Goldman: Get Tough On Violence He Urges Freeing Jail Cells To House Violent Criminals

One of America’s most recognized victim rights advocates urged allies in Idaho on Monday to demand tougher treatment of violent criminals.

Fred Goldman, whose son, Ronald, was slain in 1994 with the ex-wife of O.J. Simpson, Nicole Brown Simpson, suggested that nonviolent criminals receive lesser sentences so costly prison space is available for violent offenders.

“You and I, we must demand of our legislators to help recreate a system that speaks loudly for law-abiding citizens and speaks loudly against violent criminals,” Goldman told the annual Governor’s Training Conference on Crime Victim Assistance.

Describing himself as angered and frustrated by the jury acquittal of O.J. Simpson on criminal charges of murder, Goldman railed against a system he says bends over backward to protect the accused while doing nothing to support the victim. He said society seems to have accepted violence as a way of life.

“There can be no acceptable excuse for violent behavior,” he said, and later extended that declaration to official claims there is no more that can be done about violent behavior.

He rejected out of hand any suggestion that the escalating cost of prisons justifies policies such as parole or time off for good behavior for violent offenders. While governments can find millions and billions of dollars for nearly anything else, Goldman said, officials balk at spending $25,000 to $45,000 a year to keep a violent criminal behind bars.

Goldman has been traveling the country as a spokesman for Safe Streets, a nonprofit group pushing for the victims rights amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Idaho adopted such an amendment to its constitution in 1994, but Goldman’s attack on sentencing policies came in the midst of the state’s own debate over skyrocketing prison costs and the one-man search for alternative sentencing options Gov. Phil Batt has embarked on.