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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 11, 1994)
New guidelines give parole boards power Just four months after being paroled last November, convicttwl double murderer Russell Obremskj was arrest ed on charges of sexually abusing a 4-yoar-old girl, the niece of an acquaintance. The incident sparked a blaze of public outcry that reached its peak when Crimestrike, a division of the National Rifle Association, ran full-page ads in several prominent Oregon newspapers. The ads, featuring a wild-eyed mug shot of Obremski and a graphic descrip tion of his crimes, urged readers to call and complain to the chairman of the parole board that authorized Obromski's release. Hundreds of Oregonians followed the ads' advice. Such public anger was understandable, although it seemed to moot nothing but frustration. The parole board insisted that its hands had been tied when they lot Obremski out; release dates for criminals sentenced between 1977 and 1989 (or those sentenced earlier who wish to bo included) are determined according to a matrix. When Obremski s tentative parole date arrived and he passed the required psychological evaluation, the parole board was forced to lot him go. Hut recent changes in the parole system may help pre vent the release of other potentially dangerous crimi nals. Perhaps the unfortunate circumstances of Obroms ki's release and re arrest may have come to some good, after all. Richard Wayne Godwin is a convicted child killer who kidnapped, raped and decapitated his 5-yonr old victim — and then lit candles in her skull. He is tenta tively scheduled for parole March 11. 1995. The suggestion that such a criminal bo let out so soon — loss than 20 years after he committed the crime — has once again raised objections from many Oregonians. For many, it's hard to imagine how the state could justify releasing such a man — a man who, in addition to his grisly killing, has also been convicted of sexual abusing two other 5-year-olds For many, the possibility of Godwin's release Invokes the memory of tho Obremski case. But the hoard that will review Godwin's application for parole will have greater power to prevent his release than the one that was powerless to stop Obremski's. For one thing, the parole board now has the power to request additional psychological tests for potential parolees. This way, less importance will bo placed on a single evaluation, such ns the one that favored Obrems ki's release and effectively forced his parole board to lot him go. And the 1993 Legislature further lessened the signifi cance of psychological exams by authorizing parole boards to consider other factors in deciding whether to release a criminal, including underlying information about tho crime, public outcry, and the opinions of lawyers or judges involved in the case. The psychologi cal evaluation previously overrode all such considera tions. There are some potential dangers involved with these changes; in particular, the clangor that public anger alone could force a parole board to retain an inmate even if that inmate is otherwise fit to be released. But the potential gains outweigh such possible dis advantages. at least at this early stage. No one wants to see a paroled criminal commit another crime. If these new guidelines can help stop that from happening, then perhaps it can renew the public's faith in the criminal justice system. Oregon Daily <•0 00> 3il» tUGfNC 0«t&0NSi’«J Th« Oregon Darfy Fmeraftd «» pufcfcahad Monday through Friday during m* school *aa' and Tuesday and Thursday during the »umm*f by the Oregon Party Emerald Puttalwa Co inc . at the Urwavty o* Oregon, f ugene. Or ago*' The Emerald oprvatm md«pe*xJentty o< tha U*wer*Jfy *rth offers at Suita 300 of tha Ert) Memorial Union and a a mamba* of Jha Assorted Pres* Tha Emaraid <« private proparty The uoiiNrfui removal or uM) of paper* <| proeecutatsta Editor Katy Soto Associate Editor* Mug Dedoiph, lw» Sate* - ta. David Thorn Photo Editor Mctvaei Sh*ndk*r Night Editor Sot.) General Manage* Judy ***** Advertising Director M u ,V, Production Manager M n Advertising Brian Ddv ■* Tony f?i Jeff Mar Mchaw M Classified Becky Merctva.*-.? Mi Business Kafby Carbone. Supervisor Distribution John Long, fever Rak oc.2 Production. Dee Me.Cobb P’OddwClX' .J :ihv Tara Qftuftncry Emerald Newsroom - Buftirv«is OWtc# *4^5312 Display Advertising 346-3712 Clfttsttied Advertising 346-4343 Ca*ne.V- iV horse designed by a committee.. extinct LS a Dodo A T\«vj EjvJangered Species Act designed by a <x>wr»ut.t.ee of development interests. c«wo ec cx/<wfw /VATIOVAL Symbol ~ V'N V + l | )<fv/ Lg, COMMENTARY Amazon rehabilitation best choice By Sharon Singer Millman ha following is a lorroction of factual error < ontained J. in Joe Harwood's opinion printed Tuesday, August *i The decision to demolish Ama zon was made long before the Kndex report was commissioned In fad, it was ImauM of the slip shod ami embarrassing report the University commissioned to jus tify their dm ision that a new study whs undertaken Kndex hngmeenng was charged with evaluating the i ondition of Ama zon, and estimating the costs under dime scenarios In the Pinal report, the rehabilitation scenario actually came out slightly cheap or than now construction. This did not prevent University Vit o President Dan Williams from tes tifying to the enact opposite in front of the C'.ity Council. Furthermore, it was Endex, not "the cooperative" that deter mined the figure of S3 million to repair Amazon and to keep it in good condition for at least the next 50 years. "Ciood condition" means the rehabilitated buildings would be in the same condition as the now construction would be. given the improved mainte nance program Endex included in both scenarios Cary Feuer stoin, the chief engineer, even wrote a letter to the University, criticizing its interpretation of his report He was not instructed to include financing in his analysis but if those numbers are includ ed. rehabilitation to an equal lev el of quality is Slfi million cheap er than new c onstruction While lead paint, asbestos, earthquakes and fire are issues that must lie taken seriously, they do not, in particular, justify the destruction of Amazon. Almost none of the buildings on campus were designed to meet earth quake c onsiderations and there is asbestos for sure and most like ly load paint in many campus buildings including West moreland, where they chose abatement over demolition. Spacu is not adequate here to explain the Historic: Designation. but perhaps Mr. Harwood could read the original application, the findings of the local Historic Review Hoard, the unanimous decision of the City Council to uphold the decision, the testi mony given before the State His toric Review Hoard and the forth coming recommendation from the Board that Amazon be placed on the National Register. As for self interest, many of tile most active student tenants could not possibly lie defending Ama zon for selfish reasons because they graduated before the first phase of the demolition was scheduled to begin Perhaps Mr Harwood is unaware that imnos sible rent is the most common cause of dropouts from the lime Community College Women in Transition program. This pro gram supports single mothers trying to get off the streets and off welfare by getting an education Wo are proud to nave a number of ex-homeless single moms liv ing at Amazon who have made the big leap to LCC and then to the University. Perhaps Mr Har wood is unaware that everyone at Amazon qualifies for public assistance Perhaps Mr Harwood has not tried to support a fami ly (food, clothing, shelter and love for three dependents in addi tion to himselfl while going to school full time Perhaps he tan nut imagine needing to find a three bedroom apartment near campus on a one-student budget or taring for two small kids when he is not in class and paying someone else to do it while he is That $10 or $20 a month makes a big difference in the grocery budget or the winter coats for the kids It's true, in "the real world" a landlord would have evicted those who could not pay higher rent and because of that. Ama zon was built in the first place which is why so many are fight ing to save this haven, where rent is low because the mortgage is paid off and the savings have Ireen passed on to the students. The units at Amazon comprise half of the very low income units in Eugene. Amazon is in hotter shape than many apartments around town and even has some materials that could never be replaced today — straight grain wood fl<x>rs, cedar siding and hig. long, solid timber floor joists that the contractors hugged for if we happened to !*• getting rid of any. A decent painting program would prevent a lot of the dry rot.l would also like to point out to Mr. Harwood that Amazon Com munity Housing is not "a student co-op” it is a "non-profit corpo ration." This may seem like a minor point but perhaps it will assuage some of his fears. The Board is divided between tenants and community members. It is trie strength and reputation of our community board members and the tireless work of current and previous tenants on the Hoard that caused the University to even road the Co-op proposal,which it seems Mr. Har wood has not done. If he had, he might have noticed the propos al includes a professional man agement staff and a detailed reha bilitation program, with all of the work (and more) suggested by Kudos as well as contractors' esti mates. He might have seen that Kugene Water and Electric Board volunteered to do most of the wuatherization for free because of loans available to Amazon Community Housing as a non profit low income housing com plex. He might have concluded the University would be 1 letter off spending its $lfi million bonding authority by rehabilitating Ama zon and building new student housing elsewhere. Rehabilitat ing Amazon is far and away the liest thing for the students in both the short and long term. It is no accident that we have the strung support of city councilors, strangers on historic review liourds, state legislators and a big group of tired and determined tenant activists Three quarters of the struggle has been bringing light to the truth. 1 do hope tin future editorial editor of the Emerald will check out his facts Sharon Singer Millman is a graduate student in architecture at the University
