Legislators Chart "Third Way" on Fighting Crime
Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend will join members of the Colorado legislature's New Democrat Caucus (NDC) for a news conference at 11:00 AM, on Monday, August 30 at the Denver Marriott City Center, 1701 California Street in downtown Denver. State Rep. and NDC Chair Bob Hagedorn (D-Aurora) will announce the group's crime-fighting agenda for the next General Assembly session.
“Public safety from violent crime is a fundamental responsibility of government and a critical ingredient of our quality of life,” says Hagedorn. “We must ensure that Colorado's citizens do not have to live in fear in their neighborhoods . While crime rates are dropping steadily, now is no time to declare victory - crime rates remain high by historic standards. New Democrats advocate a tough and smart community-based approach to make our streets safe for law-abiding citizens.”
“We are seeing solid results with these initiatives in Maryland,” said Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. “They cut through the paralyzing ideological debates between prevention and punishment and use research-based strategies to identify early warning signs and target the people and places that account for a vastly disproportionate amount of crime. The NDC’s proposals can make Colorado's neighborhoods significantly safer.”
Under the proposal, the state and local communities will work together to systematically target high-crime neighborhoods with a comprehensive array of community justice crime fighting strategies, including community policing and assigning prosecutors and probation officers by neighborhood rather than case specialty. State government will provide selected communities with a package of targeted grants, agency resources and technical assistance.
Another element of this community-based crime fighting strategy is to overhaul the state's parole and probation system to help break the cycle of recidivism. State Rep. Grossman is proposing increasing the frequency of drug testing of probationers and parolees (up to twice-a-week) and implementing graduated sanctions to coerce the offender into breaking the drug habit that often creates the criminal drive.
Grossman said “"Too many criminals are in a never-ending cycle of imprisonment, release and re-imprisonment, often as a result of not being able to kick a drug abuse problem. We can break this vicious cycle - which makes our streets unsafe and busts our state corrections budget - by increasing the frequency of drug testing of parolees and probationers and eliminating much of the motivation to reoffend."
Those who fail the tests will be forced into treatment programs, and if they continue to fail, eventually sent back to prison. This strategy will also serve as an alternative to incarceration for first-time nonviolent, addicted offenders.
Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. serves as chair of the state's Cabinet Council on Criminal and Juvenile Justice. She was CO-chair of the DLC’s National Conversation last month in Baltimore. Her “HotSpot Communities” and “Break the Cycle” initiatives served as models for the NDC’s anti-crime legislative agenda.
The New Democrat Caucus is a group of state legislators developing a new public policy agenda that moves beyond traditional conservatism and liberalism. The Caucus embraces a new “third way” in politics that emphasizes opportunity, responsibility and community, rooted in mainstream values and dedicates its efforts to development and passage of progressive legislation.
Caucus members include State Reps. Bob Bacon (Fort Collins), Fran Coleman (Denver), Albert Gagliardi (Alamosa), Dan Grossman (Denver), Bob Hagedorn (Aurora), Gloria Leyba (Denver), Carl Miller (Leadville), Abel Tapia (Pueblo), Lois Tochtrop (Northglenn), Jennifer Veiga (Denver), Val Vigil (Commerce City), Suzanne Williams (Aurora), Sue Windels (Arvada) and Paul Zimmerman (Thornton). Senate participants are Sens. Mike Feeley (Lakewood), Stan Matsunaka (Loveland) and Terry Phillips (Louisville).
WHO:
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Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and New Democrat Caucus members
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WHEN:
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Monday, August 30, 11:00 AM
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WHERE:
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Denver Marriott City Center, 1701 California St in downtown Denver
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