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.
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