1 - Voice For The Defense Online

Editor's Cornerbership on all issues affecting our profes- by alegislative committee, or, maybe, notsion. Now, for the issues at hand. ...at all. I beheve lawyers are well-suited toI believe (and, you*fl note, is mytend their own business, and should do so,opinion) the membership of the state B~~ I believe our integrated bar system shouldhas been lulled crnaybe bullied) into be continued, and bemadeto workbetter.solidating problems facing the B~~ into But, only YOU can cause that to happenaall bee,, made by being interested, and involved, inI've always heard that anything worth completely aware of thefactthat ourlead- what's going On. A On Oursaying bears repeating-and anything enhip of the past few years has built a past "interest" in what our State Bar isworth hearing bears repeating twice. On multi.maon-dollar edifice, with quep domg is graphically portrayed by the lowat least two occasions I've used this fo tioned authority to do so, and \ylthout vote returns on past referendums. That arum to broach the issues confronting our funds to pay for it. Some have even return of 51% of total membership is suf-State Bar. Since the subject is worth both laughed at the predicament they put fielent to constitute a quorum is a menusayingand hearing, I'll take the hberty of themselves in-hellfire, folks, it's us and merit to our Professiona1"waltzin' it 'round" again. That we've it's our predicament. We need to stop I believe our is worth saving.1behadno response or comment from our smirking at thelr error (if error it were) kve it can serve us and the public. Imembers as a result of prior diatribes and start pushing for our solutions. don't believe a $100 or so one-time assessleadsme to fear apathy may be afoot I've worked actively in State Bar acti- ment is going strain member beamongTCDLA ranks, insofar as this issue vities for may years. I know the great yond reason. And, I don't believe weis concerned. If we canaccomplish nothing potential for good that exists in our State shdnld cut our nose off to spite our face.else with this publication, I hope we can, Bar as presently organized. I fear a situawithit, alleviate apathy among our mem- tion whichleavesaw businessto be tended Clif HolmesT. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S TCDLA? It was astounding to me that more people in prison for longer pefiods.the plight of a poor animal should receive The only major step that was madeREPORTnational attention when the plight of many last session to change the criminal justiceAs I write this report spring holidays of the humans of this country and state system so that it will help more peopleare just ending and the celebration of are ignored. Harvey's story is reported in was the creation of the Adult ProbationEaster has just been completed. One story the same paper that includes the Gover- Commission, yet the legislature in itsthat was given national press coverage in- nor's call for a new crime package in the infinite wisdom dld not fully fund thetrigued me very much-that was the story next legislature, a report that while the Commission after its creation.of "Harvey the Attack Rabbit." Across total crime index dropped 4%, the rate We seem, as a society, to have an unthenation newspapers and television gave of violent crime increased, and a notice derstanding of why a rabbit does thingsus lengthy stories about Harvey. that the State has approved the purchase that a "normal" rabbit should not do andHarvey it seems was an Easter present, of $8,000,000. worth of land for a new we spend a great deal of bme and moneya number of years ago, to a family that prison. We all worry about violent crime, to solve those problems. Yet even thoughdid nofhing but torture and torment the and we would prefer not to be victims, we know that long prison terms and morepoor beast. Harvey was rescued by the but it should be obvims to all of us that prisons do Mtle to stop people's "abnor-SPCA and gmen a home with all that a longer prison terns and larger prisons are mal" actions we still work in that direcrabbitcould want. But Harvey attacked not going to decrease the violent crime tion and ignore those areas of housing,any person or other rabbit that came near rate. jobs and education that can make a realhim. On bad days Harvey would attack In the last session the Governor's difference.even his water and food dish. The SPCA, cjme package, as explained to the people, Harvey was not born mean, he wasdeciding to make the most of a bad tlnng, would help stem the tide of violent crime created by his environment. While thetook Harvey on tours of schoolsandmade by increasing terms in prison and deny- analogy loses something, we sbll seemeducational films of him, to show both ing probation for many violent crimes. uncon~emed with the factors that createchildren and adults what bad treatment Yon as individuals involved in the crimi- human criminals. And where Harvey iscan do to make animals mean and unen- nal justice system realue that very few, helped along toward "rehabilitation," wejoyable to have around. Harvey ads and probably less than 1% of the defendants put ouf "abnormal" members m cagesshows raised $8,000 for the SPCA in charged with violent mime, got probation I& St W~arvey's, with little or no contwoyears. under the prior qtatutes, But politicall? f? fog *habilitation or the effect of theWhat does Harvey have to do with looks good to talk in tern af pdtW ca&&1978/VOICE for the Defense