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COLUMBIA -- One 21-year-old had been arrested five times during his young life on charges of assault and battery with intent to kill using guns, 10 times on drug charges and once for kidnapping.

Yet for all of his charges, the man has yet to be sentenced to any time in prison and was involved in homicides last month, a frustrated Charleston Mayor Joe Riley told state senators Thursday.

"Our officers arrest the same people over and over for drug and gun offenses, but before long they are out on the street again, committing more crime," he told the Senate Criminal Justice System Task Force. "The whole system needs a reality check."

Riley's plea represents more than just Charleston. Greenville officials say they also are frustrated with what Riley described Thursday as the "drug-fed, gun-protected culture."

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Greenville County Sheriff Steve Loftis said in an interview that he agrees with much of what Riley said. He said he has seen an increase in drugs and guns in his 32 years of law enforcement, as well as a revolving door for those arrested.

"One of our big problems is the repeat offender," he said. "We're re-arresting some of these, especially like the people that cook meth. Many times we arrest them, they are out on bond and we re-arrest them a short time later doing the same thing."

Greenville Police Chief Willie Johnson told The Greenville News stiffer laws will reduce crime, as shown by mandatory sentencing changes in the 1990s.

"But not only do we need stronger laws, we need to make sure when a person gets a certain amount of time, they serve that time," he said.

Johnson said technology can do more as well, suggesting the state require electronic wristbands for all those on probation and parole so officers know where offenders are.

Riley asked senators to consider a bevy of new laws next year, including measures to increase penalties for crimes involving guns, allowing warrantless searches of those on probation and parole and adding more prosecutors, court time and judges.

The panel, which is conducting a series of hearings to help craft changes to the state's criminal justice system, appeared receptive to many of Riley's suggestions.

Charleston has more officers per capita than any other city in the state, he said, but that hasn't stopped drug and gun-related murders.

He unfurled three rap sheets of young offenders, the end of their records unrolling along the floor. Two of the three remain free in Charleston, he said.

Senators examining the sheets noted that many of the charges had been dismissed by prosecutors. One defendant faced a total of 300 years in prison but escaped with probationary sentences, which Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell called "ridiculous."

Before they consider stiffening penalties, however, the senators said they want to be sure the problem is not in the handling of cases by overworked prosecutors.

"Are we looking at a matter of enforcement?" asked Sen. Gerald Malloy, a Hartsville Democrat chairing the panel.

Riley said his proposals are the result of a dramatic change in criminals over the last three decades. He said 30 years ago, most criminals had other occupations and were not violent. Today, he said, criminals, especially those involved in drugs, work full-time in crime and tote guns of all types.

But the state's gun-related laws have not kept up with the changes, he said. In fact, the law's description of guns doesn't even include many of the firearms used in today's crimes.