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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 1981)
Portland Observer. September 10.1W1 Pape 3 « I Dick Bogle INTERESTING FACTS Brought To You Every W eek Street prostitution in the A lb in a area is flourishing and the criminal justice system seems unable to han dle it. Fore the past 20 years, I ’ve been a close observer o f what goes on in the streets, first as a police officer and then as a news reporter. It seems to me that the past year has brought an increase o f street hookers on North east Union and North Interstate like I ’ve never seen before. A ll this has negative effects on the quality o f life in the area. O f course current economic con- ditins have a direct and dire effect on crime. Prostitution and pimping are crimes and are going v irtu a lly unpunished. Before we jum p in and blame the police fo r not caring about the neighborhood, lets look at some sta tistics. In 1980 police made 601 arrests o f both men and women in p ro stitu tion related cases. W hat happens to those cases is quite interesting. N in ety-tw o o f them were juveniles and thus handled by juvenile court. The district attorney’s office did not issue complaints against 50 others. In those cases it could have been the evidence was too shakey for a possible conviction or maybe some o f them agreed to cooperate with authorities in other crim in al m at ters. Sixty had their cases dismissed, 32 cases are s till pending, 13 were found not g u ilty , 70 were found guilty o f a reduced charge, 134 were no-shows in court and have w ar rants outstanding and 182 were found guilty. O f those 182, 13 were sentenced to some ja il time. Eight others were given credit for time already served. So out o f an o rig in a l 601 in ci dents, only 13 defendants made their way to jail. I don't, and hardly anyone in the criminal justice system believes ev- ery7 hooker should be sentenced to ja il i f found g u ilty. But I did talk with several hookers who told me if they actually thought ja il was a pos sible consequence fo r th e ir acts, they would either quit the business or leave Portland for another city. I f the law is to be a deterrent, then punishment must be a realistic pos sibility. But these statistics certainly indicate real punishment is lacking. Some other figures indicate that the police are not ignoring prostitu tion in N o rth and Northeast P o rt land. D uring 1980, there were 386 arrests on Orand and Union Aven ues and N o rth Interstate. The sec ond highest total o f 179 arrests were in downtown Portland in the South west Third and Salmon area. W h a t this all means is that the hookers can act like they own the streets and it also means that any woman, white or Black who leaves her home to go to the store is a tar get for the numerous Johns cruising the area and who in the heat o f their passion are unable to tell the differ ence between housewife and hustler. It means something else, too. Be cause Union Avenue and Interstate Avenues have neighborhood side streets im m ed iately adjaceht to them, the prostitutes are using those sueets too. In many cases those side streets have become bedroom s— bedrooms many times w ith open doors and windows for anyone and everyone to hear and see what’s go ing on. Many folks who heretofore were able to ignore p ro s titu tio n as the oldest profession and perhaps even as a necessary evil are now up in arms when they and their children are daily witnesses to sex fo r sale virtually in their front yards. Next week, a look at why it is the way it is and what some c rim in a l justice system professionals plan to do. Nelson Johnson, a Black activist, was sentenced to serve 20 days this month in the G u ilfo rd County Jail for challenging the U.S. Justice De partment and local officials to end its conspiracy in connection with the Morningside Massacre on Novem ber 3, 1979. The case o f Nelson Johnson is representative o f the lack o f human rights and real justice that exists in this nation today. To comprehend what is at stake in the Johnson case, a short history o f recent po litical struggles in N o rth Carolina is necessary. On November 3, 1979, nine carloads o f Nazis and Ku Klux Klansmen invaded a hous ing project in Greensboro, N o rth C a ro lin a , where a group o f Black and white community residents were holding an a n ti-K ia n dem onstra tion. In a deliberate execution, the Klan and Nazis killed five people, fo u r whites and one B la ck — all members o f a leftist organization, the C om m unist W o rkers P arty. Johnson was assaulted during the a ttac k, receiving severe kn ife wounds on both arms. When local police finally arrived. Johnson was arrested “ for inciting to rio t” be cause he was speaking to the demon strators. Eventually, only six Klans men and Nazis were ever tried for the m urders. O n N ovem ber 17, 1980, the white racists were acquit ted of all charges in North Carolina state court. A federal agent, Ber nard Butkovich, is proven to have been present at racist meetings when the N ovem ber 3rd m urders were planned— but was never indicted. Johnson was eventually charged with felony riot on M ay 2, 1980, and bond was set at $ 15 ,00 0 . Three months later, the district attorney dem anded that an ad d itio n al $100,000 bond be held against John son. By comparison, the Klan/Nazis were charged with bonds o f between $4,000 to $52,000. The excuse given for the riduculously high bond was Johnson's continued political acti vities, such as appearing at a Greensboro C ity Council meeting on July 31, 1980, le a fle ttin g the chamber prior to (he meeting. At the bond hearing on August 6, 1980, Johnson politely requested the right to speak in his own behalf. When Johnson finally attempted to ta lk , the judge found him in con tempt o f court. Five sheriffs depu ties seized Johnson, dragging him out o f the c o u rtro o m . Though handcuffed, the deputies struck his head on the floor. Johnson was sent to the m agistrate’ s o ffice and was held in jail overnight, charged with assaulting the deputies. I ater, this assault charge was dismissed. On August 7, the next day, the judge sentenced Johnson to spend 20 days in ja il for contempt o f court, even though the o rig in a l bond m otion that had brought him into court had just been dropped. Johnson appealed the contempt- of-court decision without avail. On June 16, 1981, the N orth C arolina Court o f Appeals denied his appeal. On July 24, the North Carolina Su preme C o u rt ordered Johnson to serve 20 days in jail. Johnson vowed to go on a hunger strike for the du- WEST COAST IS THE PLACE FOR CUSTOM FRAMING •IN C E 1918 *" ln ,* ‘Of Framin0 Rick ° « k' . C o n t.m p o r.rv M .U N , Oriental P .fU m ., Natural W ood., Gold Leaf Traditional raquirinant.5 * 1* * Con• u ,,• n ,• ■»••labia to aaaltt you w ith all your framing WEST COAST PICTURE CORP. 6 M 8 M .E . S k id m o r e VISA 2S2 7 2 M H o u rs : 1 8 M o n d a y S a tu rd a y MASTERCHARGE ration o f his imprisonment. Shortly before he entered the jail, Johnson observed, “ I take my stand. M y w ill is unbroken. It will Four state capitals are named after U .S . Presidents - J a c k s o n , M is s ., J e fferso n C ity, M o ., Lin co ln , Neb., and Madison, Wts. • Orville W right, one of the inventors of the airplane, NEVER traveled by airplane the last 33 years o f his life. W righ t had a nerve injury that caused him dis comfort when he flew. • Policemen are called "cops” or "coppers” because in the last c e n tu ry th ey o ften w o re big co p per badges. The first co-ed college in Am erica w as O berlin, in Ohio, which admitted women in 1833. American State Bank AN INDEPENDENT BANK Head Office 2737 N . E. Union Portiend. Oregon 97212 Justice on trial: the case of Nelson Jackson by Manning Marable A M E R IC A N STA TE B A N K .■ Ä X X v i nEmsstsussMsnssuusssMsssnsaKScxsncnsKSEscnHSESCsKsscsKScsEscscssstaaE not be broken because I have confi dence in the justice and power o f the people. The court is a lie. The truth will pievail.” . ~ 20 IDEAS UNDER $20 TO HELP YOG SAVE ENERGY AT HONE. Ev cn if you ve already done many of the big expen-- sive jobs to w eathenze^our house, there are still loTs of inexpensive little jobs you can do to save even more money all year long. pipes with insulation. Cost: where pipes and wiring enter $2 50 for 12 feet of rubber flex the house. Cost: $6. Savings: tubing and $1.59 for 25 feet of $4 to $19 a year. insulation. Savings: Up to 15. Change incandes $8 a year. cent bulbs to fluorescent. 4. Fix a leaky bathroom Cost: $17 for each fluorescent faucet. Cost: 50* for 6 fixture. Savings: $6 to $14 a washers. Savings: Up to $19 a year. year. 14. Replace high wat 5. Fix a leaky kitchen tage incandescent bulbs with faucet (washerless tvpe). lower wattage bulbs. Cost:$l. Cost: $3. Savings: Up to $19 a Savings: $1 to $7 a year. year. IX Use a warm water 6. Install low flow wash and a cold rinse in your shower restrictor. Cost: $5.50. washing machine. Cost: Free. Savings: About $8 a year. Savings: $13 to $25 a year. 7. Wrap electric heat 1#. When shaving, fill ing ducts with insulation. your sink with hot water in- C<JSt.: X r t!™ear fo° L Sav' stead of letting the water nui. ings: $40 to $100 a year. Cost: Free. 8. Replace furnace fil H Use your imagina ters, clean and maintain. tion. There are many little Cost: 70* per filter. Savings: jobs all over your house that Up to $20 a year. can save energy. 9t Lower your heating 20. Give us a call. Your thermostat in winter and local Pacific Power office is a Dtni i gel nicked fcv hot water costs when vou'rr shaving raise it in the summer. Cost: good place to pick up free do- Fill up your sink with hot water. instead of letting the rnonev vou spend for hot water go down the dram. Free. Savings: $12 to $100 a it-yourself information and year. Here’s a list you can our booklet on these ideas. 10. Install wall plug in clip out and keep of some of We can help. Just call those jobs and how much you filtration gaskets on exterior exterioi our office here in Portland at can save by doing them. walls. Cost: $1.50 for 10. Sav 238-2811. 11 you need “how-to” ings: $4 to $15 a year. I t Weatherstrip and instructions, we have a free caulk around exterior doors. booklet available at your Cost: $10. Savings: Up to $8* local Pacific Power office. a year. t Lower your water 12. Weatherstrip win heater thermostat to 120°, dows. Cost: $125 for I aver 140° with a dishwasher. Cost age double-hung window. Free. Savings: $8 to $24 a Savings: $4 to $12* a year. year. X Wrap water heater 13. Caulk around an ex ■with insulation. Cost: $20. terior window frame. Cost: Savings: $12 to $18 a year. $6. Savings: $4 to $12* a year. 3. Wrap hot water M. Caulk around holes ja ck co o n ev THE PEOPLE A T PACIFIC POWER Et tergv soli tiiot t s. We can help. Cost of material will vary depending where vou shop. So look for sales in the weatherization section o f a Home Improvement Center or hardware store. Yearly dollar savings figures are approximate and will van- depending on vour energy use. These figures are averages based hns,d.>„ J . ^ t L . t . ........aff irsen , ce arvtJS , , u> rht, f' f()r ,w, Savings indicated a n not avenges on an average dollar/kilowatt in ,u < _______ ___________ .. „.v„. cumulative. *To make these savings, you must do all three jobs III. 12 A 13). i<m 1 r « ,1« * I .« « im