Portland Observer Auguet 8.1981 Page 7
A wide-open town
Cell Talk
By Asmar Abdul Seifullah
AKA Jo t West
" C e ll T a lk ,” salutes Ullysses
Tucker Jr., fo r the fine work he
presented to the public in a recent
production on the Criminal Justice
System. The impact on the com
m unity behind the walls and the
outer community appears to be very
favorable. Numerous comments
have filtered in from various sectors
o f the C orrectional and Judical
systems about the need for more in
fo rm ation on the subject o f just
justice fo r m inorities and other
prisoners confined in the Oregon
penal system.
The program Ullysses presented
was well produced and his com
mentary was a professional as any
that I ’ ve seen. I t ’ s clear that this
brother hasn’ t lost contact with his
soulbone, his commitment to bring
the community up to date on the ef
fects the criminal justice system has
on the Black community is worthy
Penitentiary
U llyssaa T u c k e r discusses prison life w ith
o f note. For years the community m e m b e rs o f th e U h uru C lu b et O reg o n S ta te
(Photo: Richard J. Brown)
has taken fo r granted that justice
Vocational Training and how some who have surburbian dreams will be
was distributed equally but the for and a set fo r w hite inmates. This
Black inmates feel that the types of sent to the community because the
mula for justice has never included earmark o f racism begins in the
program they want aren’ t offered. system doesn’ t want us anywhere
Blacks or other ethnic groups. judical system where Blacks are sen
I t ’ s im portant that we c la rify the else. It would behoove the respon
Ullysses’ s attempt to shed valuable tenced to consecutive sentences
fact that there are adequate sible members o f the Black com
light on the question o f JUSTICE more often than whites. Blacks
V ocational T raining programs at m unity to get involved in the
receive longer prison term parole
vs. just-U S is a sweet change from
Oregon State Penitentiary. The crim inal justice system to waylay
the old bitter justice of racism.
sets, even though two members o f
point that wasn’ t made clear on any future problems that might oc
The use o f the media as a means the Parole Board are Black. Blacks
Ullysses program is that most Black cur from returning felons. Halfway
don’ t fare well under plea bargain
o f resistance and protection from
inmates
aren’ t psychologically houses are needed; counseling cen
the forces o f oppression has agreements. Geographical location
prepared to deal with a training or ters; treatment programs, and think
appears to have a great deal to do
historically been denied to minority
educational program. Motivation is tanks to channel the pent up anger
with the length o f sentence and the
groups. When people are cut o ff
a factor and the penal system o f returning Black felons. A ll these
d uration o f prison tim e. A large
from a viable means to articulate
doesn’ t want to take the respon things would generate revenue in
their dissatisfaction w ith a par percentage the Blacks confined at
s ib ility fo r m otivating Black in side the community; they would o f
ticular system they are sitting ducks Oregon State Penitentiary were
mates. Perhaps it isn’t their respon- fer a jo b market where Blacks
filtered through three or four har
for any propropganda program that
sib
lity but i f prison is going to would be helping Blacks and also it
dcore
M
ultnom
ah
County
Judges,
comes alone. A t some point they
become a building house or ware would remove the stigma o f Black
Jones, Davis, Ellis, and Crookham;
w ill begin to view themselves in in
house, much depends on the systems law enforcement.
the more lenient judges seem to be
ferior terms, they become pawns in
a b ility to m otivate and guide in
reserved fo r whites only! M an
"W e are just beginning to educate
someone else’ s game and the overall
mates o f all colors.
datory minimum sentences are im
ourselves to the ills o f the criminal
outcome is one o f apathy and self-
C om m unity apathy was one o f justice system. The disease that
posed on Blacks w ith greater
destruction. The Great American
the strongest point in the entire
leads to Black crim e must be
regularity than white felons. To cap
Nightm are fo r Black people has
program and Ullysses handled the stopped. We must fin d a cure or
everything o ff, Blacks and other
rooted its e lf into the C rim inal
issue very well. It isn’ t a question o f
perish. Understanding that we are
Justice System. And that System has
ethnic groups are subjected to a
whether the com m unity wants to
all tied to one another whether we
parole system that was designed
been used effectively to stifle Black
take responsibility for its wayward like it or not is the beginning to the
solely for whites - the parole system
people’ s resistance against op
sons but rather the fact that the formula that will solve the problems
in Oregon closely resembles
pression and its advocates.
com m unity has very little to sav o f Black crime. Black victims. Black
Reagan’ s Tax Cut Bill and its racist
Significant points o f the program
about the issue. First o f all, most of
effect on m inorities and poor
prisoners...it w ill strengthen us and
were the d u a lity o f the crim inal
us are going to return to the com our strength will allow us to triumph
people.
justice system and how there are a
m unity by choice and those o f us over our oppression.”
set o f standards for Black inmates
Voice was also given to
... - j from
___n Page
___ i 1 Col 5)
(Continued
“ houses” located in known red light
districts, Ms. Lee caused them to be
kicked out in to the street as is
evident by the many “ street
walkers” seen on Union and Grand
Avenues each day, all hours o f the
day and night. Gamblers could not,
however, operate in the street. Since
the police were actively enforcing
anti-gambling ordinances that had
been passed by the C ity C ouncil
some time before, a place had to be
created to accomodate such ac
tivities; a place that would not draw
citizens; a place that could operate
at a time o f least noterity after the
hours that most places o f business,
even night-clubs and taverns, had
cease to operate.
Ms. Lee's conduct, while cleaning
up the c ity , had unknow ingly
opened up a new m arket: “ A fte r
Hour Clubs.”
(This is the first o f a three part
series on Portland’s underground
entertainment. Next week, we’ll
focus on some o f Portland’s more
orominent "After Hour” establish-
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