TR>                                                            Are the
 TR> police so evil that you would prefer to tolerate the drunks, paint
 TR> sniffers, and dope dealers around your home?
 RW> I'd want them to do something about it and I want my neighbors
 RW> to do something about it also.  The police can't do crap if the
 RW> people aren't willing to help themselves.
You are 100% correct, the police need complainants and witnesses. It does
take courage to step forward and be a witness. Without the help and
committment of the people, the police are handcuffed the majority of the
time. There are many offenses that can't be filed without a citizen
complainant and witness.
 RW> What have you accomplished?  You have spent thousands of dollars
 RW> to keep a drunk off the streets for 30 days. You also have taught
 RW> him that getting arrested isn't a bad thing, AAMOF it's a pretty
 RW> good gig-a vacation, except for no booze.
The local jail does many times become a social institution. We don't spend
money at the local level like you've heard about in higher security county,
state, and federal institutions. There are many people in my city who would
not be alive without the City Jail. You are 100% correct again, except for
the amount of money spent. We do clean them up, feed them, and put some
decent clothes on them, but most of them work as trustees. We have work crews
in City Parks, etc. that are usually all City Jail Trustees. Some of them
have been arrested hundreds of times, just as you stated. It is a way of life
for many of them, just as you stated.
At the beginning of my career with the Lawton Police Department, you didn't
have to commit a crime to spend the night in city jail. All you had to do was
say you were cold and hungry. We book you in as a "sleeper", and you left
when you wanted to, maybe after getting a couple of hot meals into you. We
don't have a program like that now, but you are right, the street folks know
how the system works. (IMHO) I would rather have these folks warm and eating
in our city jail than robbing and burglarizing. You can bet that the street
cops understand the system too. We know a lot of these people on a first-name
basis. I think that the system works fairly well at the local level for all
concerned.
Tom Rightmer - A Victims' Rights Advocate
... Since vegetarians eat vegetables, beware of humanitarians
--- Blue Wave/DOS v2.30
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