Well put Barb! Although this is a Minneapolis based forum, Barb brings up the point that our County, State and Judicial systems have to take an active role in helping elevate our cities problem. If we cannot have the county help us in our desire to seriously work towards prevention via judicial prudence, then we as a city must stand up and ask for accountability. Repeat offenders who terrorize private citizens hold us all hostages when they know the system is working on their side. Our Council and Mayor should press the County and State legislatures to reform the system that allows an admitted drug dealer caught possessing after being arrested for shoplifting to pay a $50.00 fine and one years probation, while in the very next breath fining a citizen with a clean record $300.00 for an unpaid parking ticket. I have seen this and many more. Sentencing guidelines and plea-bargaining has to be looked at very closely to see what can be done to deter criminal behavior. And we as citizens of the city of Minneapolis need to take a more proactive role in those who pass judgment on the criminal activities happening in ALL of our city.
The problem is indeed a city wide one. If we fix it with a "band aid" in the Philips neighborhood, it will only go to another area. (If you think this is not true, think again about the two men in the elevator from Chicago.) Valdis Rozentals SAW _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
