House Votes $13.5 Billion for State Prison Systems : Crime: Early release of violent criminals is targeted in bill to help build, expand facilities. Amount is quadruple that of earlier plans.

Concerned about the early release of violent criminals, the House voted Tuesday to authorize $13.5 billion over five years to help states build and operate new or expanded prisons--more than quadrupling earlier crime bill funding proposals.

One provision--which passed 376 to 50 with President Clinton’s endorsement--allocates $10.5 billion for prisons, with special incentives for states to require that violent offenders serve at least 85% of their sentences.

In addition, the House voted 215 to 206 to authorize $3 billion in spending over five years to build state or regional prisons for violent repeat offenders.

“This tells the states that if you keep violent criminals in prison longer, we’ll help you build the prisons to hold them,” said Rep. Jim Chapman (D-Tex.), author of the proposal.

The Senate-approved version of the crime bill authorized $6 billion for prison construction and alternative forms of incarceration, such as “boot camps” for first-time offenders.

The Chapman proposal would earmark 25% of the funds, or approximately $2.6 billion, for states that increase the amount of time served by violent offenders. The remaining 75% of the money would be allocated to states based on their rate of violent crime.

“We want to target the small percentage of violent offenders who are wreaking havoc,” Chapman told the House. “To qualify for funds, states must get tougher and tougher and tougher on violent criminals across this land.”

No member of the House spoke against the proposal to allocate $10.5 billion for prisons, adding to the cost of the $17-billion measure pending in the chamber, although 50 lawmakers voted against it.

“If a criminal does a crime, he or she must serve the time,” said Rep. Lynn Schenk (D-San Diego), while Rep. Bill Baker (R-Danville) added: “It’s time for violent offenders to be locked up and not walking the streets.”

In other decisions suggesting a get-tough mood on crime, the House expanded the role of drug offenses in a “three-time loser” proposal that would require life sentences without parole for repeat offenders.

The 303-126 vote on a Republican amendment--opposed by the White House and the Democratic leadership--would expand the number of offenses subject to the “three-strikes-and-you’re-out” provision of the bill.

Under the proposal, offered by Rep. Gerald B.H. Solomon (R-N.Y.), a serious drug offense could count as either the first, second or third “strike.” Under the version of the bill approved by the House Judiciary Committee, it could only be used as a first or second “strike.”

“I take strong exception to those who deny the relationship between drugs and violent crime in our country,” Solomon said. The Clinton Administration opposed his amendment on grounds it would reduce the focus on incorrigible violent criminals.

The House approved an amendment by Rep. Harold L. Volkmer (D-Mo.) to add bank robbery, along with robberies and burglaries involving narcotics or other controlled substances, to the felonies counting toward a life-without-parole sentence.

It also knocked out a provision that would have liberalized the system for appealing death penalty sentences through habeas corpus proceedings in federal courts, after opponents argued that its adoption would effectively halt executions. The vote was 270 to 159.

The House agreed with Rep. Henry J. Hyde (R-Ill.), who argued that the provision designed to streamline appeals of death sentences would do more harm than good by encouraging even more attempts to get federal courts to reverse state court convictions.

An attempt by Rep. Butler Derrick (D-S.C.) to push through a compromise amendment on the habeas corpus issue was rejected on a 256-171 roll call.