Document text
Guest forum: Time to invest in a security system By Arnie Green Medford Oregon is making national news pages. We are making national editorial pages. We are also making national comic pages. Most of this coverage has been about the break down of our educational and health care systems. What has not gotten much coverage has been the steady erosion of our juvenile justice system. Our juvenile justice system is somewhat complex so bear with me for a moment or two. The system runs the continuum between prevention, diversion and incarceration. Non-profits and schools have been receiving prevention funding to assess kids at risk of committing juvenile crimes and then providing services intended to prevent those crimes. Juvenile departments receive state money for diversion programs and basic probation services. Finally, the Oregon Youth Authority receives funding for incarceration in secure facilities, in residential community based programs, and for its parole functions. All these funding sources have been cut over the past year. The current "all cuts" budget would further cut prevention and diversion funding. The Oregon Youth Authority has already eliminated hundreds of secure custody beds from the system. It cut numerous community beds operated by the not for profit sector. Parole officers with years of experience have been laid off. The Director of the Youth Authority calls what is happening in the system the "hydraulic effect". Cuts in beds in the secure facilities means that community based programs are pressured to admit delinquents who were formally in the secure facilities. These community based programs were not designed for those hardened kids. And there are also fewer community beds. Those who are moved out of the community based facilities either by cuts or the "hydraulic effect" have to be served by juvenile departments. But the juvenile department has fewer resources. Since there are few if any prevention or intervention services left more and more kids commit delinquent acts. But there are fewer resources for a growing population of delinquents. I know most of us have grown numb listening to the litany of woes from education, social services and public safety. However, I think it is important to think about how our lives as individuals will change. The kids on the street understand that the courts have closed down a day a week. They know that the secure facilities will only have room for sex offenders. They understand that if they commit property crimes they may never do any hard time. They may never even appear in court. Those of you who have been victimized by kids burglarizing your home or car know that the knowledge that your personal space has been violated can be an extremely traumatic event. Knowing that they may never be held accountable will add to that traumatization. So, I would recommend that you invest in security systems. Kids are more likely to go after soft targets. Of course, the good systems will cost many times more than you might pay if the legislature had the courage to raise taxes to pay for these services. If you have any investment capital left after the stock market decline you might what to think about investing in companies that build and install these systems. If you are a worker laid off from the schools, state police, juvenile corrections, or community based residential programs you might want to seek out a career in security. Maybe we should just put up barbed wire fences around our community. Maybe Doonesbury will give us another week or two. Editor's note: Arnie Green is executive director of Community Works. Letters to the Editor: Voting is about inspirational candidates, not mailboxes This is in response to your editorial of May 14 regarding Oregon's vote-b- mail process. It is my impression, having lived elsewhere, that Oregon's voter turnout by percentage is relatively high compared to other states. I would like to see a factual article (perhaps I missed it?) that looks at turnouts by state. It would also be useful to see whether turnout has increased, remained constant, or dropped off since vote by mail has been implemented. I personally find it a very convenient process. It is my opinion that mailing or dropping off a ballot in no way excludes the majority of voters. If people aren't voting, I believe it's because they feel they are faced with unacceptable choices or candidates, or, sadly, feel their vote does not matter. The problem is not the logistics of voting, it is inspiring people to believe they can make a difference and they have viable alternatives. Since we have seen a shift in civil liberties recently, it is no longer anathema that our state or federal government should require citizens to vote. By putting a "No opinion" entry on each ballot, that continues to provide the freedom for people not to choose, even when required to contribute to the democratic process we so cherish. But I suspect it would not be in the best interest of our government to do that, therefore it will never happen. Imagine what could change if everyone voted, and not simply less than half of our citizens. Scott Calamar, Ashland A rite of passage This past Saturday night (May 10) a very surprising event happened in Ashland: 23 boys, aged 14 to 17, were welcomed home and honored by over 100 members of the Southern Oregon community for having participated in a difficult and powerful initiation ceremony. Boys To Men is a rite of passage into the conscious journey toward adult manhood. These young men have taken the first step. Initiations into manhood have existed for thousands of years in societies all over the globe, but are sadly lacking in this modern culture. With the help of some 40 men in the New Warrior community the ancient tradition has been revived and as anyone who was lucky enough to have attended the welcome home ceremony could attest, the results are clear to see. The young men were open, emotional, strong, thoughtful, articulate and excited to be involved in something that has opened the door to a part of themselves that many modern men may never really know. Thanks are due to many people for making this event a reality: Mothers, fathers, the boys themselves, scholarship donors and the men who donated their time and money in order to participate, and in particular to Pete Young, the weekend coordinator whose tireless and creative effort made this possible. This will happen again in late September. If you or your son are interested, please contact either: Bill McMillan, 482-1072, or Greg Carey, 482-0085. Bill McMillan & Greg Carey, Ashland LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -