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New Steps Against Drugs, Violent Juvenile Crime Top Ashcroft Agenda for Senate Action in 1999 Longer Drug Sentences, Adult Trials, Targeting Adult Criminals ST. LOUIS -- Strong and comprehensive anti-crime legislation will be at the top of his agenda for the new Congress in 1999, U.S. Senator John Ashcroft said here today.

Ashcroft said that key points for legislation this year should include stiffer sentencing for drug criminals; adult trials for the most violent juvenile offenders; and targeted action for adults who use minors to commit crimes.

“Missourians deserve the highest possible measure of personal security from violent crime. Success against serious crime is a cornerstone of the future we want for America in the new century,” Ashcroft said. “Missouri’s tragic status as a national center of methamphetamine traffic is intolerable. I will continue to push for full federal support for law enforcement actions that put meth criminals where they belong, in prison. With respect to violent juvenile crime, this is an area that has resisted improvements seen in other categories of offenses. A good first step will be expanding the prosecution as adults of the most dangerous juvenile offenders.”

A member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Ashcroft is closely identified with anti-crime proposals in the Senate. He was in St. Louis today to meet with members of his Missouri Coalition on Crime and Violence and with St. Louis area law enforcement officers, followed by a news conference.

Ashcroft said he will be proposing and supporting legislation that would:

Stiffen the federal Sentencing Guidelines for methamphetamine offenders, requiring federal judges to impose longer sentences in cases that fall short of the new mandatory minimum sentences set by Congress in legislation authored by Ashcroft. Last year, Congress passed Ashcroft's bill to impose a mandatory sentence of five years for trafficking crimes involving more than 5 grams and doubling the mandatory minimum sentence to ten years for meth trafficking crimes involving between 50 and 100 grams. The effect of this Ashcroft legislation was to make meth penalties equal to those for crack cocaine. Under the new proposal for the 106th Congress, offenses that fall short of these minimums would be dealt with more severely under the federal sentencing guidelines. Give federal prosecutors greater flexibility to try violent juveniles as adults. Juveniles who commit serious adult offenses such as murder or rape should be treated as adults when it comes to punishment. Double the penalties for adult criminals who exploit or endanger young people by using them to commit crimes. In the 105th Congress, Ashcroft led the fight against methamphetamine trafficking. In addition to his legislation imposing tougher penalties, Senator Ashcroft also secured enhanced funding for law enforcement to fight methamphetamine and imposed a lifetime ban on public housing for anyone trafficking meth in public housing.