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Right on Crime, “Statement of Principles (PDF) STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES Jeb Bush Former Governor of Florida As members of the nation’s conservative movement, we strongly Newt Gingrich American Solutions for Winning the Future support constitutionally limited government, transparency, Grover Norquist individual liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise. We Americans for Tax Reform believe public safety is a core responsibility of government because Edwin Meese III the establishment of a well-functioning criminal justice system Former U.S. Attorney General enforces order and respect for every person’s right to property and William J. Bennett Former Secretary of Education and Federal life, and ensures that liberty does not lead to license. “Drug Czar” Asa Hutchinson Former U.S. Attorney and Administrator of the Conservatives correctly insist that government services be evaluated U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on whether they produce the best possible results at the lowest J.C. Watts possible cost, but too often this lens of accountability has not focused Former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Oklahoma’s 4th as much on public safety policies as other areas of government. As Congressional District such, corrections spending has expanded to become the second Pat Nolan Justice Fellowship fastest growing area of state budgets—trailing only Medicaid. David Keene Former Chairman of the American Conservative Union Conservatives are known for being tough on crime, but we must also Richard Viguerie be tough on criminal justice spending. That means demanding more ConservativeHQ.com cost-effective approaches that enhance public safety. A clear example Chuck Colson (1931-2012) is our reliance on prisons, which serve a critical role by Prison Fellowship Ministries incapacitating dangerous offenders and career criminals but are not BrooKe Rollins Texas Public Policy Foundation the solution for every type of offender. And in some instances, they Paul Gessing have the unintended consequence of hardening nonviolent, low-risk Rio Grande Foundation (NM) offenders—making them a greater risk to the public than when they Tony PerKins Family Research Council entered. George Liebmann Calvert Institute for Policy Research, Inc. (MD) Applying the following conservative principles to criminal justice Rabbi Daniel Lapin policy is vital to achieving a cost-effective system that protects American Alliance of Jews and Christians Kelly McCutchen citizens, restores victims, and reforms wrongdoers. Georgia Public Policy Foundation Penny Nance 1. As with any government program, the criminal justice system Concerned Women for America must be transparent and include performance measures that hold John J. DiIulio, Jr. University of Pennsylvania it accountable for its results in protecting the public, lowering Ward Connerly crime rates, reducing re-offending, collecting victim restitution American Civil Rights Institute and former Regent of University of California and conserving taxpayers’ money. Kevin Kane Pelican Institute for Public Policy (LA) 2. Crime victims, along with the public and taxpayers, are among the Bob Williams key “consumers” of the criminal justice system; the victim’s State Budget Solutions conception of justice, public safety, and the offender’s risk for J. Robert McClure III James Madison Institute (FL) future criminal conduct should be prioritized when determining Kevin Holtsberry an appropriate punishment. Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions (OH) List of signatories continues on page two. Viet Dinh Georgetown University Law Center and former 3. The corrections system should emphasize public safety, personal U.S. Assistant Attorney General responsibility, work, restitution, community service, and John McCollister treatment—both in probation and parole, which supervise most Platte Institute (NE) offenders, and in prisons. Michael Carnuccio Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Ronald F. Scheberle 4. An ideal criminal justice system works to reform amenable American Legislative Exchange Council offenders who will return to society through harnessing the power Eli Lehrer R Street Institute of families, charities, faith-based groups, and communities. David Barton WallBuilders 5. Because incentives affect human behavior, policies for both Matthew J. Brouillette offenders and the corrections system must align incentives with Commonwealth Foundation (PA) George Kelling our goals of public safety, victim restitution and satisfaction, and Manhattan Institute cost-effectiveness, thereby moving from a system that grows when Forest Thigpen it fails to one that rewards results. Mississippi Center for Public Policy John Hood John Locke Foundation (NC) 6. Criminal law should be reserved for conduct that is either Craig Ladwig blameworthy or threatens public safety, not wielded to grow Indiana Policy Review Foundation government and undermine economic freedom. Deborah Daniels Former U.S. Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney General These principles are grounded in time-tested conservative truths— Dominic M. Calabro constitutionally limited government, transparency, individual Florida TaxWatch liberty, personal responsibility, free enterprise, and the centrality Richard Doran Former Florida Attorney General of the family and community. All of these are critical to addressing Allan Bense today’s criminal justice challenges. It is time to apply these Former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives principles to the task of delivering a better return on taxpayers’ Donna Arduin investments in public safety. Our security, prosperity, and Arduin, Laffer & Moore freedom depend on it. Henry JuszKiewicz CEO of Gibson Guitar Ralph Reed About Us Founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition Right on Crime is a national initiative led by the Texas Public Policy Larry Thompson Foundation, one of the nation’s leading state-based conservative Former U.S. Deputy Attorney General think tanks. The initiative aims to raise awareness of the truly Joe Whitley Former Acting U.S. Associate Attorney General conservative position on criminal justice policy by demonstrating the and U.S. Attorney growing support for effective criminal justice reforms within the Jon Caldara Independence Institute conservative movement. This initiative will share research and Craig DeRoche policy ideas, mobilize conservative leaders, and work to raise public Former Speaker of the Michigan House of awareness. Representatives B. Wayne Hughes, Jr. Businessman and Philanthropist Right on Crime couldn’t be timelier. With new majorities in 19 state MiKe Thompson legislatures and hundreds of new lawmakers who pledged to cut Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy spending now taking office, Right on Crime provides conservative Brenda Talent Show-Me Institute (MO) principled solutions that are proven to reduce crime, lower costs and Donald Devine restore victims. For more information, please visit Former Director of the Office of Personnel www.rightoncrime.com. Management Gary Bauer American Values Signatures Last Updated: October 22, 2012 .
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