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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 3, 1981)
Portland Observer, September 3 , 18B1 Pasa 3 F R O M T H E B L A C K P E R S P E C T IV E . P ortland C om m unity College. Cascade, is offering a special program o f evening classes called: " . . . From the Black Perspective.” Ten Black instructors from a variety o f fields will be featured this Fall at six different Northeast and North locations. Regis tration is now open at Cascade. Fall classes begin M onday, Sept. 28. Call 283-2541, ext. 303 for more information. From the Boardroom by Gladys McCoy, County Commissioner Should Rocky Butte Jail be fully m aintained w ith expanded bed »pace or are alternatives to incarcer ation at the Butte sufficient? Rocky Butte Jail should be fully m aintained u n til the new M u ltn o * mah County Corrections facility is ready for use in N ovem ber, 1983. Presently, Rocky Butte Jail is as full as a Federal mandate w ill allow as the result o f a suit brought against the C o u n ty fo r “ inhum ane stan d ard s .“ A lre a d y , our 1981 crim e rate is up some 23 per cent; prosti tutes are repeatedly arrested and re turn to the streets within hours be cause there is no room at the down town ja il. Public awareness o f the lack o f available bed space at Rocky Butte is an open invitation to crime; evidenced by increased arrests. The Corrections Division does not have the available bed space in the Rocky Butte Jail to handle its increased ar rests, but will have space if permit ted to expand. T o make room for unsentenced prisoners at Rocky Butte Jail, shift ing to free up bed space is taking place on a cyclical basis. T o make room at Rocky Butte Jail for pre- tra il detainees, shifting o f unsen tenced, medium security prisoners to the M ultnom ah County Correc tions Facility (M C C F ), Troutdale, a m inim um security fa c ility , places these unsentenced prisoners w ith sentenced w o rk release prisoners and endangers the security at that facility. T o make bed space avail able at M C C F , some o f the medium security prisoners are shifted to the various work release centers in the County, such as the Burnside Pro ject and the Oregon Halfway House where there is very little security. Some o f these o ffend ers com m it more crimes, are re-arrested, and the sh iftin g to m ake room starts again. T o stop o r reduce the sh iftin g w ith in the C o rrectio n s system, Rocky Butte J ail shoud be fu lly m a in ta in e d , req uirin g funds not presently available in the C o u n ty budget. However, the request from the Federal Marshall to house an ad ditional 17 Federal pre-trial detain ees at the B u tte, w ith funds provided, to increase the bed space, would allow the County the needed fle x ib ility as well as the required beds for the Federal Marshall. T o increase the bed space, a dormitory, costing 3137,000, would be built in the basement o f Rocky Butte Jail. It would house 17 addi tio n a l Federal p re -tria l detainees plus the unsentenced prisoner popu lation held at M C C F . Rocky Butte presently houses 13 Federal pre-trial detainees. This Federal money is be ing offered in order for more o f the Federal court pre-trial detainees to be held near the P o rtla n d Federal Courthouse, placing the M u ltn o m ah County Corrections Division in a position to im m ediately resolve its o vercrow ding pro b lem in the County jail. I maintain that the overcrowding could be resolved by spending 3137,000 in Federal funds to expand Rocky Butte. This would be an im m ediate and wise solutio n to our present grow ing need fo r m ore available bed space. It would help stabilize our increasing crime rate; provide some fle x ib ility fo r the C ourts and arresting a u th o rities ; and, provide space for Federal de tainees. The Multnomah County Board o f Commissioners support the Federal M a rs h a ll’ s contract being signed, but the C ounty Executive is reluc tant to sign without the explicit au thority to add bed space. There is a split on the Board regarding the in creased beds. Some Commissioners believe a ll the problem s can be handled by adding a w ork release center com bined w ith a new tim e line initiated by the Courts to cut the number o f days between arrest and conviction, an on-street supervision program, and, a recog program. I am very concerned about the cost o f public safety and I maintain that the cost to expand Rocky Butte Jail, in the short run, ensures great er benefits in the long run through improved public safety, rehabilita tion o f prisoners through work re lease center, reducing recidivism , and, a considerable cost reduction to M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty . It w ould also help keep the ja il populations w ith in C o u rt-m a n d a te d lim its . M C C F would be relieved o f its pre sent security problem s caused by sentenced w o rk release prisoners and unsentenced prisoners being housed together. H C D A d viso ry C o m m itte e , 7:30 pm, W ed., Sept. 16, Masonic Temple, 1119SW Park. A ttic a D ay in Portland is held in conjunction with nationwide demon strations commemorating the Attica uprising. Film , L ike A Rose (an inde pendently produced film about two women serving 25-year sentences in the Missouri State Penitentiary), will be followed by a panel discussion. 7pm, Sunday, Sept. 13, St. Andrews Church (N E 9th A Alberta). N A A C P , Portland Branch, general membership meeting, 4 pm, Sun., Sept. 20, at Bethel A M E Church (5828 N E 8th). Pacific Power Citizen o f the Week Rocky Butte Jail is the only secure facility we have until our new Jus tice Center is completed some two years from now. Rocky Butte must be used until it is abandoned. Let us utilize Rocky Butte Jail fully to pro vide safety fo r o u r citizens. Is 3200,000 too much if it saves a life? Protects a senior citizen? Spares a rape victim? O r protects your prop erty? M a k e no m istake, we must have alternatives, but we must also have secure jails. The Federal M a r shall’ s grant w ill assist us to have both. I f you have a strong position on this issue, please let me hear from you by phone (248-5219), letter, or drop by. From the Capitol ■s Congressman Ron Wyden V •t 4fc Photo: Richard J. Brown Q. Congress w ill reconvene next week a fte r a long A ugust recess. N o w th a t the budget a n d tax cut battles have subsided, what do you expect to be the m ajor topics o f de bate? A . Social Security and m ilita ry spending w ill probably be the two biggest agenda items. Other likely issues include reauthorization o f the Clean A ir Act and extension o f the Voting Rights Act. So cial S e cu rity — Expect a very heated and long-winded debate. A l most everyone agrees that the sys tem is in dire need o f re fo rm , but there is a great deal o f dispute as to how to go about achieving that end. Proposals range from those elimin ating benefits for current recipients (such as the A d m inistration's pro posal to eliminate the minimum So cial Security benefit) to those which look only at long-range changes. I will be working to ensure we adopt a reform package that provides the system with a sound economic base — but still allows working men and women and retirees time to prepare. pensive, in e ffic ie n t weapons systems. The House will shortly take up the A rm e d Forces Pay A ct o f 1981 which puts more o f the defense dollar where I believe it should be— into better pay and incentive pack ages for the men and women o f the Arm ed Forces. W ith o u t a fighting force that is trim and properly mo tivated. all the technology and w hiz-. bang weaponry in the world will not provide us with the strong defense we truly need. M ilita ry Spending— There are a lot o f places to cut military spending w ithout threatening the strong de fense we need and I support. Too much money is wasted on overlv ex Clean A ir A cl—-Proposals are be ing circulated to roll back our clean air standards— a move that could be disastrous for Oregonians and other Americans. Oregonians pride them- An Open Letter by Ronald R. Still C hief o f Police . Since becoming C hief o f Police, I have had the opportunity to look at the wide variety o f services that the P o lite Bureau provides to the c iti zens o f P o rtla n d . W e respond to many d iffe re n t needs throughout the community. I feel it will be bene ficial to highlight two o f these ser vices. The C o m m u n ity A ffa irs C rim e Prevention U n it has a program called “ free locks.” This federally funded program provides many low income homewoners with security hardware at no cost. It ’s objective is to reduce the number o f people who fall victim to burglaries. Since it ’ s inception in 1977, the six members assigned to this program have helped make over 3,000 homes more secure. One o f the good things about this program is that there is very little that the homeowner must do to ob tain the service. A telephone call to the Crime Prevention Unit and sig nature is all that is needed. Someone w ill first check your home to see what is needed, then a two member crew will come to install the hard ware. A ll this takes place over a very short time period. This program is successful in re ducing burglaries. It is not available SOLE DESIGN OF PORTLAND 5600 NE Union Portland. OR. q O^- ’ T; l 2 8 7 0 6 “ o ^ * ^ ^ c i* . ™ , ,5 o o /« „ ADIDAS TOP TOP TEN T IN HI HI TOP TOP ADIDAS • B BEST E S T IN S Í CLASS IA A * IN IT IT¿ *S 4$ SAVE JAIS SS SS < 1 0 .0 0 PU/AA HI TOP ALL LPATHER 4B SALE SAVE J4 45 4 15 0 0 to everyone. To qualify you must be buying or owning your own home; earn under SI 1,200 and live in the Housing C om m unity Development area. The last qualification is d iffi cult to define. Many neighborhoods in Portland are w ithin these boun daries. M y suggestion is that you call our C rim e Prevention U n it to see i f you q u a lify . T h e ir phone number is 248-4126. Even if you do not qualify for the “ free locks” pro g ram , crim e pre vention personnel can come to your home and make recommendations for im proving the security o f your home. Recent indicators show that those hom eowners that have se curity hardw are installed, sig n ifi cantly reduce the chances o f being, burglarized. 1 suggest that everyone should take part in this program . The re duction o f crime in Portland is im portant to everyone. I f you have com ments or ques tions regarding the Portland Police Bureau, send them to me through the Public Info rm atio n O ffice, 222 SW Pine, Portland Oregon, 97204. I w ill not be able to respond in my open letters to each and every con cern, bu, will select those which will assist in improving communications and relations with the community. CONVERSE LEATHER X I -T O P 1 »JÍ 1 * HR*.. 4 a 4 5 SAVE THE DP SAL«. J 3 4 5 < 10 0 0 C O N VER SE LEATHER L t J - TOP >4 45 SALE J O 4 5 SAVE ♦ 9 0 0 FÏEE POSTER FOR EACH MlR OF SHOES PURCHASED Interested in current books about Civil Rights? Visit: JOHN REED BOOKSTORE In the Dekum Building 519 S W. 3rd Avenue Sixth Floor Or call 227 2902 selves on our clean, fresh air— and I don’t believe they are about to give that up. Oregonians also understand that it is possible to strike a balance between econom ic and e n v iro n mental concerns— that a clean envi ronm ent does not mean a loss o f economic opportunities. Although I would agree there is a need fo r in- • creased flexibility in certain provi sions o f the A ct, I believe that can be achieved without rolling back the standards. Voting R ights A c t— As I dis cussed in this column last week, the m ajo r civil rights issue before the Congress this fall will be the debate over whether to extend the Voting Rights Act. I have cosponsored leg islation which would extend the Act for 10 years— a move I feel is im portant to ensure we m aintain the gains we have made and move even further along toward political equal ity for all Americans. Gerry Abrams' primary concern is educational opportunity for young people: "Our children are our hope for tomorrow. The one most important thing I am working for is quality edu cation for all children. I would like to see schools in our com munity that any parents would be proud to have their children attend." Ms. Abram was born in Columbia, Mississippi and was raised in that state. She attended Jackson State University for two years, prior to moving to California. She came to Portland to visit, and here she remains. She earned a BS in Social Science with a certificate in Black Studies from Port land State University and plans to continue her education, studying counselling and African history. Ms. Abrams is the mother of six children—three boys and three girls—ranging from 11 to 24 years. She is currently spokesperson for the Jefferson High School Parent Advisory Council, Title I; is an alternate to the City of Portland's Housing and Urban Development Council; is a member of the NAACP and is active in the Black United Front. She is a member of Allen Temple CME Church. B R O U G H TTO YOU BY Pacific Power < Fred Meyer » S h o p p in g C e n l e n 9 Super Shopping Centers Help Lower Your Cost of Living . . . Your nearby Fred Meyer Super Shopping Center i. filled with P • >ple Pleasing” services to make your shopping more pleasant. Wide, spacious aisles fnendlv helpful clerics anu uu de'cover parcel loading are just some of the "People Pleasing aeivit.es to you. Plus everyday low prices on thousands of items you use ano need everyday help lower your cost of living. Because we re open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, including Sunday, you can shop when you WANT to, not when you HAVE to. Come in anytime and "funshop” in a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere. • Walnut Park N.E. Killingsworth at Union • Interstate N. Lombard at Interstate • Peninsula 6850 N. Lombard Plenty of Free and Easy Parking Open 9 am to 10 pm daily, including Sunday.
