Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1986)
May 21. 1986. Portland Observer. Page 5 Reverse Priorities, Says Crime Expert Av H'<h la lh iu n Confronting crime by building more prisons and (ails is like mopping around an overflowing bathtub, according to criminologist F.lliot Currie "W ith o u t doing something to turn o ff the faucet, you're going to have to keep mopping,’ * Currie said C urrie, author o l C r>n /» t>» tn « g C runr Tn -hm rim n C htillrm e. and visiting scholar at the Center for the Study ol l aw and Society at the Cm versily ot Cahlornia at Berkeley, ad pressed an audience ol HX) at the Port land Building Friday lie was pined by Ron Herndon, co chair ol the Black United Front Countering the traditional jail and venlcixiiig approach. Currie outlined a progressive crime lighting agenda more police on the beat, intensively vupeivised probation, arresting wife heater», parenting classes, early child hood education, and model community programs Io rebuild neighborhoods "W e . as progressives. he said, need to come up with "vpectlic, cost effective ideas Part ol the tail space problem could he solved, for example, lie said, by keeping people out ot tail who don't need to be there In California. Vi'» 35*3 ol the jail population is made up ol mentally disabled people, the home less, and problem drinkers, according to Cutne “ I liese people need to have some thing happen to them, but it doesn't need to happen in ja il." I k - said Criminal tustice priorities need to he reversed pul more police out on loot in neighborhoods instead ot pouring money into sentencing and tails. Cutne said Having a cop on the beat makes residents feel that they are reclaiming then neighborhoods from "th e pimps and drug pushers," he said Also, Currie said, the police could spend more time on the street it they didn't have so much paperwork The paperwork is often simple and could be done by high school students, creating jobs in the process, he said Probation is another area where the system breaks down because officers are overworked Currie called lor smal ler caseloads for probation officers who would work intensively with former prison initiates to make sure they gel the jobs, medical help and psychological treatment they need in order to lead useful lives A comprehensive approach Io crime, accordint to Currie, must reach outside the criminal justice sy stem and into the home Parents need classes to learn how Io avoid passing on negative trails to their children, he said, and early childhood education programs like Head Start need continued sup|ior1 " I l you put $ '(XX) into early child hood education, then according to one study I read, it pays o il seven to one," in keeping kids out o f crime and o il six'ial welfare programs, he said Herndon, director of a Head Start program, said Head Start prepares young children for success in schixil and helps steer them away from a life on the streets ■’ Thirteen years after they’ ve had the experience, they still do belter than those who haven’ t , ” Herndon said Currie descried a model program ui Washington. D C where an integrated approach to crinx* lighting and com mumty building is having a "rip p le el lect” ill improving the quality ol life 11 k program combines street pal nils, a housing weatherization and rehab protect providing jobs lor youth, and a teen pregnancy center While small and unable to solve all o f the city's crime problems, the program selves as a model for future programs once "the crazy priorities ol our point cal culture' are reversed, he said ’ It costs soiik money to do this.” Currie said about the progressive prog rams and ideas on his agenda But in every case, they pay o il Flliot Currie answers questions during a discussion on crime while Sherri Sylvester and Ron Herndon listen. Photo to Richard .I Iti own IVIeiTinr lakklav Oregon Grown Fresh Fryers Plump Juicy Whole Fryers Perfect For Your Holiday Barbecue! Lb. Save Up To 50* Lb., No Limit! (All N atural, No A dditives) PRO Offers Tax Services to Public Lean Ground 12-Pack Coca Cola 5-Lb. Pkg Or Larget Coke. C le tk ic C h e ti» Co»» Diet Coke C e tte in e Free Coke Or S p o le 12 O r Cen» Piu» D ep In Ore /»v J rrr\ ( iiin ir r This country’ s tax system is confus ing to many At o ik time or another, almost every taxpayer runs into a seein ingly intractable problem with the In temal Revenue Service (IRS) Problems such as overdue relunds, lost tax returns or unfair treatment by an IRS agent are bound to occur, espe d a lly when o ik considers that last vear the IRS processed roughly 105 m illion tax returns I odeal with these problems, the IRS has appointed Problem Resolution O f ficers (PRO) Ihcse dedicated public servants help individuals who are hav ing problems with their taxes PRO offices are in every IRS District Office and Service Center In order to receive assistance from a problem re solution officer, a citizen must have first gone through normal IRS chan nels Once this has occurred. the PRO w ill step in. PR() officers are required by law to get back to the person w ithin five days after seeking assistance PRO handles only administrative problems; they can't change a person's tax liability or interpret the nation's tax law A PRO officer w ill handle your case until it has been resolved Van (amp* QSi CLASS REUNION The Cleveland High School Class of 19K I w ill hold its five year reunion on Saturday. August 23 at Westmoreland Park. Area B, from noon until 6 p m For lurthcr information, class members should write to P O Box 02573, Port Sweet Seedless Perlette Grapes Van Camp's Pork & Beans Crest, Pump Toothpaste First of the season, from California's Cocachella Valley! Save Up To 50* Lb., No Limit! What’ s a BBQ without Pork & Beans, Save Up To 60* On 3, No Limit! Reg., Mint, Gel Or Tartar Control, d ! Each 4.6-Oz. Pump! Save Up To 42* Ea., No Limit! $125 I land Oregon. 97202 I ft - i- ( - . * • • » r « t* >1 e V4 * ./ * . t * ’ J I
