"For the past seven years we have been cracking down on crime in Missouri, passing tougher laws for drug crimes and sex offenses and requiring prisoners to serve more time"

This quote by Mel Carnahan speaks to the efforts of the state of Missouri to reduce crime over the past 7 years. By passing tougher laws for drug crimes and sex offenses, the state has looked for to hinder individuals from devoting these types of criminal offenses. Furthermore, by needing detainees to serve more time, the state has sought to guarantee that those who do commit these criminal activities are held responsible for their actions. This has been an effort to make Missouri a more secure place for its people. The results of this effort are yet to be seen, however it is clear that the state of Missouri is taking a proactive technique to decreasing criminal offense.