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Previous: Cost Of Crist’s Murder Act Raises Questions
From The Associated Press
TAMPA - Gov. Charlie Crist planned to sign his top crime-fighting priority into law today, a bill that would require most violent probation violators to go back to jail until a judge determines whether they can be released.
Crist campaigned last year on the so-called Anti-murder Act as his top legislative priority. He said the law could have saved the lives of young slaying victims such as Jessica Lunsford and Sara Lunde.
“Enough is enough. The insanity had to stop,” Crist said at a ceremonial signing in Tampa. “We’ve got to lock these creeps up so these monsters do not go around in our neighborhoods and take our children and abduct and rape and murder them anymore. That’s why this is so important.”
The law requires certain probation violators who have previously committed violent acts such as kidnapping or armed robbery to be held in jails until a judge holds a “danger to the community” hearing. A judge must then issue a written ruling as to whether the offender should continue on probation or be sent to a state prison.
Crist was scheduled to attend other ceremonial signings in Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville and Deltona before returning to Tallahassee for the official signing.
Crist and state Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, defended the cost of the measure, which will require $23 million in its first year for the creation of more state prison beds. The Office of the State Courts Administrator has said the law requires the creation of several more circuit judge positions, and would lead to about a 5 percent increase in trials.
“It costs too much not to do this,” Crist said. “It costs lives not to do this.”
Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee said the law will allow law enforcement to tackle the rising murder rate reported in cities across the nation.
“This is the type of legislation that sheriffs and chiefs across Florida have been looking for years that targets violent offenders,” Gee said. “We have a significant problem in our country with violent crime. We’re going to have to address it.”
I disagree with letting the drug pushers out, I think they should let some of the traffic violators out instead, I mean the ones who are only traffic offenders, misomeaner crimes, not the one that are hard core DUI’s.
This is a wonderful idea.. But our prisons are so over crowded now. They need to release some of the dealers popped for selling cannabis and lock up these molesters and rapists. I also agree with the one comment to execute within 24 hours. If they confess to killing someone why should our tax dollars pay to keep them alive? Just put them down like we do dogs .
I think Mr. Crist has a good idea, but Before everyone jumps on this bandwagonyou need to take a real hard and honest look at it. I used to live in Florida and was subject to its laws and the knee jerk reacting public. If I were to violate my probation for a traffic ticket you want to send me back to prison! That is a real travesty of justice.Not all people out on probation deserve to go back. I do agree some do but please think if it was your own going back.
Once again the so called “spend thrift” republicans come up with another way to void America’s Constitution, and spend money on stupidity instead of health care for indigint children….if you’re going to lock up people for what they might (or might not) do in the future…what’s next…well gee sir you might run a red light next week…so I’ll just give you your ticket now?...I’m not trying to make light of any criminal behaviour…all I’m saying is you can’t prosecute (or persecute) someone for a crime they haven’t commited yet…what’s really sad is that the state of Florida will end up spending millions in legal fees defending all the lawsuits the ACLU will file (and win)..so much for next year’s education budget..
Gov, Crist, Thank you on behalf of the children of Florida and hopefully the whole country. Keeping this filth locked up forever is one way of keeping our children asfe. I feel that NO sex offender should ever get out of prison.How about the ones that max out on their sentences, when they get out they are no longer under supervision and are free to roam. They are on a list, but so was Couey, so while lists are good, it does no good if no one is around to make sure they are where they are supposed to be as they will never admit that they are SO’s to their neighbors. My state notifies me when one is getting out and where they are going and I can tell you they move to my neighborhood, they don’t stay long as I let the whole town know! Had Meghan Kanka’s and Jessie Lunsford’s families known that a predator was in their midst they would be alive today.So keeping them locked up forever or receive the DP is the only solution as this filth is NEVER CURED!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you. What more can I say? It is about time we locked these creeps up and threw away the key. Put them all in the same cell block and let them have a go at each other. On second thought, put them in general population where they are more likely to suffer the same type of abuse as their victims.
i imagine if we started executing prisoners instead of giving them free room and boards for 20 years. prison would be more of a deterant than it is now. the average whait to be executed in forida is 11years. maybe if killers were executed within 24hours things would change. never mind saving billions of our dollars…
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Posted by Dee Knapp, Lakeland,Fl on 03/12 at 03:56 PM
AMEN AND I AGREE WITH YOU 200%.