Vote For Mike Starr

In order to have a higher quality of life and feel safe in our homes and in the community I support stronger protection laws
for our citizens. As a former North Dakota State Parole/Probation Agent for five years I believe those individuals who want
to take advantage of people have to understand a severe consequence will be imposed should they decide to break the
law. I support stronger laws and enforcement for the following situations:

1. Seniors from scam-artist, salespeople, and court conservators.

2. Citizens from Ponzie schemes

3. Child protection from on line predators, rapist, murder and prostitution.

4. Abusive spouse, husband, ex-husband, wife, ex-wife, ex-boyfriends, ex-girlfriends.

5. I support GPS monitoring for anyone with a court ordered protection order

6. Gang activities involving murder, robbery, burglary, extortion, drug transactions, guns, rape and intimidation (verbal or
with weapons)

7. Taking advantage of the unsuspected citizen.

8. Multiple offenders who just dont get it.

I do not fear big brother with cameras in the community. Many times over a crime has been solved because of the
camera. The victim must be protected from those who take advantage of the law abiding citizen and the camera is
another tool to combat those who take advantage of the law abidibng citizen and the camera is another tool to combat
those who just don't get it.

In order to feel safe and enjoy life, communities must have the full strength of police officers, deputy sherrifs, highway
patrol, parole/probation officers, prosecuting atterneys and defense attorneys.

As a North Dakota Parole/Probation agent from 1981 - 1986 I had a hard time listening to clients who were placed on
probation from assaulting their wife or girlfriends. When asked "why did you do it?" I heard it all, "I was mad," "I was
drunk," "She made me mad," and "I was high" they never accepted their responsability for their actions.

When a client on domestic violence violated their conditions of probation I would ask the district court judge to set a higher
bail to keep the individual in jail to protect the family.

Minnesota has "The Blueprint" a risk assessment tool to determine a domestic violence offender's risk of committing
serious violence in the future. During my last 18 months as a ND State Parole/Probation agent we used a risk
assessment questioner on all clients to determine how often we would have face to face contact each month.

What I really liked about the questioner is that we would override the total points and see the probationer/parolee more
often per month if we felt the individual needed more intensive contact.

"The Blueprint" is such a tool to determine bail for domestic abuser. The Minnesota criminal justice system needs to
adopt the "The Blueprint." State/County Parole/Probation departments are understaffed and overworked, yet these
professionals can help the court to determine bail. If the probation officer can not do the job, we need to fund and train a
special office with the personnal who can use "The Blueprint" to recommend bail on the offender.

Protection orders are just a piece of paper that can still be used yet the order does not fully protect the abused. Ankle
bracelets with GPS are expensive to monitor. What about an ankle bracelet that will transmit a signal to a bracelet the
abused is wearing if the abuser is within 250 feet? This will at least allow time to take protective action.

Will "The Blueprint," the protection order, or a GPS ankle bracelet fully protect the domestic violence victom? NO it will
not. Down right mean individuals who are seeking revenge will not stop until they hurt/kill the person they feel offended
them.

I will make it a priority to work with the criminal justice system to write and bring to the Senate floor stronger laws to curb
domestic abuse, may it be physical, mental, or sexual in nature.

We have the tools to protect the domestic abused; its time to make it happen. I will call my law the "Pam Taschuk Law"
for Improved Domestic Violence Protection and will increase state funding for safe homes for women and children seeking
shelter from domestic violence. We do not need to have more police officers and family members killed or injured due to
domestic violence.