A ug . 6 , 1 9 9 7 • T he P ortland O bserver
P age A 4
More children imprisoned with adults
Don’t allow our young people to be crushed In the push for harsher punishments
B y M arian W right E delman
Since the beginning of the decade, politi
cians in all 50 states have been pushing for
laws to try more children as adults, even
though there is no evidence that being con
victed in adult court or sentenced to adult
prison is an effective way to reduce youth
crime.
The truth is, exposing children to the
more hardened criminals in the adult justice
system-which lacks the education and psy
chological treatment available in the Juve
nile system -not only jeopardizes young
offenders’ safety but increases the likeli
hood that they will commit crimes again.
Studies show that those tried as adults
S. 10 would subject more children to the
cruelty of adult jails and prisons. S. 10 would
allow juveniles to mix freely with adults as
long as there isn’t "direct physical contact
that provides an opportunity for an adult
inmate to physically harm ajuvenile.” Which
is no protection at all. Current law provides
for removal of juveniles from adult facili
ties in most cases and, if not, separation of
juveniles from adults by sigh, and sound.
Tell Congress: It is essential that children
who are arrested be housed in juvenile fa
cilities, or at least separated from adults by
sigh, and sound. Juvenile facilities are se
cure and protect the community from any
potential danger; protect children from ha-
rassment, propositions, and physical and
sexual assault by adult prisoners; and at
tempt to ensure that the children receive the
education, counseling, treatment, and reha
bilitation only available in juvenile facili
ties.
S. 10 would treat runaways and truants
like criminals rather than children in need.
S. 10 allows runaways and truants to be held
in correctional facilities—for 10 days, and
in some cases even longer. Current law al
lows the children to be held only in deten
tion facilities, and for shorter periods.
Tell Congress: Children who run away or
skip school do not belong in jails and pris
ons, especially not for indefinite, or lengthy,
periods of time. These children need access
to community facilities and services, where
there is help and hope for their futures.
Let’s no, allow children to be tried in
adult courts and thrown into adult prison
where they will only learn to be better crimi
nals. Instead, let’s invest in intervention and
prevention on the front end, and do some
thing to stop the flow of guns into our
children’s communities and homes. And if
your children are unfortunate enough to land
in court, let’s ensure that they get the kind of
education and psychological treatment that
will help them lead productive lives.
For more information about the B C C C ,
call 202-628-8787.
Finding extraordinary
results for children
St. Mark
Baptist plans
revival
Everybody Can Make A Difference
A ll Christians in the greater Portland
metropolitan area with a heart for genuine
Holy Spirit inspired revival, are invited to
join the St. Mark Baptist Church of Portland
in a Solemn Assembly of the Saints before
God August 24th thru 26th.
The theme for the occasion is “ Set A-part
To God,” Nehemiah 9:1-3. The Reverend
Percy Manuel, a senior elder among the
elders in Portland and co-pastor of the Mt.
Zion Baptist Church, will bring a Word from
the Lord each of the three evenings.
The assemblies will began at St. Mark on
Sunday, August 24th at 6PM; Monday the
25th and Tuesday the 26th at 7PM. The
church is located at 103 N E Morris Street.
Rev. Robert Kelley is the pastor.
For more information call (503) 287-
7457.
B i M arin W right E dei . man
We adults look at the daunting c h a l
lenge o f ensuring that all children are
raised to be kind, healthy, intelligent,
and moral in an increasin gly hostile
society and wonder whether we have
enough money, education, or time to
really make a positive difference in
their lives.
From now on, whenever you start doubt
ing whether you, as an individual, have the
power to ensure that children are safe, well
educated, and morally grounded, tell your
self:
I can ask my social club, employer, soror
ity, fraternity, or choir to adopt a school or
a class.
I can start a homework club, chess club.
Scrabble club, or debating team on my block.
I can read to a child in a children’s hospi
tal for an hour on two Saturday afternoons a
month.
I can walk a neighborhood child whose
parents work to school two mornings a week.
I can make sure my children know about
the dangers of handguns, refuse to allow a
handgun in my home, and urge elected offi
cials to keep handguns out of the hands of
young people.
I can hold a yard sale and donate the
proceeds to an after-school program.
I can write a letter to the editor about
children’s issues in my community or meet
with my newspaper’s editorial board to edu
cate the members about the needs of chil
dren in my community.
I can Find out about local immunization
projects and share the information with par
ents in my neighborhood-or organize a
project myself.
I can give one child a music lesson once
a week.
I can attend police and community meet
ings and raise concerns about children's
safety.
I can organize a winter coat and shoe drive
for children in need or go through my
children's toy box with them and donate
some toys to another child or shelter.
I can encourage my employer to institute
a flex-time policy that encourages employ
ees to attend school-related activities-or
start one myself if I am an employer.
I can make sure that there are no toxic
materials like lead paint in my home.
I can raise or give money to sponsor a
child for a week at camp.
1 can buy extra school supplies when I
shop with my children and donate them to a
shelter or neighborhood school.
I can ask my church or mosque to open the
building at night for children in the commu
nity who need tutoring.
I can demand that store owners in my
neighborhood not sell alcohol or cigarettes
to minors.
I can start a bus token drive for students
who cannot afford transportation costs to
school.
I can have a story hour in my living room
every Sunday for neighborhood children
I can survey my community for aban
doned houses, vacant lots, and drug houses
that are harmful to children and work to get
rid of them
I can form a library club on my block and
escort children to the library once a month
I can help children on my block create a
I
commit new crimes sooner after their re
lease from prison and commit more serious
and violent crimes, than those tried as juve
niles.
This fall, the U.S. Senate will vote on a
bill, S. 10, which could mean more children
than ever being thrown into adult jails and
prisons.
The House already has passed an equally
harsh companion bill, H R. 3. We must act
now to ensure that our children are not
trampled in the political rush for harsher
punishments against young offenders.
Call your Senators when they are home
the month of August to support crucial
changes to S. 10.
neighborhood garden or a container garden.
I can call a radio talk show to speak out on
behalf of children and speak the truth to
those who spread a message of hate, fear,
and prejudice.
I can learn about which elected officials
support children’s issues and vote for them.
I can organize a summer nutrition pro
gram to provide needed meals for hungry
children.
I can invite a teenager to accompany me
twice a week on my morning run or walk or
invite a neighborhood child to accompany
my family on a trip to a museum or play
ground.
Everybody can help produce extraordi
nary results for children by doing some very
ordinary things.
Let's all of us begin thinking of ways that
we can make a difference and never accept
the notion that we have too little money,
time, or education to do so.
Editor’s note: Marian Wright Edelman
is president o f the Children's Defense
Fund, which coordinates the Black Com
munity Crusade for Children, whose mis
sion is to leave no child behind and to
ensure every child a healthy, head, fair,
safe, and moral start in life
o
SAFEWAY
FOOD & DRUG
Mt. Olivit sets
special meeting
oi, 99 years old' is one o f the artworks on display in a collection on art
1 Portland State University as part o f the exhibition "Affirming Women 's
■aditionai Roles: Care Giver and Crone" which opens Thursday and can
=• coon thmnah jii/0 oq at tho Iinivnrsitv's Smith Memorial Center.
_____
SUMMER SALE
Fresh Oregon
Grown Fryers
SAFEWAY (ki) COUPON
EXPIRES B/12/97
Lucerne Gallon Milk
• 1%, 2% , Non Fat, Dairyland or
Skim Supreme
• First 1 with coupon
»Thrifty Pack (Washington
Fryers sold in Washington)
• First 3
• SAVE up Io B it lb.
JH »
HUÍ
Lucerne Non Fat
Lucerne 1%
Lucerne 2%
Lucerne Oairyland
Lucerne Skim Supreme
With The
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In-Store
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A ll members of Mt Olivit Baptist Church
are invited to participate in an open discus
sion meeting Sunday Aug. 10 at 5:00 p.m. at
Highland Baptist Church, 607 N. E. Alberta.
The meeting is hosted by concerned
t
members support group.
J
iff Pea(
1
I
J
PLU »ROM
RLU «8001
PLU »8002
PLU »8003
PLU «8004
One coupon per customer Coupon valid 8/6/97 thru 8/12/97 at your Oregon
Safeway Stores (except Milton-Freewater) and S W Washington stores servingi Clark.
Wahkiakum Cowlitz. Skamania and Klickitat bounties only COUPON CANNOT BE
DOUBLED
Sweet Juicy
Nectarines
Available at your Safeway store.
Visit Safeway s Web site at
w w w .s afe w ay .c o m
• Grown in California
. SAVE up to M t lb.
PRICES EFFECTIVE
AUGUST 1997
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