The Clinton legacy: How “tough-on-crime” politics built the world’s largest prison system

[BrotherIvan]

JEFF STEIN, APR 13, 2015
http://www.salon.com/2015/04/13/the_clinton_dynastys_horrific_legacy_how_tough_on_crime_politics_built_the_worlds_largest_prison/

The Clinton dynasty’s horrific legacy: How “tough-on-crime” politics built the world’s largest prison system
Over the past two decades, the Clintons' version of the "War on Drugs" has inflicted needless suffering on millions

Hillary Clinton wants to run for president as an economic populist, as a humane progressive interested in bolstering the fortunes of poor and middle class Americans. But before liberals enthusiastically sign up for Team Hillary, they should remember this: In the late 1990s, Bill Clinton played in instrumental role in creating the world’s largest prison system — one that has devastated our inner cities, made a mockery of American idealism abroad, and continues to inflict needless suffering on millions of people. And he did it with his wife’s support.

...

The explosion of the prison system under Bill Clinton’s version of the “War on Drugs” is impossible to dispute. The total prison population rose by 673,000 people under Clinton’s tenure — or by 235,000 more than it did under President Ronald Reagan, according to a study by the Justice Policy Institute. “Under President Bill Clinton, the number of prisoners under federal jurisdiction doubled, and grew more than it did under the previous 12-years of Republican rule,combined,” states the JPI report (italics theirs). The federal incarceration rate in 1999, the last year of the Democrat’s term, was 42 per 100,000 — more than double the federal incarceration rate at the end of President Reagan’s term (17 per 100,000), and 61 percent higher than at the end of President George Bush’s term (25 per 100,000), according to JPI.

...

There is also very strong evidence that these policies contributed to the immiseration of vast numbers of black (and also white) Americans at the bottom of the economic ladder, according to the well-known conclusions of journalists, academics and other criminal justice experts. Federal funding for public housing fell by $17 billion (a 61 percent reduction) under Bill Clinton’s tenure; federal funding for corrections rose by $19 billion (an increase of 171 percent), according to Michelle Alexander’s seminal work, “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.” The federal government’s new priorities redirected nearly $1 billion in state spending for higher education to prison construction. Clinton put a permanent eligibility ban for welfare or food stamps on anyone convicted of a felony drug offense (including marijuana possession). He prohibited drug felons from public housing. Any liberal arts grad with an HBO account can tell you the consequences for poor, black American cities like Baltimore. As Alexander writes, “More than any other president, [Clinton] created the current racial undercaste.”

While it’s true that it was Bill who, as president, was ultimately responsible for these decision, Hillary was nonetheless a famously involved First Lady on political matters — a reputation she’s shown willingness to capitalize on in her new campaign. According to a 2013 Wall Street Journal report, Hillary has “signaled she would use the 1990s as a selling point if she jumps in the race, making the case that, as first lady, she was part of an era that found solutions to the same sorts of political difficulties that bedevil present-day Washington.” That legacy includes Bill Clinton’s “War on Drugs,” whether you like it or not.

As recently noted by Reason.com, Hillary actively lobbied for the aforementioned criminal justice reforms as First Lady and, as a New York senator, voted to expand grants that dramatically scaled up police involvement in anti-terror and homeland security efforts. She also said things like this, in support of a crime bill that would impose draconian new sentencing provisions [three strikes]:

“We need more police, we need more and tougher prison sentences for repeat offenders. The three strikes and you’re out for violent offenders has to be part of the plan. We need more prisons to keep violent offenders for as long as it takes to keep them off the streets.”

[bravenak]

1. Looks like all of the safety net money cut went straight to the prison industry.

Thanks Bill!!! I'll never forgive youuuuu!!

[BrotherIvan]

2. Now we're talking actual policy

Not words or campaign videos. This is policy that effects all people of color and most especially African American males. Now we have the flip flop that Clinton is speaking out on mass incarceration. Lest we forget, it was a Democrat who chose to expand the prison industry to the largest in the world in order to pander for votes from fearful whites. That "tough on crime" talk has cost us dearly.

Actions, not optics.

[bravenak]

3. I'm left wondering how many donations were handed out by the for profit prison industry.

When I saw him speaking about it I was left cold. He was so removed from the problem, like those people were just bad stats. I know that they did it to pander for votes, and sadly it only got them black votes. We need to demand better from politicians if they want our votes.

[BrotherIvan]

19. Candidates should be heavily vetted

Both their record and their words. A politician cannot escape the consequences of their votes. We have every right to demand honesty.

[bravenak]

23. I agree.

[VanillaRhapsody]

77. And it has been

Http://ontheissues.org

[BrotherIvan]

21. Remember how we were talking yesterday that it would be interesting to see what Sanders has to say

Well someone asked him the question yesterday.

QUESTION: We have a law enforcement quota, 34,000 immigrants are to be detained daily. Congress mandates that for a price tag of 2 billion dollars a year. About 60 percent of that is going to two corporations, Corrections Corporation of America and GEO. We are detaining people that present no threat, immediate threat to themselves or us. And then we see a certain Senator accepting campaign donations,

SANDERS: She's not talking about me so be clear (laughter and applause from audience)

QUESTION:– then he's voting against his own comprehensive immigration reform bill. I would like to know would you help us shut down the for-profit prisons, would you you shift money away from detaining people to other more humane methods, immigration judges for examples […] and would you work for comprehensive immigration reform?

SANDERS: The answer is, yes, yes ,yes. Clearly one of the crises we face in our nation is that we have more people behind bars than any other country on earth […] China is a nation that is 3 or 4 times larger than us population wise, it is an authoritarian country Communist country, and we have far more people behind bars than does China. And what we do in our jails is we run a great educational system, we education people how to be even better criminals. So it seems to me that rather than spending huge amounts of money on jails and on private corporations who are incentivized to keep people in jail, it might make a lot more sense to spend money on job training and education so that people do not end up in jail in the first place. And yes I'm certainly in favor of comprehensive education reform.

[bravenak]

24. Good!

I hope the other candidates fall in line.

[BrotherIvan]

25. Only if they have to

[bravenak]

26. They better.

[hootinholler]

80. I don't

I want that as a differentiation.

I don't want a candidate who has to evolve, pay lip service, fall in line, etc. I want the candidate who lives and breathes it.

[TM99]

65. Excellent!

I assured quite a few doubters over the last few days that Sanders would begin to address these types of issues with depth and substance.

I am glad to see I was right. Good for him!

[BrotherIvan]

67. And you were right that it ties into what he is talking about all along

So when he is talking about education, he is using the argument that we should educate rather than lock someone up. Not just educating white males. Phew!

[TM99]

68. Exactly!

His policies will support everyone.

[PRB]

28. I did not agree with some of his policies,

but I would still vote for him today if he ran. The drug war has been a catastrophe, but there are a lot of rapists, murderers, etc. in jail. The streets are safer today. Crime is down. Maybe having certain people in jail is a good thing. People are waking up to things like domestic abuse and horrible inner city violence.

[bravenak]

37. Of course rapists and murderers should be in jail.

But non violent offenders should be rehabilitated and trained and educated to reenter society and work to provide for their children, to prevent another generation of inmates.
We have too many nonviolent drug offenders sitting in jail doing nothing when they could be working and providing for those inner city kids.

[PRB]

42. I don't see where

Clinton was for putting weed smokers in jail. He smoke weed himself. It's easy to bash him after he left office. The fact is that crime has been going down for decades. Clinton was a no nonsense moderate who got some things done. Like I say, I don't like some of the things he did and he buckled too much on some things, but having crime go down is a big plus. I would vote for him all over again. Twice in fact.

[bravenak]

45. It was the crime bill.

There were manditory minimums for various offenses. It was used against drug offenders to the extent that now we have 25% of the worlds prisoners. Three strikes becames used for things such as stealing a slice of pizza. Whatever he intended, it is what it is. This is where that brought us. Would you like some links to reports of the effects of the clinton crime bill other than the one in the op? I can find them for you.
I would not vote for those policies today. We need to rehabilitate our offenders, not warehouse them for profit. With the money we spend on prisons and paying fees for empty cells, we could put many offenders through trade school and have them pay taxes instead of getting back out, uneducated and better at crime. They need to be integrated into society.

[BrotherIvan]

50. ^^This!^^

[PRB]

61. Yes, I would like to see other links.

Actually first hand sources. I think you said it right. Clinton never intended this. I don't agree that someone smoking weed should be locked up, let alone warehoused for fun and profit of private companies. I would however, look at all of the drug offenders and distinguish between them. Some of them are very violent.

I agree wholeheartedly with rehab. I also think you need to strike a balance. Rehab people, but don't do it at the expense of people's safety. We are safer today because we did address crime. I am glad I can walk outside and not be fearful.

[bravenak]

70. Here are a few.

http://articles.latimes.com/1995-03-03/local/me-38258_1_jerry-dewayne-williams
http://disinfo.com/2013/04/how-a-man-was-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-stealing-a-pair-of-socks/
http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/02/opinion/vanita-gupta-marijuana-life-sentence/
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/jun/20/duncancampbell

[PRB]

71. I'm looking for first hand sources

These are really just news articles, but okay, if that is what you have. And I never heard of "disinfo" as a source. Honestly, it sounds like some ancap right wing shit.

[bravenak]

74. First hand like interviews with the lifers?

That might be difficult. They got life and you don't get a tv studio in jail. If you explain what you need I can find it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

47. Perhaps, just a middling of reading would help to clarify

the war on drugs policies enacted during the Clinton administration. You are right,. they are baffling since crime stats peaked in 1992, but I digress.

You might want to read more into John Byrnes DOJ grants, and how they tie to the war on drugs and the clinton administration. While you are at it, civil forfeiture is also a wonderful thing to get familiar with. Also the tough three strikes which was not just a California idea, but a federal one. As well as toughening sentencing standards in general for drug offenses.

Then perhaps you might want to take a looksie at welfare reform.

Or if you want to save some time, read the people who already did quite a bit of that work... like Michelle Alexander and "the New Jim Crow."

[PRB]

63. I am not going to argue with stats.

If crime went down, then that is a good thing. How can you argue with that? You're talking about the corruption and other items. If those grants mean locking up people forever for stealing pizza, then that is wrong. That should not apply to three strikes, but I can't see somebody getting more than two strikes for the same crazy offense. What about me? Should I have to be fearful to walk outside my house because someone keeps laughing at the system, getting away with the same things? I also don't see your connection to welfare and Jim Crow, but maybe you are talking about someone else.

[nadinbrzezinski]

64. Actually three strikes could lock somebody up

in both California and the Federal Courts, for stealing pizza, if that was your third strike, you are out and away for life.

And as I said, if you want to save a lot of time... these are two extremely good reads on the subject

The New Jim Crow

And Balko's The Rise of the Warrior Cop

Oh and my stats came straight from ARJIS, and the FBI

[PRB]

72. I already said I don't agree with the stealing pizza thing.

Is that the norm or the exception to the rule? Thanks for the stats, too, but I made that point that crime went down. People are safer today than ever before.

BTW, I am not reading anything from the nutjob Balko. He's a libertarian with an agenda.

[nadinbrzezinski]

73. Fit yourself

and the pizza thing is real

[hifiguy]

4. This is a VERY important post/issue

and one that should never be forgotten.

Thanks, BrotherIvan!

[BrotherIvan]

8. If people on DU are so anxious to talk about civil rights and racial issues

Let's do it.

[hifiguy]

10. Bring it on.

Bernie can more than hold his own.

[BrotherIvan]

13. So far we have two obfuscations

But no actual refutations. I shall wait patiently.

[hifiguy]

15. Lay in a good supply of beer and order a couple of pizzas.

That could take a while.

[BrotherIvan]

20. I'm sure it's gonna be great

Looking forward to it.

[NYC_SKP]

5. Bill Clinton put a lobotomy patient to death to look tough on crime in 1992.

I vowed right that moment to never support him or any among his family.

Despicable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Ray_Rector

That his wife would run on a crime and punishment plank doesn't surprise me.

Neither does it surprise me that, depending upon her audience, she would waffle on it.

"We don't know who this candidate is, and we can't afford to find out." ™

[BrotherIvan]

16. I don't think Hillary is culpable for every one of Bill's decisions

But her record and her actual words should be up for discussion.

[yallerdawg]

6. Really? A one-sided hit-piece on "The Clintons"?

On a Democratic website?

Does 'anyone but' include Bush, Santorum, Fiorina, Trump, etc.? 'Cause you are sure helping them!

Does this mean all "Democratic" primary candidates are ready for the Big Leagues now? If this is how we support "our" candidate?

Just something to think about...

[BrotherIvan]

7. So talking about ACTUAL policy

With stats and facts and QUOTES from the candidate is a hit piece? Is there ANYTHING about her record that we're allowed to discuss?

[yallerdawg]

14. "Clinton dynasty's horrific legacy.."

sounds like stats and facts and quotes?

There may be stats and facts, but they are used in a context to support a hit! That's what those first 4 words tell you. That's why this is posted here!

If it's all a justification to oppose a Democratic candidate, then anything goes, right?

[hifiguy]

17. NAFTA

The repeal of Glass-Steagall

Clinton ideas.

[BrotherIvan]

18. Please stop being obtuse

The article makes the argument that the polices that both Bill and Hillary Clinton supported have led to the largest prison system in the world with mass incarceration of African Americans. Direct result of POLICY. And yes, it is horrific. Actions have consequences.

[yallerdawg]

29. Anything goes...

right?

[BrotherIvan]

41. You actually addressed the substance at all

[Warren DeMontague]

35. The drug war is a massive human clusterfuck.

Agree or disagree?

[tazkcmo]

81. yes

But just the ones that make her look good. Any mention or comparison in which casts her in anything but a glowing light ist verboten.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. See this is why I do not bother posting policy here

and take my word on it, I do a lot of it.

In fact, I cannot wait for actual policy documents from all 10 declared clowns, regardless of party. (And the rest that are still to declare) I intend to make my decision on actual, real policy statements, not talking points

[Exilednight]

36. Maybe you missed this part.

While it’s true that it was Bill who, as president, was ultimately responsible for these decision, Hillary was nonetheless a famously involved First Lady on political matters — a reputation she’s shown willingness to capitalize on in her new campaign. According to a 2013 Wall Street Journal report, Hillary has “signaled she would use the 1990s as a selling point if she jumps in the race, making the case that, as first lady, she was part of an era that found solutions to the same sorts of political difficulties that bedevil present-day Washington.” That legacy includes Bill Clinton’s “War on Drugs,” whether you like it or not.

As recently noted by Reason.com, Hillary actively lobbied for the aforementioned criminal justice reforms as First Lady and, as a New York senator, voted to expand grants that dramatically scaled up police involvement in anti-terror and homeland security efforts. She also said things like this, in support of a crime bill that would impose draconian new sentencing provisions :

[spanone]

9. is bill clinton running again?

[BrotherIvan]

11. psst, there is a bold portion of the article for you

With a quote from the candidate. The quote is in favor of the "three strikes law".

[joeybee12]

22. This place is ridiculous...

You think the smears and baseless lies can't get any worse, and then this shows up...amazing...tell me again where I can find a democratic site...thanks.

[Thinkingabout]

27. Are you referring to the Bill Clinton era? Hate to ust your bubble bt it is Hillary Clinton running

Really digging this time, huh.

[Warren DeMontague]

33. She regularly points to her experiences with her husband's administration, as a resume selling point

So it's a legitimate question.

[Thinkingabout]

39. Don't think this is true, Hillary is very strong on her own, just because they probably have the

Same stand on many Issues since both are Democrats, she will be serving and will be by aking the oath.

On the other hand are you willing to bring Bernie's wife's record into the race also?

[Warren DeMontague]

46. Whether or not you think it is true, it is. Every answer she gives on the IWR vote, for instance

Refers back to her time during the Bill Clinton administration.

If she is taking cues and experience from his time in office, she is linked to his administration.

That's fine, I happen to think on many matters Bill Clinton was a good president. But his escalation of the drug war is undeniable.

Of course Hillary could set a tone distinct from her husband's record, but it would require taking clear stands on things like for-profit prisons or whether she, like Debbie Wasserman Schultz, supports arresting sick people for pot smoking.

As long as she keeps people guessing on what her actual positions are, they will fill in the gaps with the record, and her stated - again, by her, as part of her resume and qualifications for POTUS- association with her husband's administration is part of the record.

[Thinkingabout]

57. Whether you like her or not I have a feeling shevwill be the nominee for the DNC.

As far as marijuana goes it will probably be a non issue soon so you can probably put this to rest also. It has too many occasions where it is helpful to those in need. If it could be reclassified as a class two instead of the class one there is research which could be done. Currently I don't see a lot of bills introduced into Congress to even get this reclassified.

I am sure Hillary was on top of current events during Bill's administration. The IWR was to have all avenues covered before any action was taken and you are a smart person and you know Bush had the inspectors pulled before the inspection was complete. The invasion in Iraq belongs squarely on the Bush Administration. To put the "vote" as a reason for the invasion is relieving the Bush administration of their bad decision, ergo, leave it on Bush where it should be.

[Warren DeMontague]

58. "it will probably be a non issue" - wrong again. I'm guessing you don't live in California.

But here's a news flash: 4 states have already voted to fully legalize. It's quite likely that more states will be following in 2016, including California, with 34 Million people.

If that isn't enough, Colorado, with a well-established and working system for state-regulated legal marijuana, is very likely to be a crucial electoral swing state again.

A majority of Americans now favor legalization. Millennials- a larger generation than the boomers, with new members reaching voting age every day- DO consider it an important issue.

Ignoring it won't make it go away.

As for the IWR vote, it's facile to expect that it won't be an issue. It's no longer a dealbreaker for me, but it needs to be addressed.

Lastly, I haven't decided who I'm going to support in the primaries, but none of this is about me "not liking" Hillary Clinton. I've seen her speak publicly several times, starting with the Daley Center in Chicago in 1992, last time was the March for Womens Lives in DC in 2004. I like Hillary Clinton. But I still want Hillary Clinton to run a campaign where she takes bold decisive stands even on potentially contentious or controversial issues, i.e. leadership.

[Thinkingabout]

62. What I meant on the marijuana issue being a non issue is states are changing their laws, it

Does need to be changed from a class one to a class two to allow medical research. In fact I would live to see some action on this immediately, it could be passed and Obama would sign it. As you say over fifty percent is on favor of this. Let's start writing our congressional members about this, why are they allowing people to suffer when there is relief available.

[Warren DeMontague]

75. I am in agreement.

I happen to live in a state that's ahead of the curve on it; our state Dem. party supports full legalization, as does our Jr. Senator-- but, agreed on all counts.

[nadinbrzezinski]

38. Well I don't have to go that far

but I know how to dig

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:samdt47:

She voted for this jewell.

And this article from the guardian... in the right hands (no not Issa), could give Opp Research a lot of meat.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/26/mexico-hillary-clinton-drugs-weapons

I can keep going, but you get the point. Her record is not precisely stellar on some issues, crime and the war on drugs are two issues that it is not. She's changing her views, though she is for drug legalization one day, and against it the next. So I expect her to ahem "evolve" fully now that the nation is doing that.

But there are multiple reasons why policy is NOT the partisan shtick.

[woo me with science]

30. Huge K&R What a telling contrast. Again.

What a telling contrast. Again.

Bernie Sanders Pledges To End No Child Left Behind, Shut Down For-Profit Prisons
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026747534

The Clinton legacy: How “tough-on-crime” politics built the world’s largest prison system
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026747166

BERNIE SANDERS 2016

NO MORE CORPORATE PREDATORS IN DEMOCRAT SUITS.

[Exilednight]

31. The MIC needed new ways to make money during peace and they found it, with the help of Clinton, in the

in the Prison Indistrial Complex.

[Warren DeMontague]

32. I want to know if Hillary Clinton is going to follow some idiotic "tough on drugs" script

Like her buddy Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Several states have legalized marijuana. More are likely to follow. Throwing people in prison for pot smoking is no longer a defensible position.

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. They are talking about this on the Chris Hayes show

(and the tie to the Paul campaign) And how both parties have pushed really bad legislation. In the bigger picture this is about the USPA as well.

I always find it fascinating that we have some media talking of this as well. Of course they are talking of Ron Paul (The other small donor guy).

[BrotherIvan]

43. You mean, it's not just a right wing smear?

Good to know.

[nadinbrzezinski]

44. Nope

[Warren DeMontague]

49. I wonder how long it's going to take Hillary to realize that she cant treat pot legalization like a

Giant joke or a kryptonite question to be avoided.

Fuck, even several GOP candidates have already said they will be hands off with states that have legalized... Im not sure why she cant do that much.

[BrotherIvan]

51. How does it poll?

There's the answer.

[nadinbrzezinski]

54. Am afraid I agree

since stories with her ever shifting change in opinion are there to be found

[BrotherIvan]

55. It's "evolution"

Hillary Clinton called on Wednesday for broad criminal-justice reform and renewed trust between police officers and communities, reflecting the former first lady’s evolution from supporting the policies instituted by her husband two decades ago in a period of high crime rates.

http://time.com/3839892/hillary-clinton-calls-for-an-end-to-mass-incarceration/

[nadinbrzezinski]

56. Yup

and I expect this to hunt her with young POC, who know better, since they are living the consequences.

[Warren DeMontague]

59. Actually, that's the funny thing. A majority of Americans now consistently favor legalization.

But the beltway conventional wisdom poobahs, still running their 1990s "tough on crime/soccer mom/values voter" script, haven't got the memo.



Shit, it's taken long enough to realize that they can safely come out from behind the couch and support doing the right thing on LGBT marriage (heaven forfend they should have actually LED 10 years ago, before the polling made it tenable)

[BrotherIvan]

85. Well, I will be interested to follow that one

But since Clinton's "base" that she pivoted back to in 2008 is working class whites and mothers, who are the largest group for tough on crime, I'm not sure she's going to go all in. It will depend on who she is running against.

[Chathamization]

79. Back in '03 I was talking to a member of the Dean campaign who had also been part of the Gore

campaign. I remember one of the things she told me she really appreciated about the Dean campaign was that his positions weren't poll driven, unlike the Gore campaign which always needed to look at polls in order to figure out which position to take.

[BrotherIvan]

84. And it's always obvious

And it is a losing strategy. Hillary has strengths that she could run on, foreign policy being a big one. Why isn't she? Why is she trying to run as the ultimate combination of Harriet Tubman and Elizabeth Warren? So bizzare.

[octoberlib]

40. Bill Clinton was a masterful politician but

his policies were a disaster for this country and continue to bite us in the butt.

[woo me with science]

48. kick

[BrotherIvan]

52. Still waiting for a refutation on facts, policy, history

Whatever...

[woo me with science]

66. Sad truth.

It's a long wait for what doesn't exist.

[Scuba]

76. They got nothing.

[olddots]

53. read it and weep

or read it and hide .

[yallerdawg]

60. A look back...

The Real Clinton Legacy

Progress For America's Families and Communities in the Fight Against Crime

•Crime Rate Drops Every Year: The overall crime rate has dropped for 8 years in a row — the longest continuous drop on record — and is now at a 26 year low.

•Violent Crime Down Every Year: The violent crime rate is at its lowest level in over two decades and is 30 percent lower than it was in 1992. In 1999, the homicide rate dropped to its lowest point since 1966. The murder rate has dropped more than 38 percent since 1992.

•Gun Crime Rate Drops Dramatically: Since 1993, the gun-related crime rate has declined by more than 40 percent. The number of juvenile gun offenders peaked in 1993, and has dropped 57 percent since then.

•School Crime Rate Down: The school crime rate — the number of thefts or violent crimes committed at schools — has decreased from 155 per 1,000 students in 1993 to 101 per 1,000 students in 1998. That's a drop of nearly 35 percent.

•Domestic Violence Declines: The number of women experiencing violence at the hands of an intimate partner declined 21 percent from 1993 to 1998.

•Teen Drug Use Drops: Teen drug use has turned the corner, dropping for the third year in a row. Youth marijuana use has dropped over 25 percent.

•Record Levels of Federal Drug Seizures: Federal drug seizures have increased to record high levels since 1993, including the highest level of federal cocaine seizures ever — a 10 percent increase over 1992 levels. In 1999, federal agents seized more than three times the amount of marijuana than was seized in 1992.

•Cocaine Supply Decreases: Coca leaf eradication in Bolivia, Colombia and Peru increased by more than five times between 1992 and 1998. The amount of cocaine available for consumption in the United States has dropped by more than 30 percent since 1992.

•Drug-Related Murders Cut in Half: The drug related murder rate has been cut almost in half since 1992. Drug related murders are now at their lowest level in over a decade.

[Fumesucker]

69. If only the police would start shooting more innocent white people then we could be equal

And things would be perfect, yes?

[Cha]

78. "The Clinton Presidency: Lowest Crime Rates in a Generation " Nobody that has an agenda is

going to want to see that, yallerdawg!

Thanks.

[seabeyond]

82. bill clinton isnt running. nt

[Jesus Malverde]

83. It's a question of rhetoric vs. record.

Take your pick.