Walter B. Jones: “Yesterday, I spoke about Kermit Smith, the individual who spent 14 years on death row for the brutal kidnaping, rape…”

“Yesterday, I spoke about Kermit Smith, the individual who spent 14 years on death row for the brutal kidnaping, rape, and murder of a college cheerleader in North Carolina. However, I forgot to mention that he was on parole during the time of the murder. Two years prior, he was convicted of a violent crime and spent 1 year and 8 months in prison--less than 50 percent of his sentence. According to the Justice Department, a violent criminal serves roughly 42 percent of his prison term which breaks down to an average of 24 months in jail. The American people are fed up with this. Congress needs to send a strong message to criminals. We must increase the amount of time spent in prison. Criminals must receive harsh punishments, not merely a slap on the wrist. The Violent Criminal Incarceration Act does exactly this. It allows States to strengthen its sentencing policies by providing grants to expand prisons. Let us work together to put these violent criminals away and end the revolving door policy at our prisons.”