DeSantis proposes life without parole as minimum sentence for child rapists

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) is proposing a minimum prison sentence of life without parole for child rapists as part of anti-crime legislation he wants to see happen this year in the state.

DeSantis made the proposal on Thursday, saying that he hopes to lower Florida's crime rate even more than its current 50-year low.

“Our crime rate is at a 50-year low. Overall crime [is] down nearly 10 percent year over year, murder down 14 percent, burglary down 15 percent, and robbery down 7 percent year over year,” DeSantis said at a press conference.

He noted that Philadelphia's crime rate, where he recently visited, was reaching record-high levels because of the state and city's soft-on-crime policies and said Florida would not make the same mistake.

"We have a legislative session coming up, and we want to make sure that we cement our reputation as being a law-and-order state and take actions as necessary to help further protect the people of the state of Florida,” he said.

In particular, DeSantis wants to increase penalties for all sex-related crimes, preventing gain time for even attempted sex crimes and instituting the death penalty for the most severe sex crimes.