William Helms: “it's difficult to imagine an act more cowardly or reprehensible than a violent criminal act against a child, or an…”

“it's difficult to imagine an act more cowardly or reprehensible than a violent criminal act against a child, or an elderly person, or someone who is mentally or physically handicapped. But this dastardly criminality is becoming more and more common is society as a part of the general moral decay which is so painfully apparent in our cities and towns. Therefore, I am introducing a bill to strengthen the penalty for criminals who commit violent Federal crimes against children, the elderly, and those vulnerable due to mental or physical conditions. Crimes against the vulnerable are soaring. For instance, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, personal crimes against the elderly increased by 90 percent between 1985 and 1991--from 627,318 in 1985 to 1,146,929 in 1991. Likewise, the homicide rate for children skyrocketed 47 percent between 1985 and 1993. These are real victims, Mr. President, not just statistics. Just last month in Durham, NC, two mentally handicapped women were robbed at knife point. Earlier this year in Durham, a disabled Vietnam veteran-- partially blind and with limited use of his legs--was robbed after exiting a Greyhound bus. And in my hometown of Raleigh, I recall the reports of a blind, 77-year-old lady who in 1993 was raped in her backyard. These types of crimes are sick, outrageous, and revolting. Something must be done to make clear that this kind of depravity will be severely punished in the Federal system.”