Crime

As the radical Left seeks to implement soft-on-crime policies throughout the nation, there has been a surge in violent crime in recent years. Between 2016 and 2020 under the Trump administration, violent crime fell by 17%. Just in the first two years of the Biden administration, between 2020 and 2022, it soared by 43%. 

It’s no coincidence that this surge in violent crime across the nation comes as blue states and progressive district attorneys in Democrat-led cities push their radical soft-on-crime policies, including cashless bail and reduced prison sentences. After New York State implemented so-called bail reform in 2019, two-thirds of offenders out on bail with a prior violent felony arrest were arrested again within two years of arraignment, according to a recent study. Within just two-and-a-half months of the law’s enactment, crime in New York City rose 20% compared with the previous year, the Manhattan Institute found.

As far-left bail policies put the interests of criminals ahead of the interests of law enforcement, families, and hardworking taxpayers, Senator Blackburn has led several legislative initiatives aimed at restoring law and order in our communities. We must fund — not defund — the police, and always support our brave men and women in blue.

What Senator Blackburn Is Doing To Stop Violent Crime

After a wave of violent crime swept through Memphis, Tennessee, resulting in the death of Eliza  Fletcher and a string of shootings, Senators Blackburn and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) demanded President Biden take immediate action to ensure communities across the country are safe and secure. They introduced the Restoring Law and Order Act to increase resources for law enforcement and help reduce violent crime. Additionally, while the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office continues to spearhead bail reform that makes it easier for criminals to avoid pretrial detention, Senator Blackburn introduced the Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act to deter policies that prohibit bail and reward criminal acts. 

Senator Blackburn has also led legislation to reauthorize the Debbie Smith Act, which would help fight the rape kit backlog by providing state and local law enforcement agencies with resources to complete forensic analyses of crime scenes and untested rape kits.

Tragically, much of the crime committed in Memphis is driven by juvenile offenders, who are committing more and more aggravated assaults, robberies, and carjackings against innocent city residents. After years of a steady decline in juvenile crime, in 2023 Shelby County saw a staggering 4,546 juvenile charges, up 37% from 2021. Across the country, 64% of violent juvenile crime happens on school days, peaking between 2 and 6 p.m.

To help combat this, Senator Blackburn introduced the bipartisan AFTER SCHOOL Act, which would establish a grant program for local communities to establish, maintain, and strengthen after school programs with the goal of reducing violent crime among juveniles.

Additionally, Senator Blackburn introduced a resolution recognizing the success of President Trump’s Operation Legend, which was instrumental in reducing and combating violent crime in ten of our nation’s largest cities — including Memphis. Given the levels of violent crime that are still plaguing several cities like Memphis, the resolution urges a future presidential administration to consider instituting a similar policy that deploys federal law enforcement agents to work with state and local law enforcement to target crime.

Furthermore, in advocating for the victims of violent crimes, Senator Blackburn supported the Victims’ VOICES Act. This legislation, which was signed into law, ensures that those who act on behalf of a victim during certain criminal court case proceedings receive restitution from convicted defendants, giving all victims the justice they deserve.