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Morrison outlines agenda for chamber gathering

Sports reporter

A full house at the Marion Chamber of Commerce annual banquet heard Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison deliver an informative and entertaining speech Monday, outlining some of his priorities as he enters office.

Morrison demonstrated the ability to connect with audiences that carried him to victory in November, using humor and his observations of Marion to establish immediate rapport.

"I noticed a little extra spring in your step," Morrison told the crowd, "and I wonder if that has something to do with taking down that bunch from Hillsboro the other night."

Morrison noted he was only on his 16th day as the state's new attorney general, but his remarks indicated he already has a firm grasp on areas in which he would like to see his office improve.

Leading Morrison's list was the need to reinforce and expand the consumer fraud division, which he said had declined significantly over the past decade.

"Last year it collected one-tenth of the money that it collected 10 years ago," Morrison pointed out.

"Most counties don't have the resources or expertise to deal with consumer fraud," he continued. "We will turn it around, mark my words."

Morrison highlighted the issue of substance abuse, stressing the point that collaborative efforts among community resources are essential to preventing problems.

"Meth absolutely threatens the fabric of rural America," Morrison declared.

"The reality is we (attorney general's office) have to do things with other institutions to effectively prevent crime."

Morrison, a former prosecutor, spent a significant portion of his time addressing prisons and crime.

Kansas prisons house approximately 9,000 inmates, a figure that places the state in the middle of incarceration rates nationally, Morrison said.

"Since I've been a prosecutor, I've seen the prison population triple," he noted.

Morrison explained how the trend of diverting nonviolent offenders away from incarceration has affected the system.

"What that's leaving, in maximum security, is about 1,800 people who are very dangerous," said Morrison, stressing the need to develop new ways of working with this group.

Morrison also commented on the state's death penalty, noting problems in other states have been avoided in Kansas due to the limitations on the implementation of the penalty.

"Our death penalty is so narrow that you not only have to be major league, you have to be an all-star," Morrison said.

Responding to questions from the audience regarding the length of time between a conviction and implementation of the death penalty, Morrison described the effects of the appeal process.

"It costs more to execute someone than to feed them the rest of their life, because of the appeals process," Morrison said, citing in particular the attorney fees charged back to the state.

However, Morrison stressed the length of time before execution has gradually been decreasing as states have gained more experience in implementing the death penalty.

"How many people believe we have more danger from violent crime today?" Morrison asked, prompting a majority of attendees to raise their hands.

Morrison's follow-up remarks were a surprise to many.

"It hasn't been more safe for violent crime in this country for 40 years," Morrison said, noting that violent crime and school violence have dropped significantly.

Morrison pointed to the media as a major reason people feel less safe today, explaining that crimes once reported only locally now gain immediate national attention.

"We're victims of the success of the media," Morrison asserted. "Today, you flip the TV on, and you're right there."

Morrison indicated beefing up state resources to combat computer crime is a top priority of his.

"Computer crime is one of the growth areas, both in fraud and identity theft, and in sexual predators," Morrison said.

Morrison described his experience dealing with computer-based child sex crimes as Johnson County district attorney.

"We put six people on full-time, and they have more work than they can handle," said Morrison.

Morrison indicated he will occasionally prosecute cases himself, such as the recent abduction and murder of a young woman in Arkansas City.

"I think it sets a tone that we're going to attack crime," Morrison said.

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