CRIME PLAN FOCUS OF LAWYER'S CONGRESSIONAL RACE

FARMINGTON -- Frustrated by reports of violent crimes in his area, many by repeat offenders, Farmington attorney Don Hager worked early this year to come up with a new plan to deal with violent criminals.

To help promote his plan, Hager filed as a Democratic candidate for Congress in the 8th district.

The plan he devised, which is proposed as the 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, would force violent criminals to serve their entire sentence. It also limits their civil rights while incarcerated, including the right to appeal.

Under his plan, certain elected officials would be able to certify individuals who have committed the most violent crimes to insure they serve an entire sentence in special prisons that would be less costly to operate. This would eliminate the revolving door that exists, where an early parolee commits another violent crime.

Hager said his plan doesn't affect civil rights of most Americans and has adequate safeguards.

But much to his dismay, few people in the news media and government have taken his plan seriously. They have been quick to shy away from any plan to restrict civil rights.

"I really did not get the response I thought I would get from people running the country, and kind of got the wind taken out of my sails so I quit campaigning," said Hager.

"I would love to win the primary to give that proposal some attention, but I'm not going to actively campaign for the primary election."

Hager said if the public understood the proposal and heard it in a fair and objective way, they would jump at the idea.

"It will lower the crime rate significantly and dramatically, and we won't have to spent $28 billion on public relations, which is what the proposed federal crime bill is," said Hager. "It is very frustrating that many people won't even discuss the idea."

He said no one has disputed the plan's feasibility. Most people stop listening when they hear it would curb civil rights.

Hager said some of the truth-in-sentencing laws passed by some states, including Missouri, will only apply to crimes committed after it takes effect. The end result, Hager warned, is that criminals already in jail will be freed early to make room for the new ones required to serve longer sentences.

Hager said his proposal was developed with a strong background of the criminal justice system. His wife currently works for the Missouri Department of Corrections in the prison system, and before that worked for the State Board of Probation and Parole.

He worked as a prosecutor, trying between 80 and 100 criminal jury trials from 1980-82, and as a public defender from 1982-90. For the last four years, he has maintained a private law practice that focuses mainly on civil law.

Although he has quit campaigning, Hager said he would actively campaign against Emerson in the general election.

"If I win the primary I can acquire the expertise I need on other issues," said Hager.

For example, to deal with the health care problem, Hager proposes that commercials touting alcohol be taken off the airwaves in the same manner tobacco advertisements have been banned.

He said many diseases are related to alcohol abuse. "If we really want to get health reform, we have to get the Mountain Man off the public airwaves," said Hager, in reference to a popular Busch Beer TV commercial.

Hager, 45, is a native of Farmington. He and his wife have two children.