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Christopher Dodd on Crime and Punishment
This candidate has withdrawn from the election
Dodd has said there are certain circumstances where he "would not exclude the use of the death penalty." He says that he would not call for a moratorium on capital punishment. He has called for judicial reform and a closer look at the country's criminal justice system so that "we can do a better job of making decisions" about the death penalty.
Voted NO on limiting death penalty appeals. Vote to table, or kill, a motion to send the bill back to the joint House-Senate conference committee with instructions to delete the provisions in the bill that would make it harder for prisoners given the death penalty in state courts to appeal.
Bill S.735 ; vote number 1996-66 on Apr 17, 1996
Voted NO on rejecting racial statistics in death penalty appeals. Vote to express that the Omnibus Crime bill [H.R. 3355] should reject the Racial Justice Act provisions, which would enable prisoners appealing death penalty sentences to argue racial discrimination using sentencing statistics as part of their appeal.
Bill S 1935 ; vote number 1994-106 on May 11, 1994
Moratorium on death penalty; more DNA testing. Dodd sponsored a bill limiting capital punishment: H.R. 1038, S.233: To place a moratorium on executions by the Federal Government and urge the States to do the same, while a National Commission on the Death Penalty reviews the fairness of the imposition of the death penalty .
H.R.912 01-HR1038 on Mar 7, 2001
Voted YES on mandatory prison terms for crimes involving firearms. Vote on the motion to instruct conferees on the bill to insist that the conference report include Mandatory prison terms for the use, possession, or carrying of a firearm or destructive device during a state crime of violence or drug trafficking
Bill HR.3355 ; vote number 1994-126 on May 19, 1994
More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes. Dodd sponsored the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act: Title: To provide Federal assistance to States and local jurisdictions to prosecute hate crimes. Summary: Provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or other assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of any violent crime that is motivated by prejudice based on the race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability of the victim or is a violation of hate crime laws. 1. Award grants to assist State and local law enforcement officials with extraordinary expenses for interstate hate crimes. 2. Award grants to State and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles. 3. Prohibit specified offenses involving actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. 4. Increase criminal sentencing for adult recruitment of juveniles to commit hate crimes. 5. Collect and publish data about crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on gender.
House Resolution Sponsorship 01-HR1343 on Apr 3, 2001
And again, the overall -- the general of allowing the decriminalization, I strongly advocate as well. We're cluttering up our prisons, frankly, when we draw distinctions. And let me go beyond marijuana here and deal in terms of crack cocaine or powder cocaine, where we have differentials in prison sentences here. So I would decriminalize, or certainly advocate, as president the decriminalization of statutes that would incarcerate or severely penalize people for using marijuana.
Presidential forum sponsored by Slate, Yahoo, and the Huffington Post September 12, 2007
Voted NO to increase penalties on certain drug-related crimes. The amendment would specifically target the manufacturing or trafficking of amphetamines & methamphetamines and possession of powder cocaine, and set stronger penalties for dealing drugs
Bill S.625 ; vote number 1999-360 on Nov 10, 1999
"I am a strong supporter of Charlie Rangel's efforts here to eliminate the distinction between crack cocaine and powder cocaine. That will actually have a big difference in terms of who goes to jail."
"I think the mandatory minimum sentencing has been a disaster."
Voted YES in 1990 to impose minimum, mandatory prison sentences for firearm violations, other violent crimes, and drug crimes.
Dodd Co-sponsored the Second Chance Act of 2007. A bill to reauthorize the grant program for reentry of offenders into the community in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, to improve reentry planning and implementation, and for other purposes.
H.R. 1593: Second Chance Act of 2007
On July 23, 2003, Dodd announced he had lobbied for Connecticut to receive more than $8.5 million in federal funds for enforcement, prevention and drug treatment.