ELECTION'94
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, October 31, 1994
3A
Election '94
Crime stance becomes election issue
By Nathan Olson
Kansan staff writer
Rising incidents of homicide and rape in Kansas have made crime an important issue in the November elections. But how to decrease the numbers is the subject of a long and complicated debate.
The issue is popular because it gets votes, said William Arnold, associate professor of sociology.
"The issue is big because politicians have found out it sells." Arnold said.
Barry Goldwater was the first national politician to use the issue of law and order when he unsuccessfully ran for president in 1964. Arnold said.
"Crime gets votes at the national level," he said. "But no necessarily at the local level."
Sometimes the issue at the local level ends up stepping on peoples' toes by blaming certain regions for crime, such as, 'It's all on the East side of town.'
Arnold said that increases in violent crime had not occurred because our society was becoming more violent.
"While the actual rate of violence hasn't increased much over the years, the methods used are now much more lethal," he said.
But crime statistics kept by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation show a steady increase in violent crime. In Kansas, violent crime — which the KBI defines as murder, rape, robbery or aggravated assault and battery — has increased 40.7 percent from 1983 to 1992. In the same period, violent crime has increased 22.5 percent in Douglas County.
Solutions to the crime problem have been debated for many years, Arnold said. Until around 1975, rehabilitation was the most popular solution. But a few studies published in 1975 revealed that rehabilitation programs weren't working. Researchers since that time have found that rehabilitation works if targeted to certain groups, such as drug abusers.
Arnold said that other alternatives, such as the "three strikes and you're out" legislation, which would mandate life sentences for third-time violent offenders, would make little difference.
"It will primarily increase the prison population without having an effect on the crime rate," he said.
William Swart, assistant instructor in sociology, said that society was mostly interested in increased tail time.
"Incarceration is still a popular recipe for social control," he said.
But increased sentencing is not much of a deterrent to crime, Swart said.
Swart said that part of the issue concerning crime was the public's perception.
"Few people think about the sentence they will receive before they commit a crime," he said.
"We think that the streets are dangerous, and the home is a safe haven," he said. "That perception is incorrect. The home is less safe than the streets."
Another indication of the public's attitude is that opinion polls continue to rate drug abuse and violent crime as the most pressing social problems, Swart said.
"It's to the point where not taking a stance
on crime is political success. But many people don't take into account why people commit crimes, Swart said.
on crime is political suicide," he said.
"We take a band-aid approach to social problems," he said.
In addition, Swart said that the media plays a role in the issue.
Swart said cases like Jeffrey Dahmer, the Milwaukee man who in 1991 admitted to killing 11 men, were over publicized by the media, leading to a cycle in which the rates of violent crime, especially grusome violent crime, was increasing.
"But some would argue that , in the 1800s, we had much more of a violent society than we have today," Swart said.
GOVERNOR
GRAVES —He believes that criminals should pay for their incarcerations and restitutions, that juveniles who have committed violent crimes should be treated as adults and that the practice of early release for* should be and.
WHERE THE CANDIDATES STAND
Bill Graves (R)
early release for violent criminals should be ended.
SLATTERY — He said that crime would be his highest priority as governor and that he had created a 20-point crime plan that was endorsed by the Kansas Fraternal Order of
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Jim Slattery (D)
Police. He supports the death penalty and would enforce it but would not expand it. He also supports toughening sentencing guidelines to ensure swift punishment of felons who commit violent crimes. He favors "three strikes and you're out" legislation at a federal level.
STOVALL — She said there needed to be an overhaul in the adult and juvenile crime system. Juveniles need to be taken out of SRS, and we need to come up with prevention tactics, she said. There also
needs to be government-financed programs to teach children about self-esteem and self-respect to get them away from crime.
Carla Stovall (R)
SCHODORF — He believes that the criminal justice system is broken. We are looking for resolutions that are not working and sending the wrong message by giving all first-
Richard Schodorf (D) ers probation.
offenders should be put in orange jumpsuits and put into the community to perform community service. Criminals know that they can get off, and we should stop criminals by humiliating them, he said.
U.S. HOUSE — 3RD DISTRICT
MEYERS—"I voted for the crime bill," she said. "It is, to a certain extent, a deterrent. I think it is important that we encourage the states to pass crime bills, too."
Jan Meyers (R)
Judv Hancock (D)
spent time riding with the police and learning what the police and the citizens face every day and every night, and I will continue to do that. "
HANCOCK
"While I believe that we must have swift and sure punishment, we must also recognize that we should work to prevent the conditions that give rise to crime," she said. "I have
U.S. HOUSE—2ND DISTRICT
BROWNBACK — He said that his major concern was with the public's safety. Crime should remain state and local issue, he said. He supports the idea of "three-strikes and you're out," and supports the death penalty.
Sam Brownback (R)
CARLIN — There need be consequences for crime," he said. He thinks that criminals are not being punished correctly on early offenses.
John Carlin (D)
KANSAS HOUSE — 44TH
Barbara Ballard (D)
BALLARD — She voted for the "three strikes and you're out" legislation and said that something needed to be done to keep criminals off the streets. She voted against the death penalty because she believes the appeals process takes too long and that the death penalty is not deterring people from committing crimes. She believes that preventing further crime is as important as dealing
withcriminals.
KANSAS HOUSE — 45TH
SLOAN — He believes that sentencing guidelines need to be adjusted, especially at the lower end. "We need to do a much better job and handling accountability for actions," he said. He supports "three strikes and you're' out" legislation and
the death penalty. "Some people, by the heinous nature of their crimes, have forfeited their rights to live in society," he said.
Forrest Swall (D)
SWALL — He opposes "three strikes and you're out" legislation. He said that that idea was born out of revenge and had no substantial value. It would lead to more prisons, he said, and current sentencing guidelines already put
away violent offenders. He opposes the death penalty. "It has no measurable impact on crime rates," he said.
KANSAS HOUSE - 46TH
SCHMIDT — He supports longer sentences for first-time offenders, or an idea of "one-strike and you're out."
Eric Schmidt (R)
Troy Findley (D)
date all dealings with juvenile crime.
FLOWER — She supports the death penalty. About "three strikes and you're out" legislation, she said, "Three strikes and you're out turned out to be a double in center field."
KANSAS HOUSE — 47TH
Joann Flower (R)
Charlie Gelst (D)
GEIST—He does not support the death penalty. He thinks that the "three strikes and you're out" theory deals with too many strikes and that punishment should be decided on a case-by-case basis. He thinks that sentencing
guidelines need to be reevaluated.
BUHLER — "We are the stewards of the law in the state of Kansas," he said of the county commission. "What's important is that we must meet the need that's there. We need a new jail, plain and simple."
DOUGLAS COUNTY COMMISSION
Mark Buhler (R)
Lisa Blair (D)
BLAIR—"The outlying areas are not being policed," she said, "The level of frequencies of patrol it takes to ward off burglaries is increasing. I'd like to see the sheriff's
department strengthened."
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