Believing that the primary responsibility of our state government is to promote law and order, I am committed to fighting crime and illegal drug use- -particularly among the young people in our district- -by supporting a criminal justice system in which criminals will be caught, the guilty will be convicted, and the convicted will serve their time. I agree with law enforcement officials, however, that the best way to reduce crime and illegal drug use is to prevent Marylanders from engaging in these activities in the first place.

GOALS

• The addressing at the federal level the issue of equal penalties for the possession of both cocaine powder and crack cocaine ( Currently , for the possession of $2,000 worth of cocaine powder, the punishment is a release on one's own recognizance, whereas for the possession of a $10 bag of crack cocaine, which is made from cocaine powder, the penalty is 10 years in prison.)
• Support of legislation and/ or strategies that will require child-safety locks on all handguns; that will prevent adults and juveniles convicted of violent crimes from being able to purchase guns; and that will support anti-truancy, curfew, and after-school programs
• Support for a state-wide drug media campaign targeted at our state's young people and for drug prevention and treatment programs

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(authority William T. Dennis, Treasurer)