by Dr. Mehmet Oz
Much like the inflation crisis created by misguided economic policies, violent crime is running rampant nationwide. Here in Philadelphia, over 400 homicides and 1,000 carjackings have already been reported thus far in 2022 – and those figures are not unique among major cities. Thanks to progressive leaders who refuse to enforce the law, violent criminals are roaming free and American families are left to feel unsafe.
Just last week, Philadelphia’s “Conviction Integrity Unit” earned the praise of John Fetterman. This misguided program, implemented by Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, allowed a convicted murderer to be back on the street, and last week he was arrested again for involvement in a second murder. Allowing violent criminals to be let out of prison is a deadly consequence of the soft-on-crime policies that John Fetterman supports.
Unlike my opponent, I want to crack down on crime and have a plan to do it. Putting a stop to violent crime that has been allowed to run rampant by failed Democrat leaders, including Fetterman, starts with putting a stop to drug crime, reforming sentencing, increasing resources for safer streets, enforcing the laws on the books, giving victims and users relief, and reducing crime in our prisons.
Stopping drug crime starts with securing the southern border; under Joe Biden’s watch, our border is wide open and the cartels are bringing fentanyl into our communities and poisoning our kids. Drug cartels must be designated as terrorist organizations; those who sell drugs need to be tried to the fullest extent of the law; and all fentanyl variants must be permanently categorized as schedule-one controlled substances, as law enforcement has asked Congress to do.
Effective sentencing reform will allow law enforcement to more easily enforce the laws on the books and ensure criminals are not back on the streets. My plan for smart reforms includes lowering sentencing disparities between crack and cocaine offenders, keeping cash bail fully intact for violent offenders, legislating better tools for federal prosecutors, and increasing penalties for both carjackings and unlawful firearm possession.
It’s no secret that our law enforcement personnel are demoralized due to far-left radicals who seek to strip funding from police agencies and want to make the job more difficult. Providing retention and recruitment incentives for law enforcement, passing federal initiatives to prevent crime before it happens, and introducing police presence around public parks will help law enforcement keep our streets safe.
The root of the dramatic increase in violent crime lies with failure to prosecute criminals. Empowering law enforcement to prosecute offenders includes increasing resources for evidence processing and encouraging knowledge sharing between federal, state, and local law enforcement to streamline the prosecution of criminals.
In addition to prosecuting criminals, fighting the crime epidemic includes ensuring that victims and drug users have the support they need. I have spent time in Kensington – the nation’s largest open-air drug market – and have seen firsthand the neglect that failed leaders have shown toward vulnerable users. Mental health is as important as physical health, and we need to ensure that those battling addiction have the help they need – and that starts with listening.
Providing relief to victims through continued use of the Crime Victims’ Fund, expanding mental health and addiction treatment options, hiring more treatment personnel, and banning heroin injection sites will give needed support to victims and users.
Finally, reducing crime among the prison population is overdue; we accomplish this by updating obsolete security systems in our prisons and instituting retention and recruitment programs for correctional officers.
Unlike my plan to crack down on crime, John Fetterman’s approach prioritizes criminals over the safety of Pennsylvania families. In his own words, Fetterman hopes to release one-third of the state’s prison population, decriminalize dangerous drugs, and end cash bail. Fetterman’s plan will exacerbate the crime epidemic and put Pennsylvanians in even more danger.
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Dr. Mehmet Oz is the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania. He lives in Montgomery County and is a cardiothoracic surgeon, award-winning author, and former daytime television host.
Photo “Mehmet Oz” by Dr. Mehmet Oz. Background Photo “Philadephia Skyline” by Adam Jones. CC BY 2.0.
