Crime

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Today, President Barack Obama signed into law H.R. 1447, the “Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2013,” a bill introduced by Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott. The bill requires states and federal law enforcement agencies to report to the Department of Justice information about deaths of individuals in their custody.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representative Bobby Scott (D-Va.) today applauded last night’s Senate passage of the Death in Custody Reporting Act, bipartisan legislation which requires states to report to the U.S. Department of Justice how many individuals die each year while in police custody or during the course of an arrest. The House of Representatives approved the Death in Custody Reporting Act by voice vote on December 12, 2013, and the bill now goes to the President for his signature.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With increasing numbers of Americans falling victim to drug addiction and overdoses from heroin and opiates, U.S. Congressmen Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Tom Marino (R-Pa.), Karen Bass (D-Calif.), David Joyce (R-Ohio) and Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) today introduced bipartisan legislation that could help turn the tide in the struggle against this epidemic. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) of 2014 would provide a series of incentives and resources designed to encourage states and local communities to advance a continuum of proven strategies to combat addiction. Among other things, the bill would expand prevention and education efforts to prevent the abuse of opioids and heroin and promote treatment and recovery.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder begin to act on recommendations of an Administration review of federal programs and funding that provide military equipment to local law enforcement agencies; and discussions begin on how communities and law enforcement can work together to build trust to strengthen neighborhoods across the country, Reps. John Conyers (MI-13), Bobby Scott (VA-03) and Hank Johnson (GA04) sent a letter to Attorney General Holder raising questions on the role the Department of Justice plays in the training, monitoring, and controlling SWAT officers and the use of militarized equipment by local law enforcement and SWAT officers. The Congressman are all members of the House Committee on the Judiciary.

NORFOLK, VA - Today, Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring, Congressman Bobby Scott, and Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim announced a $1 million cooperative effort between local, state, and federal partners to reduce gun and gang violence in the City of Norfolk. The effort will be supported by a $500,000 federal grant from the Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program and $500,000 of asset forfeiture funds, meaning the funds to fight crime will come from criminals, not from taxpayers. The grant will bring together the Office of Attorney General, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Norfolk Police Department, and the Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office to reduce gun and gang violence through strategic prosecutions and data-driven policing strategies, along with an extensive, community-based outreach, education, and prevention effort.

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) announced today that he will host a Youth Gang Violence Prevention Town Hall on Tuesday, October 14, 2014 in Richmond. In addition to other experts and community leaders, Congressman Scott will be joined by Clayton County, Georgia Juvenile Court Judge Steven Teske, who is a recognized national leader on juvenile justice issues. Judge Teske is visiting Richmond Tuesday and Wednesday to work with local juvenile justice professionals and the Juvenile Justice Collaborative on how the Clayton County, Georgia “Systems of Care” approach can work in Richmond.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations on the House Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on Attorney General Eric Holder’s announcement that he will resign from the Department of Justice upon the confirmation of his successor: “Attorney General Holder has diligently served as our nation’s top law enforcement official for the last six years. During his tenure, I have enjoyed working with him on efforts to reform our nation’s sentencing laws, protect voting rights, and guarantee the civil rights of all Americans. His leadership was instrumental in passage of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, which I sponsored in the House.