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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 2000)
Measure 94 would repeal minimum sentences ■ If passed it would allow judges to sentence criminals more leniently at times By Mandy Toomey for the Emerald Aiming to ensure fair sentences for first-time offenders and youths, Ballot Measure 94 would repeal minimum sentencing for violent crimes and sexual offenses, such as murder, rape and robbery. If passed, Measure 94 would re peal 1994’s Ballot Measure 11, which enacted mandatory mini mum sentences. Measure 94 would require all adults issued mandatory minimum sentences be re-sen tenced using a grid system, where AMD Duron 700MHz * Microstar 6330 Motherboard * 128MB PC-100 MHz SDRAM * 8MB Diamond AGP Graphic * 20GB UDMA66 Hard Drive AMDCT * 56K PCI Vole# Fax/Modem * Top gualltv with all n»nw brand p«rt»l ♦ Farts A Llf» Tims Labor Warranty! $799 Intel Pentium III 733MHz * 8X4X32 CDRW (Samsung) * 128MB PC-133 MHz SDRAM * 56K PCI Voica Fax/Modsm * 20GB UDMA66 Hard Driva * 17" .25 Dot Digital Monitor * P8UOW Mo«Um Wady 1Q/1QQ NIc Cartl * 1-Yws Part* a lit* Tims Labor Warranty! $1149 System Include: ATX Mid Case /w 250W PS, 52X Samsung CD, Floppy, KB, Windows 98SE, Logitech Mouse, 3D Sound & AC60W Speakers, AntiVIrus... 32 Oakway Center (No*t to Borders & us Bank) 349-0404 KNRQ Morning DJ's Porter 8 Maxwell have Pulses Do you have one? Pulse Check your Pulse, the Oregon Daily Emerald's entertainment section, every Thursday. the judge would consider factors such as prior convictions into the final sentence. Supporters of Measure 94 say it would give power back to the judges and reduce Oregon’s prison population, thereby cutting the state’s prison costs. They also say that giving judges more power wouldn’t necessarily lead to more lenient sentencing for all violent criminals. Judges could still issue maximum sentences. “(With this measure], judges can make the sentence fit the crime. It’s not our intention for people to just be set free,” said Cathi Lawler,member of Parents Against Cruel and Unusual Punishment. Lawler’s son was one of the first convicted under Measure 11 and has been in prison for five years. But many opponents say manda tory sentences keep judges from be ing too lenient and keep criminals out of society and in prison. Howard Rodstein, an opponent of the measure, said that “mini mum sentences are important be cause sometimes the judge has no choice but to give out the minimum sentence.” If the measure passes, approxi mately 3,200 violent criminals and sex offenders would be re-sen tenced. There is a clause, though, that allows a prisoner to finish out a If Measure 94 is passed: Crime1 Approximate range of Current mandatory presumed sentences: minimum: Murder 10 years to 22 years 25years Manslaughter, 1st degree 4 years to 10 years 10 years Rape, 1st degree 3 years to 11 years 8 years Sexual Abuse, 1st degree 1 year to4 years 6 years Robbery, 1st degree 3 years to 6 years 7 years source; Oregon Voters’ Pamphlet sentence rather than go through a re-sentencing trial. The clause would benefit criminals with plea bargains and criminals close to the end of their sentences, who would not have to be re-sentenced. Juveniles ages 15 to 17 who have been convicted would be sent to ju venile court for a waiver hearing to determine whether the case would stay in juvenile court or would be transferred to adult court. In adult court, the youth would get a re-sen tencing hearing; if sent to juvenile court, the youth would get a new trial. Of the 3,200 criminals being re sentenced, 11 percent are juveniles ages 15 to 17. Currently, seven of these youths are being held in adult prison, while the majority are being kept at facilities run by the Oregon Youth Authority. “Seven juveniles in [an] adult system is too many,” Lawler said. Along with human rights de bates, both sides are also disputing the financial impact of the measure. If passed, Measure 94 would re duce the state adult prison costs, and juvenile close custody costs will decrease by $10.8 million in 2000-2001. Also, state community corrections payments to counties would increase by $900,000 in 2000-2001. “This money should be put on the front end for prevention and treatment programs,” Lawler said. On the other hand, costs to re sentence criminals would be $6.9 million between now and 2002 and county costs for re-sentencing are estimated to be $2.1 million. Calendar Wednesday, Oct. 18 Human Resources Workshop: “Leader ship in Student Supervision.” Pre register. 9a.m.-noon, Walnut Room, EMU. Free. Center for the Study of Women in Soci ety Graduate Student Open House, 2 p.m.-5p.m., Room 330, Hendricks Hall. University Assembly meeting: President Dave Frohnmayer delivers his annual “State of the University” addressand new tenure-related faculty are intro duced. 3 p.m., Room 123, Pacific Hall. Russian Film Series: “ Borus Godunov Part One,” the Kirov/Andrei Tarkovsky staging of Musorgskii’s opera. 6:30 p.m., Room 115, Pacific Hall. Free. Lecture; Political analyst, author and syndicated radio show host Michael Par enti discusses “Yugoslavia and the U.S. Global Domination,” followed by an opening reception for the current gallery exhibition, “Collateral Damage: The Destruction of Yugoslavia.” 7 p.m., Adell McMillan Art Gallery, EMU. Free. Morse Chair Forum; University law pro fessor Leslie Harris moderates a panel discussion, “No Way Out?” on the pros and cons of mandatory minimum sen tencing measures. 7 p.m., Room 175, Knight Law Center. Free. Ecological Conversations Lecture: Sanja Saftic discusses “What Do Bacteria Talk About? Tiny Communities and Evolution under the Microscope.” 7 p.m.-9 p.m.T Browsing Room, Knight Library. Free. National Coming (hit Day: “Queers in Education: Is Ignorance Really Bliss?” offers a discussion of current proposed legislation and the effect it might have on education. 7:30 p.m., Ben Linder Room, EMU. Free. ~J All l 2000 JETTAS ON SALE! $14,950 2001...Y0UR TICKET TO RIDE VWs Are Here to See & Drive Today! 2300 West 7th • EUGENE • 343-8811 • Drivers wanted. VOLKSWAGEN Pictures for illustration purposes only. • Sale Prices Vat d thXi 10 i>j 00 2001 Golf GL A/C, AM/FM, Cass, Pwr locks, Alarm, 5 Speed, One Only, MSftP = $15,425, *W20251 $16,950 200llenaGL Auto, Pwr locks, A/C, Cass, One Only, MSRP= $18,300 #WT20202 Oregon Daily Emerald P.O. Box 3159, Eugene OR 97403 The Oregon Daily Emerald is published daily Monday through Friday during the school year and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co. Inc., at the Univer sity of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon. A member of the Associated Press, the Emerald oper ates independently of the University with offices in Suite 300 of the Erb Memorial Union. The Emerald is private property. The unlawful removal or use of papers is prose cutable by law. 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