Opinion ID: 1165515
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Arguments in Favor of Proposition 8

Text: It is time for the people to take decisive action against violent crime. For too long our courts and the professional politicians in Sacramento have demonstrated more concern with the rights of criminals than with the rights of innocent victims. This trend must be reversed. By voting yes on the Victims' Bill of Rights you will restore balance to the rules governing the use of evidence against criminals, you will limit the ability of violent criminals to hide behind the insanity defense, and you will give us a tool to stop extremely dangerous offenders from being released on bail to commit more violent crimes. Your action is as vital and necessary today as it was in 1978 when I urged Californians to take property taxes into their own hands and pass Proposition 13. If you believe as I do that the first responsibility of our criminal justice system is to protect the innocent, then I urge you to vote yes on Proposition 8. MIKE CURB Lieutenant Governor Crime has increased to an absolutely intolerable level. While criminals murder, rape, rob and steal, victims must install new locks, bolts, bars and alarm systems in their homes and businesses. Many buy tear gas and guns for self-protection. FREE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO LIVE IN FEAR. Yet, higher courts of this state have created additional rights for the criminally accused and placed more restrictions on law enforcement officers. This proposition will overcome some of the adverse decisions by our higher courts. THIS MEASURE CREATES RIGHTS FOR THE VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIMES. It enacts new laws that those of us in law enforcement have sought from the Legislature without success. While there are more people going to state prison than there were three years ago, only 5.5 percent of those persons arrested for felonies are sent to state prison. Of those convicted of felonies, one-third go to state prison and the remaining two-thirds are back in the community in a relatively short period of time. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION THAT THE PASSAGE OF THIS PROPOSITION WILL RESULT IN MORE CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS, MORE CRIMINALS BEING SENTENCED TO STATE PRISON, AND MORE PROTECTION FOR THE LAW-ABIDING CITIZENRY. IF YOU FAVOR INCREASED PUBLIC SAFETY, VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION 8. GEORGE DEUKMEJIAN Attorney General Why is it that the Legislature doesn't start getting serious about a problem until we, the people, go out and qualify an initiative? Four years ago it was Proposition 13, which I coauthored, to cut skyrocketing property taxes. A year later we had to go to the initiative process to place a lid on government spending. That effort, the Gann Spending Limitation Initiative, was carried with a landslide 75 percent of the vote. Today it is the forgotten victims of violent crime that the Legislature has so callously ignored. Again, it is up to the people to bring about reasonable and meaningful reform. Your YES vote on Proposition 8 will restore victims' rights and help bring violent crime under control. PAUL GANN Proponent, Victims' Bill of Rights -----------------------------------------------------------------