P«0e4 Portland Observer Thursday, September 7,1978
American State Bank
Larry Baker 935021
O.S.P. Correspondent
Julius D. Snowden 938013
Poetry Editor
2737 N.E. Union
1.
ministered by Corrections Division.
Imparative in this would be the direct
participation o f an inmate committee
which w ith the im put o f a s ta ff
committee would select competent
attorneys to litigate cases selected bv
an inmate advisory committee which
reflects the needs o f the inm ate
population.
” 1 A in ’ t Much, Baby —
But I’m All I Got*'... Jess Lair, Ph.D
PART II
Rapidly over the last week a small
group o f inmates have been
gathering support through the entire
prison p o p u la tio n to m ount a
massive assault legally.
The Oregon Prisoners Legal Ser
vices in Salem is under attack by the
inmates at the Oregon State Peniten
tiary in retaliation o f the announce
ment that the Prisoners Legal Ser
vices has requested and received fund
ing from the Division o f Corrections,
in order to continue serving their
clients.
A large portion o f those funds is to
supposedly go toward fighting the
very agency (Division o f Correction)
who provided it. Inmates who file
civil suits against prison procedures,
parole vio la tio n s and unusual
punishment have been at the mercy
o f P.L.S. for legal advice and court
actions. Prisoners may be judged by
the public as ‘ dum b' fo r getting
themselves in a position in life to be
confined in prison, but they are not
stupid enough to actually believe that
any ‘ legal minded’ organization is
foolish enough to ‘ bit the hand that
feeds them.'
In a recent meeting w ith State
Senator Edward Fadeley, (member,
Ways and Means Committee) in
mates expressed their dissatisfaction
in the legal services provided by the
P.L.S., and a move is in the making
to inform the general public that it is
their taxpaying money which is at
stake.
"Show me one solid thing the
Prisoners Legal Services has accom
plished since they’ve used us for an
excuse to ob ta in the enormous
federal grant, tw o years ago, to
protect prisoners civil rights," stated
H. Goodspeed, (O .S.P. inmate).
“ They have done nothing, but sup
ply us with words and promises, but
no actions.”
Goodspeed continued, "W hen the
Oregon Bar Association refused to
supply local matching funds to them,
well the sugar started melting into
the mustard.”
Another inmate, (who wished not
to be identified) remarked, “ This
time we can’t place the blame on
H.C. Cupp (Superintendent) or any
of his staff for abuse o f prisoners
legal rights. Not when we’ ve got the
Prisoners Legal Services secretly
selling us out to Corrections for a
few lousy d o lla rs . Even i f the
prisoners had someone as dedicated
to handling th e ir cases as Scott
M cA lister (A ssistant A tto rn e y
General) or Gary Balcock, (State
Public Defenders) there would be no
suspicions in “ conflict o f interest.”
The point o f real disappointment
o f relying on people within the legal
professional field comes in the Final
analysis and when the commitments
they make are not kept, especially to
those who are too weak to defend
themselves.
Richard H. Shoblad
(Correspondent notes: Shoblad. is
the a u th o r o f "D o in g M y Own
T im e" published by Doubleday in
¡972.)
T o ‘ Behind the W all’ :
When Prisoners Legal Service o f
Oregon was originally conceived, it
was thought by the prisoners o f the
Oregon State Penitentiary that their
main job or responsibility was to be
one o f representing the bulk o f the
institution on either class action or
cases that would effect a large por
tion of the inmate population. This
never came to be, in fact they
sidestepped the cases that w ould
provide relief for large numbers o f
prisoners and took the little cases
that the law library could have easily
handled.
Even though they were federally
funded, their refusal to tackle the
real problems that exist at the
Penitentiary and take on the large
class action type suits that would
benefit a L> ge amount o f prisoners.
This type o f an attitude led to the
bulk o f the prisoners o f the peniten
tiary losing a great deal o f respect
and credibility in Prisoners Legal
Service project.
Now that Prisoners Legal Services
project is funded through the
Corrections D ivision, there is no
doubt in my mind that they w ill only
be puppets fo r the C orrections
Division, litigating only those cases
that Corrections w ill allow.
What little credibility Prisoners
Legal Service had before being fund
ed by the Corrections D ivision is
gone. Most inmates would rather
have another inmate or some other
organization handle any legal work
they seek to have done than request
Orgeon Prisoners Legal Service
project to do it.
In short, throwing good money af
ter bad is not the answer, what is
needed is an organization that w ill
respond to the needs o f the bulk of
the prisoners in this penitentiary, if
Oregon Prisoners Legal Service
project, cannot or w ill not meet our
requirements than some alternative
source o f legal counsel should be
sought.
As a paralegal, these are my ob
servations after speaking with hun
dreds of inmates each week. Most
support these feelings and are more
than w illing to speak out and be
heard.
David J. Sterling
by Tom Capps and W ilbur Hixson
T o ‘ Behind the W all’ :
To meet the legal needs of the in
mate population it w ould, in my
opinion, be productive to apply for
an L .E .A .A . grant to be ad
The Prisoners Legal Services o f
Oregon was created for the purpose
of hearing inmate complaints against
the Oregon C orrectional System.
. . . U N IO N OR C O M P A N Y
DENTAL INSURANCE
is a valuable asset . . .
Originally, this office operated under
a U.S. Government Grant o f the
Federal Law Enforcement Act.
The concept o f this o ffice was
designed to assist inmates at O.S.P.,
who with a limited knowledge, and
without funds, could utilize this o f
fice to file and properly present those
complaints arising from C ivil mat
ters. It was committed to those mat
ters o f individual, as well as class-
action suits.
Recently, this office met with fund
ing problems. To alleviate its finan
cial dilemna, it considered outside
sources for new funding. Ultimately,
the Oregon C o rre ctio n a l System
agreed to fund this o ffice fo r a
period o f time, to assure its con
tinuation.
It is generally felt that by accepting
the generosity o f the Oregon Correc
tional System, Prisoners Legal Ser
vices o f Oregon permitted itself to be
placed in an untenable position,
creating a conflict o f interest by this
financial expedient. It immediately
raises the question: How can this of-
E
The New York Life agent
in your community Is a
good person to know.
The PRODUCE CENTER o f PORTLAND”
BARTLETT
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PORTLAND. OREGON 97211
284-7997
growth
In support o f M ayor Tom
Bradley’ s suggestion to industries in
Southern California to expand in the
Los Angeles area, Safeway Stores
have started construction on a SI.4
m illion enlargement on one of its
stores in the Lincoln Heights area of
Los Angeles.
A .J . F u lto n , Safeway’ s vice
president and Los Angeles division
manager, said that this project is a
part o f a SlO m illio n store
remodeling program in Safeway’ s
Los Angeles division.
Mayor Bradley, Safeway officials,
civic and government leaders were on
hand fo r the ground breaking
ceremonies.
FACTS OF IMPORTANCE
VOLUME IV
SEPTEMBER 1978
SERIES!
During the entire month of September you may
register fo r evening, S aturday and Sunday
classes.
This is EXODUS' first series of com m unity ser
vice classes.
TOPICS ARE:
1. Is Alcoholism the PROBLEM or the RESULT?
— 2 hours
( O M I’ I.F I t < OOI’ I K \ l l o \
t»> M .l.
I ll \ I \ l l\» .l It \ \ < F 1 I.M M s
She’s pregnant.
She’s deserted.
She needs help.
She should call
Ml II W IM I M I UH I» I \ | | s ill
( OMI’I I lis t, y III K I I MM I HUMS
221-0598
B irthrigh t
NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED
C o m e in a t y o u r r o n v e m e n c e
tree confidential
counseling lot
pregnant girls
Mayer Building at
1130S W Morrison
PARK FREE-Any Park n Shop Lot
* M llt ll A 1 k M illi.I S I
287-0216 or 288-6692
1518 N E KILLINGSWORTH
Safeway aids
a p p e a ra n c e
M«-<*i«d»»» » III a.m In.jp.m
Saiurilav S It) a m Ki I p.m
D entist
I'ltlt I I W l l H |tt ( , n \
I M\) I IF A \ loit IH 2 M ) 11 IHlK tltli s| l \ | | f \ \ < |
PEGGY JOSEPH
PICKLING CUBES FRESH DAILY
nearby grade schools include an
Fall term at Portland Community
tiques, art appreciatio n, asser
College begins the week o f Septem
tiveness
training, clowning, first aid,
ber 25th, and PCC's com m unity
guitar, holistic health, Oregon for
education division is o ffe rin g its
the curious, photography, transac
usual wide variety of courses in North
tio n a l analysis, dance, picture
and Northeast Portland.
fra m in g , soap m aking, cooking
Registration for fall term classes
courses, auto tune-up, languages,
can be completed by mail through
writing and others.
September 20th or in person at any
Madison High School area courses
PCC center until noon on Friday,
include bridge, first aid, geneaology,
September 22nd. Also, registration is
handwriting analysis, weight loss,
open the first day o f class if space is
darkroom photography, macrame,
still available.
weaving, wood carving, sewing,
Courses are offered in North Port
languages, English as a second
land at Jefferson and Roosevelt
language, and others.
High Schools, and at PCC’s Cascade
Also, several courses on Christmas
Center, 705 N. K illingsw orth. In
baking and Christmas ideas w ill be
Northeast Portland, classes are of
offered this fa ll, some beginning
fered at Adams, Grant, and Madison
later in the term.
High Schools and at several grade
T u itio n fo r PCC com m unity
schools.
education classes is variable, and
Numerous dance courses are being
community education classes do not
offered at Jefferson High School, in
cluding beginning, intermediate, and ., cany college credit.
T o obtain a list o f all PCC o f
advanced dance, ballet, tap. and jazz
ferings this fall, contact Portland
dance. Other courses at North Port
Community College at 244-6111.
land centers include disco and belly
dancing, scuba d ivin g , q u iltin g ,
drawing, a workshop on starting a
sm all business, and a d u lt basic
education, among many others.
A t Adams High School, courses
w ill be taught in massage, darkroom
photography, gymnastics, painting,
pottery, Chinese cookery, sewing,
welding, woodworking and short
hand.
Courses at Grant High School and
and
Dr. Jeffrey BRADY,
Ufa. Health, Qroup Insurance.
Annuities. Pension Plans
PCC begins community classes
y o u r h e a lth
HOURS
fice effectively represent a com
plainant when it is in effect being
funded by the very institution that is
being litigated? I f this office is to
maintain a sembiencc o f credibility,
this c o n flic t o f interest must be
elim inated. A n yth in g short o f
elimination by seeking other funding
resources is unacceptable. Perhaps,
the office should be abolished.
Most inmates are familiar with a
similar office o f Ombudsman. This
office too, was created to hear com
plaints o f Oregon’s prison inmates
and for the presentation o f these to
the G overnor's O ffice. Over the
years, this office has deteriorated to
nothing more than a sounding board
for the Oregon Correctional System.
To conclude that these offices are ef
fective representatives o f Oregon’ s
Prison inmate body is questionable.
Results issuing from these sources
are not noticeably favorable.
Perhaps, it is time for inmates o f
the Oregon State Penitentiary to re
evaluate the functions o f these o f
fices and consider Legislative alter
natives in the forthcoming years.
282-2216
J
2. W hat is the difference between the alcoholic
personality and others? — 2 hours
3. How to relate to spouse and children under
conditions of alcoholism. — 2 hours
REGISTER AT:
EXODUS
1518 N.E. Killingsworth
Portland, Oregon 97211