Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has a novel proposal on how to reduce crime across the Sunflower State.
Schmidt’s suggestion?
Put felons caught with guns behind bars.
See, under current state law, many violent felons are given probation when they commit new felonies with firearms, which is tantamount to a slap on the wrist, and worse, it puts them back out on the streets so they can re-offend.
“Kansas law already provides that certain convicted felons may not possess weapons,” Schmidt explained to WIBW. “But the truth is, many violent crimes in our communities are committed by armed repeat felons who flaunt that law because they know the most likely consequence of conviction is probation rather than incarceration.
“Today we are proposing to give this existing statute a real bite by requiring that felons who repeatedly and illegally carry firearms while committing new violent crimes to be sent to prison, not granted probation,” he continued. “This proposal focuses on taking off our streets those criminals who repeatedly misuse firearms to commit violent crime in our communities.”
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The proposal Schmidt referenced is the Reduce Armed Violence Act, which lawmakers introduced on Monday. It would ensure that any felon caught possessing a firearm (a felony crime on its own per federal law) while committing another felony would serve time from 7 to 23 months, depending on the individual’s criminal history.
“The overwhelming majority of gun crime in our community is perpetrated by felons who are also legally prohibited from possessing the very firearms they use,” said Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay, a supporter of the legislation.
“Although many of them are arrested and prosecuted for possessing these weapons, current Kansas law typically mandates that these offenders receive probation. This is not an effective deterrent for the offenders, and they simply repeat their behavior,” he added. “This legislation will provide prosecutors the only tool we can use to ensure these offenders are prevented from engaging in violence on our streets.”
On some level, it’s crazy to think that a state like Kansas wasn’t already enforcing such a standard. Makes one wonder how many other states have similar protocals on the books that treat armed felons with kid gloves.
We’ll keep an eye on the Reduce Armed Violence Act. Stay tuned for updates.
Suggestions for Kansans….Go back to the Deterrent that your State once had. It was chronicled in the Book/Movie “In Cold Blood ” by Truman Capote. They ‘Hung them!’ I call that a Deterrent to Violent Crime (Murder!) Capital Punishment (quick and efficient) has Always been a Deterrent. Until we Demand Real Deterrence from our Elected Leaders , violent crime will continue to be a plague on Society.
Mandatory Sentences- problem.
I know someone who was a DA dealing with major crimes in Philadelphia. They said that mandatory sentencing looked like it reduced certain crimes. But they said that was because they stopped charging people at the level of the mandatory sentence because about 40% of the time the judges would be offended and would sabotage the cases.
Why stop at felons ? Anyone in possession of a gun during the commission of any crime should receive a mandatory prison sentence, no plea bargain, with mandatory prosecution. Let criminals understand that if they are willing to put someone’s life in danger to commit their crime, they will do time, and no one can get them out of it.
We USED to know this, what happened?
What a waste of time and ink! Theres already an FEDERAL law that says the same thing!
Much of this gun crime is in the black community, the very people that are now being bailed out or never convicted, so are free to steal more guns to commit more crimes but, left does not see this connection.
Interesting comment that shows your lack of education, knowledge of history, and possibly your ethnic heritage, but this is your opinion as an American.
For an individual to state a “community” seems a little brash, but that is just my opinion as an American.
But then again, the majority of mass murders, school shootings, and racially motivated crimes against communities seem to be by “white communities”.
Don’t see “black communities” with mass shootings in schools, that would be “white communities”. Don’t see American History of “black communities” destroying entire cities like Oklahoma’s Black Wall Street. Don’t see “Black communities” writing American history books with pictures of slaves hanging from trees, raping slaves, and creating a Civil War because they wanted to enlarge the slave trade. That would be “white communities” Selling guns to the Iran/Contra/Columbia by Pres Reagan buying cocaine, flooding American streets and focused in “Black Communities”…. Wasn’t that “White communities”? What about the opium epidemic…”White communities”
And now, who is raising the price of fuel, forcing vaccinations that don’t work, and taking away your guns and rights? I believe this would be “white communities”. But you call this the left….but who do you see representing the left in office? “White communities”. Who is on the right as well? “White Communities” Who runs the Federal Reserve? “White Communities”. Supreme Court….”White communities”. Who created the problems this nation faces John Boutwell? Who is going to fix it, John Boutwell?
Sounds absurd? Why is that John Boutwell?
You are a shame to your fellow countrymen. For those who served, for those who volunteer…for those who died John Boutwell.
John Boutwell, lol ….
Chicago homicides in 2021reached 797, care to guess the victim’s color or the shooter’s?
Saint Louis homicides in 2021 reached 196 , care to guess the victim’s color or the shooter’s ?
THis pattern repeats in every big city in America.
Get back to me when you know what you are talking about.
This issue may be more complicated than you realize. Will these prisoners be held in state or federal custody? By changing laws, you may just be shifting the responsibility for running prisons to states, when before, the federal agencies would have prosecuted and enprisoned the criminals.
build 1(one) new jail cell. get convicted of a crime with a gun you go in the new jail cell. the next person who commits a crime with a gun goes in the new jail cell and the first one gets a bullet to the back of the head. repeat as necessary.
In my opinion, if a person is a convicted felon, has served their time, and not on parole or probation anymore, then they should have all their rights restored. If we feel like they are still a threat to society, then why would they be out and free?
Nope!
WOW! What a novel concept! Actually enforce the laws that are ALREADY ON THE BOOKS! New laws do nothing if they are not enforced. We have plenty of laws to take care of gun violence by violent offenders and the criminal element, if we would only enforce those laws.
We gee whiz. Actually punish criminals instead of codling them might reduce crime. Who’da thunk it?
Mandatory jail time to be served consecutively is a good start, at least until they can get three strikes you’re out laws reinstated.
Lock them up and/or hang them.
The FBI has said, before it became woke, that the majority of crime is perpetrated by repeat offenders. Loner prison sentences reduce crime.
Laws are just ink on paper…until they are enforced…
Criminals: “Write all the laws you want…I don’t care…”