May. 11, 2016
PHILADELPHIA – Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia) welcomed the House Judiciary Committee to the City of Philadelphia for a hearing Tuesday on her legislation to strengthen the penalties against those who commit the crime of home invasion burglary.
“Almost every day in Philadelphia there are victims of home burglary who are present in their home during the course of the crime,” said White. “Because of the prevalence of these types of cases, which often target our most vulnerable citizens, we need to make sure our laws are updated to reflect a judicial system that is both fair and just.”
Specifically,
House Bill 2018 would amend the burglary statute to provide for the crime of home invasion burglary and impose a mandatory sentence of five years for anyone who burglarizes a place designed for overnight accommodation while someone is present and is armed with a deadly weapon or commits a crime such as assault, terroristic threat, rape or other form of violence. The bill also would enhance the sentence to a 10-year mandatory minimum if the victim is 62 or older or for a second offense.
Those who testified at the hearing included Craig Stedman, Lancaster County district attorney; Anastasiya Vengerowsky, marketing director/patient liaison, of Helping Hand Hospice Inc. and Helping Hand Home Health Care Agency Inc.; and Jack O’Hara, president of the Bustleton Civic League.
Stedman noted that House Bill 2018 would be extremely helpful because home invasion burglary is currently a very under-penalized crime.
“I know that mandatory minimums have gone from being politically popular to being considered by some an unnecessary prison cost. But there simply are some crimes where there should be no question as to the punishment. The worst, most dangerous offenders – like people who invade another person’s home – need to face long sentences, and they need to know they will face long sentences. This is not a political issue or a philosophical issue; it is a public safety issue with real world consequences,” said Stedman.
Other testifiers stressed how often senior citizens are targeted due to the fact that they are more likely to keep cash and other valuables around the home, as well as the impact on neighborhood homeowners who are concerned about the growing number of home burglaries.
“After hearing from our list of testifiers today, I am even more convinced of the necessity of this legislation,” said White. “It is well past time those who commit such a personally invasive crime are held to a stricter penalty, especially when a deadly weapon or physical assault is involved.”
House Bill 2018 has garnered the support of the Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association and the Pennsylvania State Police.
Representative Martina White
170th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: David Foster
267.207.0207
dfoster@pahousegop.com
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