Steve Daines Views on Crime in US

It has been shown again and again that the best way to deter crime is to enforce existing laws and hand down tough penalties, especially for crimes that are committed while using a gun. While gun control has been proven not to deter crime, an example of the how tough enforcement works can be evidenced by "Project Safe Neighborhoods" which began 2001. According to the Department of Justice, hundreds of new federal, state, and local prosecutors have been hired to target criminals who use guns in the commission of violent and drug related crime. Anti-gang training became part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program in 2007 with the pilot in Dover, Delaware.

This type of program works by increasing the degree of partnership between federal, state, and local agencies through the building of local task forces. These task forces are coordinated by the U.S. Attorney's Office and usually include federal and local prosecutors, federal law enforcement agencies, local and state law enforcement agencies, and probation/parole officers Virtually all Project Safe Neighborhoods task forces also include an outreach into the local community including representatives of local governments, social service providers, neighborhood leaders, members of the faith community, business leaders, educators, and health care providers.

The key provision which must stand behind these coordinated local efforts to reduce crime is the willingness to enforce the death penalty, a proven deterrent of crime. It is my belief that greatest action we can take to reduce violent crime is to make potential criminals aware of how seriously our government reacts to crimes against its citizens. Whether it is the full enforcement of prison time or the death penalty, the government role of protecting its citizens must be taken seriously both by those who enforce the law and those who are contemplating criminal actions.