Letter to the Editor, Posted: 5/5/04
To the editor:
Sen. Nienow wrote a letter recently regarding the Senate DFL Crime Bill. He tried to imply that he voted against the Senate Crime Bill because it treated sexual predators with kid gloves. My DFL friends in the Senate did not design a ìkid glovesî bill.ÝRead on:
The bill that Sen. Nienow voted against puts sex offenders behind bars for 60 years on a first offense - life on a second offense. Hardly kid gloves.
The bill was approved unanimously ñ by Republicans and Democrats alike - in the Crime Prevention Committee, but Sen. Nienow chose to vote no against this tough legislation when it came to the floor.
The bill included much longer sentences for sex offenders ñ and a new, tougher open-ended (indeterminate) sentencing system for repeat offenders. With open-ended sentencing, Minnesota can keep sex offenders in prison until they are no longer dangerous ñ meaning, for many predators, locked up for life - rather than releasing them at a date certain, whether they still pose a threat or not.ÝOpen-ended sentencing means a minimum term that can be lengthened for as long as needed, rather than a maximum term ñ a floor, not a ceiling.
Itís worth noting that the Pawlenty Administration has flagged few soon-to-be-released sex offenders for civil commitment.ÝAs a result, criminals have been let out on our streets and have put our families and communities at risk.ÝThis is a dangerous precedent.ÝUnder open-ended sentencing, Minnesota can keep them in prison for as long as needed, even if itÇs for the rest of their lives.
Sen. Nienow forgot to mention that the Senate DFL bill also changes the definition of repeat offenders so more criminals are eligible for the longer sentences.
The Senate approach is supported by Minnesotaís county attorneys ñ the law enforcers who know what tools are needed to get and keep sex offenders off our streets. Sen. Nienow apparently thinks he knows better and voted against the 2004 Crime Bill.
Twyla Ring
North Branch
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