JEFFERSON CITY - Claire McCaskill?s claims that
she reduced crime while Jackson County prosecutor is another case of the
Democrat ignoring the facts, according to a prominent Missouri prosecutor.

Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd said today that in
four of the five years studied by the U.S. Bureau of Justice during
McCaskill?s tenure as prosecutor, Kansas City had a higher homicide rate per
1,000 population than Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. The Bureau of
Justice also found that in McCaskill?s last year in office in 1998, only 23
percent of convicted felons in Jackson County were incarcerated - the lowest
rate in the country. The second lowest rate was in Wayne County, Michigan,
where Detroit is located.

"Claire McCaskill talks a tough game when it comes to
fighting crime but her record speaks for itself," Zahnd said.
"Thousands of lives are shattered in Missouri each year by crime and it is
clear that Claire McCaskill simply did not do her job as prosecutor."

While campaigning for prosecutor, McCaskill once claimed
the incumbent had allowed crime to "run amok." Yet, one year into the job,
Kansas City rose from 9th place to 8th place on the list of cities with the
highest rates of violent crimes.

"It concerns me when someone like Claire McCaskill
promises to be tough on crime when it?s clear that she didn?t get the job
done in Jackson County," Zahnd said. "Claire McCaskill?s record of
protecting Missourians against crime is abysmal."

Zahnd said he was impressed with Republican Matt Blunt?s
plan to fight crime that includes tougher sentences for repeat offenders and
mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines. Blunt also has pledged to provide
additional training programs to law enforcement officers across Missouri.

"As a Missouri prosecutor, I support Matt Blunt?s
commitment to fighting crime with proposals that will make Missouri a safer
place to live," Zahnd said. "Claire McCaskill had her chance and
failed. It?s time for someone who can get results, and that someone is Matt
Blunt."

McCASKILL?S RECORD OF FAILURE

• Crime Rates: A 1998 Bureau of
  Justice Statistics Study, Perceptions of Community Report, found that in
  McCaskill?s last year in office, only 23 percent of convicted felons were
  incarcerated in Jackson County_ the lowest incarceration rate in the
  country. The second lowest rate was in Wayne County, Michigan, where
  Detroit is located. While McCaskill claims to have reduced crime while
  Jackson County prosecutor, the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that in
  four of the five years studied during McCaskill?s tenure, Kansas City had
  a higher homicide rate per 1,000 population than Chicago, New York and Los
  Angeles.

• Reduction?: While there was
  crime reduction during her tenure, Kansas City?s reduction was less than
  Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, Savannah, Springfield, MA., and
  Washington, D. C.

• Community Fear: The study
  reported that 73 percent of Kansas Citians ?feared? violent crime at the
  end of McCaskill?s term as prosecutor.

• Violent Crime: Other than
  homicide, Kansas City actually had a higher violent crime rate than many
  cities, including perennial leader Washington, D. C.

• Gun Crime: Despite her strong
  feelings against handguns, statistics show that Kansas City has a high
  percentage of the population (27 percent who keep self-defense weapons in
  their homes. This is higher than in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San
  Diego, Springfield, MA and Washington, D. C. Yet, Kansas City had the
  smallest percentage (20 percent) of violent crimes which involved the use
  of weapons ? well below the national average of 36 percent.

• Rhetoric v. Reality:
  Campaigning for prosecutor, McCaskill claimed the incumbent had allowed
  crime to ?run amok.? Yet, one year into the job, Kansas City rose from 9th
  place to 8th place on the list of cities with the highest rates of violent
  crimes.

• Mandatory Minimums and ?3
  Strikes?: McCaskill has criticized mandatory minimum sentences and the
  so-called ?3 Strikes and You?re Out? felony policies of state and federal
  governments.