Crime
More on Crime
September 9, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Democrat and Republican members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce today introduced the H.R. 5963 Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act. Sponsored by Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) and Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), the legislation reauthorizes and reforms the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act to help state and local leaders better serve at-risk youth and juvenile offenders. “The JJDPA has been due to be reauthorized for nearly ten years. In that time, many states have had successes implementing evidence-based and trauma-informed practices to improve the delivery of delinquency prevention services to youth,” said Ranking Member Scott. “At the federal level, we must continue to incentivize a focus on evidence-based prevention and intervention initiatives which reduce delinquency and save money. Making sure we get juveniles in the system or at risk of delinquency off the wrong track and back in school on the way to college or a career is one of the most common sense, cost-effective actions we can take to improve our communities. I’m pleased that we were able to work together and find common ground to advance national juvenile justice policy.”
July 17, 2016
NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) released the following statement on the shooting that killed three police officers and wounded several others in Baton Rouge, Louisiana:
“Cowardly acts like today’s attack in Baton Rouge have no place in our society and those responsible must be brought to justice. Violence against the men and women who have sworn to serve and protect our communities will not bring about the reforms that so many Americans and those in the law enforcement community wish to achieve. We must join together to end the division and tension that leads to this type of violence. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen officers and the entire Baton Rouge police department.”
Issues:CrimeGun Safety
July 8, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on last night’s shooting of police officers during a peaceful protest in Dallas:
"Less than a month after the mass shooting of club goers in Orlando, the Nation has witnessed yet another mass shooting. This time the targeted victims were police officers, who put their lives on the line each and every day. Last night’s shooting is especially tragic in that this ruthless, coordinated attack occurred as Dallas police officers were seen interacting collegially with peaceful protestors – the type of interaction we strive to see between law enforcement and the communities they are sworn to protect.
July 6, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling by officers of the Baton Rouge, Louisiana Police Department:
“The recent police shooting of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is deeply troubling and is another sad reminder of the need for stronger oversight of law enforcement practices. The video of this tragic incident raises serious concerns about the tactics used by law enforcement and highlights the need for improved evidence-based police training.
Issues:Civil RightsCrimeJudiciary
June 23, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a historic move to demand legislative action from Congress, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03) joined House Democrats’ 26-hour sit-in on the House Floor to protest Speaker Ryan and House Republicans’ refusal to allow a vote on bipartisan legislation to address gun violence. Last night during the sit-in, House Republicans abruptly adjourned the House of Representatives until July 5th without bringing gun violence prevention legislation to the Floor for a vote.
“House Republicans cut and run in the middle of the night, brazenly denying the American people a vote on bipartisan gun violence prevention legislation that can help save American lives,” said Rep. Scott. “But even as Republicans tried to shut down the Floor and shut out our voices, this unprecedented sit-in led by Congressman John Lewis sent a clear message to the American people – it’s not going to be business as usual in the House of Representatives anymore. There are several bipartisan proposals currently pending that the House could take up immediately. It is time for House Republicans to do their job and call a vote on these measures.”
Issues:CrimeGun Safety
June 22, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the wake of the horrific act of hate and terror in Orlando last week, the deadliest mass shooting in American history, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03), a vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus’ Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, today joined House Democrats’ sit-in on the House Floor to demand that Speaker Ryan and House Republicans allow a vote on bipartisan legislation to address gun violence.
“I was proud to join my colleague and civil rights leader John Lewis today as he led an unprecedented sit-in on the House Floor to demand a vote on gun violence prevention legislation,” stated Rep. Scott. “Our message is clear – it’s not going to be business as usual in the House of Representatives. We’re committed to continue this effort until the People’s House does its job. And we know what we need to do. There are several bipartisan proposals currently pending that the House could take up immediately. It is time for House Republicans to do their job and call a vote on these measures.”
Issues:CrimeGun Safety
June 9, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) sent a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch requesting an update on the implementation of the Death in Custody Reporting Act, which requires states and federal law enforcement agencies to report to the Department of Justice information regarding the death of any person in the process of arrest or who is otherwise in law enforcement custody, including jails, prisons and juvenile facilities. Congressman Scott sponsored the legislation in 2013 and it was signed into law by the President on December 18, 2014.
Issues:Civil RightsCrimeJudiciary
May 16, 2016
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. I appreciate the gentleman from New York and certainly the gentlewoman from Ohio for organizing this Special Order to discuss the need for criminal justice reform.
Mr. Speaker, we have serious, fundamental problems with our criminal justice system today. For too long, policymakers have chosen to play politics with crime policy by enacting so-called tough on crime slogans and sound bites, such as three strikes and you are out, mandatory minimum sentences, and--if you get it to rhyme, apparently, it is better--if you do the adult crime, you do the adult time. As appealing as these policies sound, their impacts range from a negligible reduction in crime to actually increasing the crime rate.
May 16, 2016
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3832, the Stolen Identity Refund Fraud Prevention Act of 2016, as amended. While I support the legislation's underlying goal of deterring and preventing tax-related identity theft and tax fraud, I strongly oppose the bill's expansion of mandatory minimum sentencing.
Section 5 of the bill would expand the mandatory minimums found in Title 18 Section 1028A of the United States Code. This section of Title 18 imposes a mandatory minimum sentence of two years for ``aggravated identity theft.'' Under section 5 of this bill, a violation of section 7206(b) of the Internal Revenue Code would require a judge to impose a two year mandatory minimum regardless of the circumstances of the case.
May 10, 2016
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to S. 32, the Transnational Drug Trafficking Act of 2015. While I support the underlying goal of combating drug trafficking, existing federal criminal laws already prohibit and punish this conduct. This bill however weakens existing mens rea standards, and therefore could lead to the application of mandatory minimums to action which the defendant did not know was illegal.
This bill therefore is a perfect example of four of the most common problems in crime policy.