Issues - Crime
Crime
When it comes to crime prevention, Governor Haley Barbour has proven to be a man of action. Before Governor Barbour took office, state leadership refused to address the growing crime epidemic caused by drugs in Mississippi. In fact, the budget for drug enforcement was cut 41 percent—a dangerous
move, especially when considering that nearly 80 percent of all crime is drug related.
Instead of continuing to ignore this crime epidemic, Governor Barbour has taken action. He has
implemented an aggressive plan that gives law enforcement more resources to fight crime while
putting criminals where they belong—behind bars.
LEADING THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUG CRIME
· In 2004, the Mississippi Legislature approved Governor Barbour’s plan to reorganize the Bureau of Narcotics within the Department of Public Safety to better coordinate state law enforcement efforts and to better support local law enforcement. The result? A 73 percent increase in drug arrests by the new Department of Public Safety in the first year alone.
· Giving law enforcement the resources necessary to fight drug crime continues to be one of the Governor’s top priorities. In fact, during the first three years of the Barbour administration, the drug enforcement budget increased by 20 percent.
PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM DRUGS AND SEXUAL PREDATORS
· Just as important as preventing drug crimes in Mississippi is protecting our children from drugs and sexual predators. That’s why Governor Barbour has proposed and signed laws that provide prosecutors and law enforcement with new tools to combat these problems. Now in Mississippi, basic ingredients for crystal meth must be kept behind the counter, and anyone who puts a child in an area where drugs are manufactured can be charged with a felony. Under these new laws, sex offenders have to re-register face-to-face every 90 days, which has helped Mississippi to have one of the lowest non-compliance rates in the country for sex offenders.
SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT
· Governor Barbour’s commitment to support law enforcement has resulted in the creation of two new Highway Patrol trooper schools, and an additional training facility is also being planned. In today’s Mississippi, more Highway Patrol officers are on the roads, including about 93 new troopers.
· Governor Barbour proposed and the Legislature passed two consecutive pay raises—the largest in Mississippi Highway Patrol history— for state troopers.
STRENGTHEN GUN LAWS WHILE PROTECTING 2 ND AMENDMENT RIGHTS
· In the last legislative session, lawmakers approved Governor Barbour’s proposal to toughen state law by lengthening the mandatory prison sentence for felonies committed with a gun and lengthening the prison sentence for felons who possess a gun. These changes have enabled prosecutors to more effectively punish criminals who use guns—without violating the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.
As the record shows, the Barbour Administration is tough on crime.