Crime
More on Crime
December 19, 2013
NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Today, President Obama commuted the sentences of eight federal inmates serving lengthy time behind bars for nonviolent offenses related to crack cocaine under an older sentencing regime. This decision follows the implementation in 2011 of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, landmark criminal justice legislation that reduced mandatory minimum sentences for crack offenses and minimized the arbitrary disparity between crack and powder cocaine.
Issues:Civil RightsCrime
December 12, 2013
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 1447, the Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2013. This bill would require State and Federal law enforcement agencies to report to the Department of Justice information about the deaths of individuals in their custody.We have learned from history how useful this information can be. In the 1980s, there was increased focus on conditions in State and local jails and prisons and the problem of prisoners dying in custody.
Issues:Civil RightsJudiciaryCrime
December 9, 2013
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, we all agree that child abuse is a horrific problem, and the abuse of Kilah Davenport is a tragedy. We must take appropriate steps to try to prevent such future tragedies.Child abuse is a widespread problem. In 2011, approximately 681,000 children were victims of maltreatment, and approximately 3.3 million children received preventative services from Child Protective Services agencies in the United States.
October 30, 2013
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Raúl Labrador (R-ID) and Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), members of the House Judiciary Committee, introduced a landmark bipartisan bill today to bring common sense and flexibility to federal criminal sentencing laws.
August 21, 2013
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, further details about the National Security Agency's (NSA) surveillance program were made public in press accounts. Specifically, it was reported that internal NSA's reports show that the agency repeatedly ran afoul o
August 12, 2013
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Attorney General Eric Holder delivered an important speech at the American Bar Association's annual meeting in San Francisco. He spoke about the issue of overcrowding in federal prisons and the policies that have led to
Issues:Crime
August 11, 2013
In my 33 years as an elected official, I learned that when it comes to crime policy, we have a choice – we can reduce crime or we can play politics. Reducing crime requires evidence-based strategies that identify youth at risk of becoming criminals
July 30, 2013
WASHINGTON, DC Today, Representative Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, the Ranking Democratic Member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations on the House Judiciary Commit...
Issues:Crime
July 25, 2013
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago today, this body unanimously passed PREA, the Prison Rape Elimination Act, which my colleague from Virginia, Frank Wolf, and I sponsored.
Issues:Crime
July 19, 2013
WASHINGTON, DC This week, Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) introduced S. 1307, the "Youth Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support and Education (PROMISE) Act" in the United States Senate. It is
Issues:Youth PROMISE ActCrime