A NO Vote on Proposition 195 will improve public safety by re-focusing legislative attention on effective ways to actually prevent violence.
Chiefs of police and law enforcement officers across the country publicly acknowledge that the death penalty does virtually nothing to prevent murder. In fact, attention to the death penalty diverts law enforcement resources from truly effective measures to reduce violence and make communities safer. The best steps to reduce crimes of all kinds include more neighborhood watch programs, improved police training, effective community policing, tough programs to reduce drug and alcohol abuse, early juvenile offender intervention programs, weapons control efforts, speedier trials, domestic violence programs, and better funded probation and parole services.
The death penalty already diverts too many dollars from more worthy activities, and takes too much valuable time of police and courts. Because some 50 capital cases are investigated and prosecuted to effect a single execution, millions of dollars must be spent and countless hours of court time must be consumed to bring about infrequent executions many years after the crime. Although the death penalty may fascinate the media and the public, the high cost of any extension of it cannot be justified.
Too much attention to the extreme punishment distracts policy makers and the public from the more critical daily task of preventing violence. It also burdens courts with lengthy death penalty trials and years of appeals. From the perspective of those who see crime up close on a daily basis, other priorities are more deserving of public attention and support. The sooner we order crime prevention priorities toward solutions with proven records of effectiveness, the sooner we will be able to make a serious dent in California's problems of violence.
Knowledgeable prosecutors and attorneys have pointed out that this proposal would not add anything of substance to the law. It is nothing more than a cosmetic change. Let it be known that you want more effective attention to the problem of violence by voting NO on Proposition 195.
SENATOR MILTON MARKS
Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Procedure
RIGHT REVEREND JERRY A. LAMB
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California
MIKE FARRELL
President, M, J & E Productions, Inc.