Could Community Courts Work?
Recently, on the discussion board, the topic of community courts was mentioned. This is a program in which violators of simple “quality of life” crimes are required to pay restitution directly to the neighborhood in which the crime was violated. These crimes are typically misdemeanors such as prostitution, dui, vandalism, etc. As I began researching similar situations with neighborhoods across the country, I quickly found several cases in cities/states across the
US where community courts have already been established. When you have time, I encourage you to read some of the articles linked below.
Within our neighborhood, I can envision these criminals either paying a monetary fine that will go directly to bettering our neighborhood. (i.e. decorative street lights, landscaping, signage, etc) For those unable to afford the financial restitution, a program of community service would be utilized in which the violator would be required to complete a set hours of service within the neighborhood. These services would be set by the neighborhood leaders. We could have them clean under the overpasses, a constant problem of our neighborhood. They could help landscape our thoroughfares. Remove litter, paint over graffiti, establish our own Senior Assistance program, mow vacant lots or abandoned homes, etc.
Spend some time reading the articles below then share your thought. Do you think it could be a viable solution? The great thing about community courts is that it could free up valuable resources from the city to perform other tasks. On a strained Parks and Rec department, we can have these offenders assists with maintaining the parks, mowing, litter, etc.
New Community Courts to Target Minor Crimes
http://articles.latimes.com/2000/dec/25/local/me-4506
Indy Community Court
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/County/Pros/Prevent/CommPros/CommCourt/home.htm
Lesser Crimes & Offenses – Prostitution
http://social.jrank.org/pages/1293/Lesser-Crimes-Offenses-Prostitution.html
While I think this is one of the best articles you have put on this site, I do have a bit of an issue with it. Once again we are left doing all the thinking for what should be something handled by our city officials. Our neighborhood has some of the most creative and forward-thinking residents. It does become very tiresome that the city can’t OR won’t think of solutions. They can’t seem to “think outside the box” to develop the next generation of ideas that can not only help neighborhoods prosper, but find solutions and develop long-range goals. Hopefully, Ms Edge’s office has the insight and resources to take this post to the next level and create dialoge between the city and residents so that a forum can be created as the earlier post mentioned. While it is great to hold out hope that something can be accomplished, I am afraid that it will be us residents that not only hold the solution, we must also develop, enact and enforce it.
#1, I think you’re on to something there. We can sit around and whine about the city ignoring our neighborhood or we can get busy taking care of our issues ourselves. Yes, it’s not fair that we are overlooked for improvements time after time, but we have the creativity, intelligence and spirit right here in SH to bring about our own improvements. We just need good leadership within our ranks.
Usually the city’s ideas take seed from the residents. Is that so horrible? Myone concern is that when we have the hookers pay restitution to the neighborhood in which they were caught, I can hear the uproar that SH is getting all the benefits of the community based courts.
Oh please, that should be the least of our worries. We will gladly give up the prostitutes to ant area that would complain.