Issue Position: Crime

Issue Position

The criminal court system and law enforcement can use as many resources to do their jobs. There is never a shortage of work for those who try to keep the criminals off the streets. There are many causes to the various types of crime affecting Floridians.

1. Prescription Pills

There is no cause to the crime rate in Florida that is as rampant and pervasive as prescription pills. We need to have extremely tough sentences on doctors who choose to endanger the lives of so many. Often times, the doctor prescribing the pills has no prior criminal history and will not face as tough a sentence. Given the amount of money that these pill mills are making, minimum mandatory fines should be required in the millions of dollars.

2. Catch and Release

Because possession of drugs does not get someone sent to prison, it is often very difficult for prosecutors to get drug addicts into rehab. It is not unusual for someone to be arrested for drug possession, bond out, get arrested again, and bond out again. The legislature needs to come up with a better way to get people who have drug problems into rehab programs sooner than later. Drug Court programs are effective because they provide frequent testing and swift punishment to addicts and the same can be done for those on pre-trial release (months and even years before they would have been afforded a court based rehab program).

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