Waukesha Times

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) introduced the Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act to address issues with bail policies and enhance public safety. The bill aims to provide judges and prosecutors with comprehensive information about a defendant's criminal history to prevent violent offenders from being released back into communities.

Fitzgerald emphasized the importance of the bill by referring to a specific incident in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where a violent criminal was released and later caused a tragic outcome. He stated, "Weak bail policies are making our communities less safe. We saw this happen in Waukesha, Wisconsin when a violent criminal was released back into the community before eventually killing 6 beloved community members in the annual Christmas parade."

Support for the bill also came from Rep. Steil (WI-01), who highlighted the necessity of preventing individuals with extensive criminal backgrounds from endangering the public. He remarked, “The violent criminal who killed six members of our community during a Christmas Parade in 2021 should not have been out on the streets."

American Bail Coalition Executive Director Jeff Clayton echoed the concerns regarding the current bail system, stating, “Violent offenders are escaping jail on get-out-of-jail free cards and then turning around and murdering police officers, assaulting intimate partners, and committing many other violent crimes throughout the nation that would not have happened had judges been given a complete criminal history of a defendant arrested by the police."

The Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act proposes measures such as using grant funding to establish public safety reports for defendants charged with violent offenses and ensuring compliance with federal insurance fraud laws for bail bonds. By providing judges with comprehensive information, the legislation aims to prevent repeat offenders from posing further threats to society.