Crime and Politics: In Olympia, Washington, lawmakers are now targeting drunk drivers and sex offenders with new bill proposals. With 2008 being an election year, officials are now trying to get tough on crime. According to Curt Woodard, an AP writer in the Seattle Post–Intelligencer, officials seem to be focusing on areas such as privacy and free speech.
The proposals include:
- Allowing police to search cars without any suspicion in hopes of catching a drunk driver. Essentially, more DUI checkpoints.
- Force those convicted of multiple misdemeanors to submit a DNA sample into a government database
- Create the crime of viewing child pornography (even if it is an accident). People are urged to report any accidental viewing of child porn if they would like to be granted immunity.
House Judiciary Chairwoman Pat Lantz, D-Gig Harbor, is sponsoring the bill but questions the constitutionality of the measure. Gov. Chris Gregoire, who is proposing the bill, believes the bills are crafted well to create a balance in civil liberties.

Victims informed of inmate status
Under Colorado law, a victim has the right to be notified by the court, jail, and prison of the status of their offender. In the past, county jails have not been alerting victims fast enough when their perpetrators are release from jail.
Instead of using an electronic system the Sheriff's Office will start using the Victim Information and Notification Everyday web system (VINE), which will monitor inmates in only 64 county jails in Colorado. This internet system will notify crime victims by phone or email when the inmates are released from jail. The VINE system should be up and running in Colorado by August 2009. According to The Gazette, it will be funded by a $430,000 grant from the Bureau of Justice Administration.
The VINE system has been successful in 42 states helping fo free deputies from contacting multiple victims in one day and notifying the crime victim in a timely manner.