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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 22, 1978)
Shoplifting Laws change odds on getting caught, jail sentence By CAROLYN BEAVER Of the Emerald Because of recent changes in Eugene’s shoplifting laws, Chuck Spin ner, Office of Student Advocacy attor ney, warns, “don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time." Two provisions of the law, which , pre viously kept many persons who were arrested for shoplifting out of jail, have been either removed or substantially weakened. Spinner says before the changes made, an accused shoplifter could try to make a civil compromise with the store or forfeit bail — both in exchange for no conviction and no record. Now courts will allow the compromises only in ‘‘ex treme cases” and will not allow the bail forfeiture at all, he says. “The court decided it wanted to make sentence practices more equitable...and not give those with attorneys any advan tage,” says Spinner. Spinner says this is because most of the time it’s attorneys who work out civil compromises with stores, and they are usually the only ones who know about bail forfeitures. “We’ve only been able to get one civil compromise since the law has changed," comments Spinner, “It in volved documented severe family trauma...bodily harm and things like that.” After weakening attorneys’ abilities to civilly compromise and eliminating bail forfeiture, the rest of the law states a person can plead not guilty and have a trial or plead guilty and hope for le niency, Spinner says. “There’s now “a real high probability” that persons convicted of shoplifting will spend two days in the Lane County Jail, continued Spinner. “Although sentence practices vary, as well as the judge’s attitudes and circum stances surrounding the case, the most common sentence I’ve seen is a combi nation fine or community service and two days in jail,” he says. Most of the time judges will allow stu dents to spend their time on the weekends, says Spinner, so their class schedule is not disrupted, “yet most people, obviously, find it a very disheart ening experience” to have to go to jail at all. Spinner says he doesn’t think people are aware of the severe penalties. “Most of the shoplifting cases involve three or four dollars worth of materials, not large amounts of money,” he says, adding he doesn’t understand why peo ple take the risk. Along with facing some jail time, Spin ner warns potential shoplifters “that the magnitude of the problem has grown so large, it’s worth it for stores to spend massive amounts of money on security systems.” ...Of environmental By KATHLEEN MONJE Of the Emerald Between 3,000 and 5,000 protestors are expected to march Monday in a demonstration against the Trident nuclear sub marine base in Bangor, Wash., a Live Without Trident representa tive said Saturday. “There are people coming from as far away as Montana and California,’’ said spokesperson John Fitzgerald. Many Can adians, including members of the Greenpeace Foundation, are also expected to demonstrate. The demonstrators with ladders and mattresses are expected to cross through gates and over six foot barbed wire fences onto the base itself shortly after sunrise today. The anti-nuclear group has said its intension is to fill jails in the area with non-violent protestors, bring ing international attention to the movement. “We expect 400 to participate in civil disobedience and cross onto the base,” Fitzgerald said. “That’s the latest estimate." Eugene and Springfield city councils and Lane County Com missioners have reached a com promise on bus ridership goals that should eliminate a major obstable to agreement on the T-2000 plan. At a joint meeting Thursday, the officials approved a settlement proposed by Eugene Mayor Gus Keller. He recommended that each jurisdictional area keep its adopted public transit goals and consider adoption of a joint goal in five years, when a major update of the plan is scheduled. The Eugene City Council has decided on a goal of 15 percent bus ridership for personal trips. The county goal is 10 to 15 per cent, while Springfield’s council feels five percent is more realistic. Ollie Snowden, T-2000 pro concern gram manager, called Keller’s proposal “A good compromise” Thursday, saying he no longer considers it essential to adopt an area wide goal. Snowden said he considers the different goals “all compatible in the short run.” The Lane County Audubon Society will leave on its annual field trip to the Malheur National Refuge Saturday. Chip Jobanek, local bird iden tification expert, will lead tours through the refuge during the three-day trip. Activities are plan ned through Monday. Camping or hotel accomoda tions are available; the general public is invited to participate. In formation and pre-registration are available from Jeanne Wojack at 343-6665 or Bruce Wilson at 484-1372. BRADLEY for Circuit Court JUDGE VALLEY NEWS TRIBUNE IN ENDORSING RAY BRADLEY SAYS RAY BRADLEY “has...been in touch with the ‘common people’ and (has)...a keen ability to blend the dictates of the law with the realities of everday living.” RAY BRADLEY “...has dealt with just about every issue that he would face on the bench...he has both feet on the ground and represents the kind of thinking we need in our courts...” RAY BRADLEY “has...the temperament, ability, knowledge and experience to deal with the issues that come before the courts.” Also endorsed by the Oregon Women’s Political Caucus & the West Side News VOTE MAY 23rd Committee to Elect Raymond Bradley Circuit Judge. Irene Miller, Treasurer, 2390 McMillan, Eugene, OR. >\ >(exv v XSSV’rtV^ W°C ,o J-'V’V ,e^ <°°^CO< '°' ^ *5^°^ h<" fit* .*><*' ,-o „<0' e'1®’ rr&e _n<e c.<o'' l**' 40^ tW06 oY >'e° s- . t\ ''v'“* ' ,0^ a* *o< \o A te^' rt\\ cOxVe'
