke County."
STATE SEN. BRANDON BELL (R)
1. Emphasis: ``Returning the lottery proceeds back to the localities will give them resources for crime-prevention measures, like more police and early-age prevention programs. But one of the state's primary functions is to provide for the personal safety of all citizens. For that reason, punishment for violent criminal thugs must be swift and severe."
2. Proposals: ``We need to keep violent criminals behind bars and end the revolving door at the state penitentiaries. Three out of four violent offenders are repeat offenders. They need to be locked up in jail for a long, long time, and with no hope of parole. That is the first thing we could do to make our streets safer."
For the House of Delegates seat that covers Northwest Roanoke, South Roanoke, Southwest Roanoke and the Cave Spring-Hunting Hills section of Roanoke County:
DEL. CLIFTON "CHIP" WOODRUM (D)
1. Emphasis: ``A crime prevented is a crime not committed and one that valuable public resources need not be allocated to punish. A crime prevented is one in which there has been neither injury or death to the innocent nor loss of property. Punishment is expensive and is imposed after the loss caused by a crime. Both prevention and punishment are important, but while I favor strict punishment and believe it can deter, prevent and in some cases rehabilitate, there is no question that prevention is safer for our citizens and more cost-effective."
2. Proposals: ``Effective funding for more well-trained officers involved in community policing is one step the state could and should take. A familiar friend 'on the beat' can add to the safety of all - particularly in high-crime areas. That is why I fought so hard against the administration's efforts to cut aid to local law enforcement this past year."
NEWELL FALKINBURG (R)
1. Emphasis: ``Any policy on public safety will fail unless it equally stresses both prevention and punishment. We have a figurative patient, hemorrhaging in the streets. To focus only on prevention allows him to bleed to death. This has been my opponent's philosophy and explains the epidemic of violent crime we see today. The bleeding must be stopped first. Then the source of the bleeding [prevention] is much more difficult to deal with. It requires successfully addressing related issues such as education, poverty, welfare reform and economic development."
2. Proposals: ``Seventy-five percent of violent crime is committed by repeat offenders. Recognizing the existence of this hard-core criminal element and locking them away for a long, long time will prevent 75 percent of violent crime. This one thing could and should make citizens feel safer."
For the House of Delegates seat covering western Bedford County, a swath of Roanoke County from Clearbrook to Vinton to Hollins to Glenvar to Catawba, southern Botetourt County and Craig County:
DEL. RICHARD CRANWELL (D)
1. Emphasis: ``On the punishment side, we have abolished parole, passed 'three strikes, you're out' and have committed the resources to build 13,000-plus new prison beds over the next seven years. Now is the time to focus on prevention''; otherwise, Virginia will "squander all of our resources constructing prisons." He says the top priority now should be to "reinvest in education, look at early intervention programs, get 'at-risk' children in the education system at age 4 so that they can be reading and doing math at grade level by the third grade, and continue to reduce class sizes in the early grades." A good education, he says "will prevent many young people from pursuing a life of crime" which, in turn, will "free ourselves of the burden of constructing prisons in massive numbers."
2. Proposals: He proposes "continued investment" in hiring more police officers. "Visibility of police officers is a very reassuring, comforting sight for most citizens, particularly during the evening and night hours. A visible police presence has a chilling effect on criminal conduct. This is the reason I fought so hard in the last session to defeat the administration's budget cuts that would have taken 250 police officers off Virginia's streets, and that is why in the past I have supported efforts to put more troopers on the road and provide the resources to local governments to keep law enforcement officers on the street."
TRIXIE AVERILL (R)
1. Emphasis: She says "there is no clear-cut answer" on which should be stressed more, that instead "we must strike a balance" between punishment and prevention, although her rhetoric leans more toward the punishment side. She praises Gov. Allen for pushing to abolish parole, which she says will prevent 120,000 crimes by keeping offenders in jail. "That's the prevention we need to worry about." She says Virginia is spending "a significant amount" on prevention. "In fact, we are already spending five times more on prevention programs than the governor proposes to spend on all new prisons for the next whole decade."
2. Proposals: ``When it's all said and done, the real key to crime prevention is education. That's why under Governor George Allen, funding has increased significantly. Last year, the governor signed into law an additional spending package of more than $100 million targeted specifically for 'at-risk' youth. We need to continue increased funding for education, but not just by throwing money at the current problems." She says increased school funding must be coupled with "higher academic standards, greater local control and resources" and "safety and discipline in the schools."
For the House of Delegates seat that covers Southeast Roanoke, Northeast Roanoke, part of Northwest Roanoke and the Peters Creek Road section of Roanoke County:
DEL. VIC THOMAS (D)
1. Emphasis: ``We must support both punishment and prevention in order to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. This year, we passed a plan to build more prison beds than the governor asked for, and we're going to pay as we go as much as possible to build them. I have also strongly supported the legislation for truth in sentencing and abolition of parole. A violent offender sentenced to 20 years now must serve at least 17 years before being considered for release. But if we don't care enough to step in early and prevent crime, then we can never build enough prisons to hold everyone. The best prevention is a good education. Smaller class sizes in the early grades are an important part of getting all students off to a good start. Good schools lead to good jobs, and good jobs keep people out of jail."
2. Proposals: ``We passed the Crime Victim and Witness Rights Act in 1994, which for the first time clearly states the rights of crime victims and witnesses, including the right to be notified to the transfer, escape, or change of name of a prisoner. The laws we pass can only be effective if we give local police departments the resources to enforce them. This year, I refused to go along with the proposed budget cuts to local law enforcement. Instead, the budget we passed put nine more police officers in the Roanoke Valley."
JEFF ARTIS (R)
1. Emphasis: ``We have to stress that certain behavior will not be tolerated, and we have to stress when people engage in these types of behavior there will be consequences. Then we have to distiguish between someone who just doesn't give a dag-gone and someone who has serious problems. If they have serious problems, we have to address that somehow. But when I was running around being a juvenile delinquent, it had nothing to do with there being a prevention program. I was a juvenile delinquent because I wanted to be."
2. Proposals: The state "can start by passing my domestic violence legislation." Artis has proposed legislation that would require police responding to a domestic violence situation to arrest the "primary aggressor," or the person initiating the violence. "We're trying to get good schools, and we're working on crime and prevention. Now it's time to get serious about domestic violence. We have to make sure all of our citizens are safe."
For the state Senate seat that covers Montgomery County, part of Pulaski County, part of Carroll County, Galax, Grayson County and Smyth County:
STATE SEN. MADISON MARYE (D)
1. Emphasis: ``There is no doubt that any policy on public safety must concentrate on both prevention and punishment. While punishment is important and it keeps the criminal off the street while he is confined, I have never been convinced that punishment serves as a deterrent to keep others from committing crime. I think the fact that the number of inmates in confinement continues to increase proves my point ... We must keep trying to develop successful crime-prevention programs. Education is one of the keys."
2. Proposals: ``Increase the number of police on the beat. The state should also be willing to increase funds for mileage that sheriff's deputies can drive. The frequent visibility of police officers is always a comforting sight."
PAT CUPP (R)
1. Emphasis: ``It is irresponsible to consider any public safety policy that does not stress both prevention and punishment. Prevention begins with a growing economy, where people are drawn to good-paying jobs, not illegal activity. In addition, a solid education must be available as a part of society's pledge to invest in the future. Prevention also includes adequate punishment to deter repeat offenses and, therefore, repeat convictions. Skills training also will help by providing alternatives to returning to the criminal lifestyle."
2. Proposals: ``We have recently made gains in securing a sure and swift criminal justice policy that locks violent and habitual criminals away for a long time. Now we must focus our preventative efforts on minors and young adults, to counter the lure of illegal activity. We also need a full range of corrective and rehabilitative options available for young offenders, including completing education and teaching job skills, so they will be prepared to re-enter society as productive citizens."
For the House of Delegates seat that covers Blacksburg, part of Christiansburg, northern Montgomery County and eastern Giles County:
DEL. JIM SHULER (D)
1. Emphasis: ``Punishment must be a part of our public safety policy because there are those who commit heinous crimes and should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. They should not be given the opportunity to repeat their offenses. However, we must not lose sight of the role that education plays in crime prevention. The fact that 70 percent of our prison inmates are high school dropouts should strongly remind us that education, or the lack of it, is indeed a significant statistic contributing to our crime problem. Revising our educational priorities deserves and requires a high level of attention. Being tough on crime means providing for our educational needs."
2. Proposals: ``I believe that the single most important thing the state could do to make citizens feel safe would be to continue and possibly increase funding for law enforcement officials. Specifically, we need increased funding directly to localities to allow more police officers to be on the streets working in our communities. In addition to a greater law enforcement presence with community policing, these additional officers could work directly with citizens to strengthen and develop community-based prevention programs such as Neighborhood Watch."
LARRY LINKOUS (R)
1. Emphasis: ``A sound public safety policy will stress prevention, punishment and rehabilitation. The incidence of recidivism demonstrates that in most cases punishment alone simply isolates criminals. That's important, but not sufficient. We must also work to prevent law-breaking by teaching, and demanding, good citizenship and personal responsibility. And we must ... encourage criminals to use opportunities to become productive members of our society.''
2. Proposals: ``A condition that not only makes people feel safe but in fact makes them safe is the visible presence of law enforcement personnel. Unfortunately, some of Virginia's highest-crime jurisdictions are also its most impoverished and therefore least able to afford sufficient officers. I propose that the commonwealth set aside revenues every year to help poor juridictions have a sufficient number of law enforcement personnel on the street."
For the House of Delegates seat covering Floyd County, most of Franklin County, the Moneta precinct in Bedford County and part of Pittsylvania County:
CLAUDE WHITEHEAD (D)
1. Emphasis: ``In considering any type of social problem, whether it be health, public safety, etc., prevention should be the first solution thought about. The primary reason for prevention being stressed is cost. Given the fact that approximately 80 percent of inmates in prison are school dropouts, it is less costly to society to develop innovative ways to educate and retain children and young adults than to have to incarcerate them later in life at a higher cost."
2. Proposals: ``A more highly visible police force. Not only will it make our citizens feel safer, but it will also act as a deterrent in crime prevention. This can be accomplished by the state making sure that adequate monies are available for the manpower and equipment to accomplish this goal."
DEL. ALLEN DUDLEY (R)
1. Emphasis: ``State policy must stress both prevention and punishment. For violent repeat offenders, it has been proven that longer prison terms are necessary."
He says the state should encourage prevention programs, but they must be tailored to each locality. "For example, the DARE program and Neighborhood Watch program have worked well in rural areas of our state, while different types of programs have been more successful in urban areas."
2. Proposals: ``The state must begin to deal more seriously with the juvenile crime problem. Increasingly, violent crime is becoming more youth-oriented. Virginia's juvenile justice system must let young people know they are responsible for their individual actions."
For the state Senate seat that covers Bedford, Bedford County, Lynchburg and Amherst County:
DEL. STEVE NEWMAN (R)
1. Emphasis: ``Both. We currently in Virginia are spending multi-tens of millions of dollars on prevention. However, punishment has got to be a major aspect of the criminal justice system. All the bleeding hearts want to teach criminals how to stop raping and pillaging Virginians. I want to make sure we keep rapers and pillagers away from Virginians after they've decided on that path, and the best way to do that is to have 10 years mean 10 years."
2. Proposals: ``We could truly implement truth in sentencing ... to where when we say someone gets 16 years, they truly get 16 years or something near it ... There's nothing more truly frustrating or frightening than having a violent criminal returned after only two years or a year and a half of a much longer sentence. I also think community policing does help."
BARBARA COLEMAN (D)
1. Emphasis: ``If we are to improve public safety, we must focus on prevention. Virginia already has an effective punishment structure. The General Assembly has taken the necessary steps of reforming parole and committing to the construction of sufficient prison space. There is only so far punishment policies can take us as we strive for a safe society ... A safe society is one in which the crime has never occurred, in which it has been prevented." She says the best prevention program is education. "By committing to public education, we commit to providing all our children an alternative to crime."
2. Proposals: ``As I have spoken with people throughout the region, drugs have been their primary concern. Illegal drugs are creeping into so many people's lives. We have gangs and pushers on the streets and in the schools. We have junkies robbing and mugging, trying to maintain their destructive habits. We have our children throwing away their promising lives for the chemical craze of drugs. If we want to get serious about public safety, we have to get serious about drugs ... We must make the crime of illegal drug use and trafficking painful for both the user and the pusher."
ON THE BALLOT:
The following state legislators in Western Virginia are unopposed for re-election:
For the House of Delegates seat covering Salem, most of Southwest Roanoke County, and eastern Montgomery County:
Del. Morgan Griffith (R)
For the House of Delegates seat covering Pulaski County, Radford and part of Giles County:
Del. Tommy Baker (R)
For the House of Delegates seat covering Bedford, most of Bedford County, most of Botetourt County, part of Rockbridge County and Buena Vista:
Del. Lacey Putney (I)
For the House of Dele- gates seat covering Wythe County, Bland County, Galax and most of Carroll County:
Thomas Jackson (D)
For the state Senate seat covering Bath County, Alleghany County, Covington, Clifton Forge, Botetourt County, western Roanoke County, Salem, Craig County, Giles County, part of Pulaski County and Radford:
State Sen. Malfourd "Bo" Trumbo (R)
For the state Senate seat covering Franklin County, Floyd County, Henry County, Martinsville, Patrick County and part of Carroll County:
State Sen. Virgil Goode (D)
Staff writers Dan Casey, Richard Foster, Todd Jackson, Brian Kelley, Kimberly N. Martin, Leslie Taylor and Dwayne yancey contributed to this report.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB