Party Platform: Law & Justice
We oppose:
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The death penalty as expensive, unfairly applied, and sometimes applied to innocents. Lifetime incarceration is the appropriate penalty for serious crimes;
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The use of three strikes laws in cases that are not serious and dangerous crimes;
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Mandatory minimum sentences. A judge should determine whether certain circumstances should be applied to vary sentences;
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The privatization of prisons. Inmates are not commodities. The government should also focus on education and reform of inmates so that they reintegrate into society when released;
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The incarceration of political prisoners without due process;
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Racial profiling by law enforcement.
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Laws that allow torture while a detainee is in military custody.
We believe that privatization of prisons, including those used by ICE to detain immigrants, is unwisely injecting profit motives into our correctional system.
We support:
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Opposing the Washington State Department of Corrections engaging in any contracts with private prison companies, and the use of private prisons as well as City, County, or State jails to house ICE detainees.
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Replacing the discriminatory cash bail system with proven risk-assessment techniques, such as objective rating systems, electronic monitoring, and regular supervision, that offer alternatives to expensive and counterproductive pre-trial detention.
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Accountability for law enforcement with effective civilian review.
We support:
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Drug laws that are fairly applied and are primarily focused upon rehabilitation. Addiction is a medical problem, not a criminal matter;• In those cases where drugs are used to harm others, criminal penalties need to be applied.
We believe in the Second Amendment right of private citizens to keep and bear arms, but do not believe this right extends to firearms whose only logical purpose is to maximize death and injury in a short period of time.
We support:
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Closing the gun-show loophole;
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Gun registration;
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Prohibiting certain individuals from gun ownership including certain mentally ill individuals, those convicted of a violent crime, and people with restraining orders for domestic violence or other matters;
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Mandating gun locks and limited access for children;• Regulating certain types of high capacity guns and ammunition;
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Making mandatory a means for unlicensed gun sellers to do mental health and background checks, the cost of which to be borne by the buyer;
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The passing of “Extreme Risk” protection orders that legally remove guns from the dangerous hands of anyone who is in psychological crisis or has a history of violent behavior that will harm themselves or others.
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Requiring that all gun owners purchase firearms liability insurance, to be developed by the state to cover all damages from irregular and unwarranted firearm use.
Foreign interference in our electoral process is hostile action by a foreign power.
We support:
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The current independent investigation of Russian interference with our electoral process. The investigations should continue unfettered by politics or the president’s whim;
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Investigative bodies should be independent, populated by both parties in equal proportion;
Party Platform