Bob Dole: “one of the most heated debates last Congress centered around the so-called crime bill. While our colleagues on the other…”

“one of the most heated debates last Congress centered around the so-called crime bill. While our colleagues on the other side of the aisle ultimately succeeded in passing the bill, Republicans argued then--and continue to maintain--that the bill spent far too much on social programs of unproven worth, while failing to adopt some of the tough measures proposed to combat violent crime. To a large degree, S. 3 attempts to correct some of the obvious flaws and excesses of last year's crime bill. It also stakes out some critical new ground, particularly in the area of criminal procedure. More importantly, S. 3 is premised on the principle that criminals are not the victims of society, as some may claim, but rather that society itself is the victim of criminals and the violence they perpetuate. In addition, S. 3 recognizes that the States and localities, not the Federal Government, are on the front lines in the war against crime and are best equipped to devise effective anticrime strategies.”