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20 U. Dayton L. Rev. 561 (1994-1995)
The Struggle for Effective Anti-Crime Legislation - An Analysis of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994

handle is hein.journals/udlr20 and id is 569 raw text is: THE STRUGGLE FOR EFFECTIVE ANTI-CRIME LEGISLATION-AN ANALYSIS OF THE VIOLENT CRIME CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 1994 Bill McCollum* I. INTRODUCTION Over the past decade, when Americans have been asked to identify the biggest problem facing the nation, crime has usually been the answer. This public opinion is consistent with the facts. The rate of violent crime remains intolerably high, over five hundred times higher that just thirty years ago. In particular, juveniles are committing more and more serious crimes. Frequent news reports of vicious crimes shock and frighten the public and send policy makers searching for new solutions. At the federal level, lawmakers have been unable to unite behind a legislative proposal addressing the problem. Congress has been divided with regard to the appropriate role of government in the battle to reduce crime in America. This division was no more apparent than in its consideration of the 1994 Crime Bill. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act was signed into law on September 13, 1994. Yet, within days of the White House signing ceremony, Republicans announced their intentions to rewrite the bill as part of the GOP's Contract with America. Conservatives charged that the 1994 Crime Bill failed to address the central reason for soaring crime rates-a broken criminal justice system that too often seems incapable of holding criminals accountable. Without certain and swift punishment, opponents of the bill argued, deterrence will suffer as violent criminals continue to roam the streets. Supporters of the 1994 Crime Bill responded to critics by asserting that the legislation was both tough and smart. It authorized billions of dollars for police, crime prevention and prisons, and it contained a ban on so-called assault weapons, a federal three-strikes-and-you're-out provision, and dozens of death penalty offenses. It is a curious fact that many liberals were as displeased with the bill as conservatives, despite billions for expanded social welfare and new gun control laws. Death penalty opponents lost their bid to include the Racial Justice Act * Member of Congress, Eleventh District of Florida; Chairman, Subcommittee on Crime of the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on the Judiciary.

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