July 25, 2007
Morning Roundup: Stand Up for Your Rights Edition
Good morning, Washington. If you're the sort of person who likes to start thinking about their lunch break just as soon as they sit down at their desks, we have excellent news for you in the form of a planned DC Vote rally for voting rights between noon and 1:30 p.m. today. Anyone who'd like to show their support for voting rights is encouraged to meet on the north side of Constitution Avenue between First and Second Streets NE for a short rally, and then fan out in the Senate office buildings to distribute literature to staffers. If you're planning to be there to fight for representation for the District, send an email to Lateefah Mims at lmims (at) dcvote.org.
Juvenile Detention Triples: A new study to be released today by the Campaign for Youth Justice shows that the average number of juveniles held in the D.C. Jail in recent months has tripled since last year. The Post reports that the rise is being attributed to factors such as an increase in violent crimes committed by juveniles, and by prosecutors applying a "blanket policy" of trying juveniles as adults. Council member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) expressed concern that holding so many youthful offenders with adult criminals only creates more dangerous criminals.
Rhee Spends Big on Staff: D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee plans to spend $1.6 million for salaries for her 13 top aides, The Examiner reports. Lisa Ruda, Rhee’s chief of staff, and Kaya Henderson, deputy chancellor, are each paid $200,000, the same amount as Mayor Adrian Fenty. The average salary of each Rhee aide is $122,000.
Briefly Noted: Reward offered for suspect sought in two D.C. bank robberies ... Two officers hurt in crash at Mass. Ave. and 13th St. NW ... Virginia man convicted in 2002 shooting rampage ... Mexico drug lord apprehended in Silver Spring restaurant.
This Day in DCist: In 2006 we noted the passage of last year's emergency youth curfew, and in 2005 we debated whether a section of 9th St. NW near U Street should be officially designated "Little Ethiopia."
Photo by andertho
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Am I the only one who thinks the tripling in juvenile detention rate is a good thing, these are violent criminals we're talking about right? The post story seems to take a very sympathetic tone as if these kids are being unfairly treated. And im not sure what Tommy Wells is basing his argument on. releasing these kids back onto the streets is going to make them less likely to commit crime? Just last year the Washington Post did an extensive piece on the outrageous recidivism rate among juvenile offenders which the paper directly linked to a weak judicial process and the lack of stiff sentences for these kids.
That post story made it very clear that these kids aren't being ``rehabbed.'' Rather, they are going into jail for 30 to 90 days for armed robbery and other serious crimes and then being released back to their presumably irresponsible parents, where they are more likely to end up nack on the streets doing the things they do.
How does the post reconcile last years story which was full of irrefutable statistics on the the persistence of this thuggery with this bleeding heart crap they put in the paper today. you commit a crime you do the time. That's real consequence.
That's a fair bit of putting words in someone's mouth to say that Tommy Wells wants to "release these kids back onto the streets". I think the article was questioning whether it was the best idea to put juvenile offenders into the general adult population at the DC Jail, or whether there was a more appropriate detention facility for these juveniles. I didn't read the article, or anyone quoted in it, as suggesting a juvenile should not be punished for the crime committed, it was simply a matter of where they should be held before going to trial.
Guest #1 you are not the only one.
I was happy to see more violent juveniles are in jail. The catch and release way of doing things does not work. At a time where the number of robberies with guns committed by juveniles is on the rise in Ward 1, I hope that the number keeps tripling until those violent offenders are safely in their cages. We are not talking about graffiti or shoplifting here. A 23 year old woman I know had a gun put in her face by 4 young males between 12-16 in Columbia Heights last summer. After handing over her purse, she was pushed to the ground, kicked, and called a white bitch.
Wells only has one line in the article. He doesn't argue that they should be released. He merely expresses concern about holding juveniles in the same jail as adults.
I don't think the Post story says what you think it said. Jail is a place where you go while awaiting trial. After conviction, the offenders are transferred to other locations (such as the one in Wisconsin that is mentioned in the article). There was a parent quoted in the article who wanted her child to go to jail.
I suggest you re-read the article.
Am I the only one who thinks the tripling in juvenile detention rate is a good thing, these are violent criminals we're talking about right?
Last I checked, you're innocent until proven guilty. I'm sure a lot of them are guilty, but the real problem you've stated yourself. The only options are jail or freedom. Shouldn't there be other options, for those who realize they screwed up, their parents are useless, and they want to change? And I'm not talking about Barry's "Youth Violence Initiative" that consisted of giving kids basketball tickets because if they're at a basketball game they're not committing any crimes.
Were you expecting any different conclusions from an organization called The Campaign for Youth Justice? Their site says they're dedicated to ending incarceration of those under 18 and of prosecuting them as adults. Make of that what you will.
I want to know what SS restaurant this guy was found in! The picture of the money with that link is INSANE.
The Post story says he was caught at P.J. Rice Bistro in Wheaton.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/24/AR2007072400150.html
Were you expecting any different conclusions from an organization called The Campaign for Youth Justice? Their site says they're dedicated to ending incarceration of those under 18 and of prosecuting them as adults. Make of that what you will.
Yeah, I heard these guys on NPR this morning. Breathless reporter: "Juveniles are being incarcerated in the adult jail system--some as young as *15*!" and ""
Last I checked, you're innocent until proven guilty.
As anyone who's lived in this city for longer than a week knows, its a miracle if you can get a police officer to actually arrest a violent juvenile in DC. And the reason they don't is that the DA's won't prosecute 99 times out of 100. So, no, the biggest problem in DC is not that teeming masses of innocent youths are being herded into the criminal justice system.
Sorry, if you're 15 or older, and you're committing violent crimes, you're old enough to go hang out with the big boys.
From the Post article:
[T]he rise is due partly to prosecutors applying a "blanket policy," trying as adults all juveniles accused of certain violent crimes, including murder, armed robbery and some assaults.
Good. F them.
everyone here commenting with opinions of being "happy to see more juveniles are in jail" are some dumb crakers loving liberal bloggers that aint knowing no parts of the streets that they came into; with the new revitalization, as imperialists to the sovereign working black neighborhoods.
fuck these yuppies.
fuck those that want to put my struggling fiends behind bars even more.
fuck those that cheapen my friends to statistics and numbers, pawns.
fuck the role of the white liberal. (not the white radical)