Post in Dyna-mite Hawthorne/Mpls Issues community BBQ

Aug 11 14:32 UTC

Greetings,

 I'm in, too. What can I do to help this be successful? My areas of emphasis
are
criminal justice reform, homeless advocacy and veterans issues. When I say
"criminal justice reform" I do so with an eye toward alternatives to sentencing
for non-violent offenses, successful re-integration into communities for
ex-offenders,
and the work around collateral consequences. The public is not very well
educated
on these things. I know many, many ex-felons (and some would surprise people
a great deal) who are successful and productive people. Now, before folks freak
out not all people who go to jail are sex-offenders. I focus my energies
primarily
on non-violent drug offenders, a third of those in prison. There is an
underlying
myth that "none of these guys ever go straight". That is simply not true. They
won't remain straight, however, if they have no other alternative.
 In terms of veterans there are 10s of thousands of Minnesotans who have served
or who are serving in the Conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Aside from the
policy work
I have done on this I also help out many individual veterans and their families
as they
return. As part of that I and a slate of rather prominent veterans are opening
a
Veterans Initiatives Center on the VAMC Campus. I would be happy to bring in
a bunch of veterans for this if there would be a use for us.
 Lastly, the issue of homelessness. In any given year between 7 and 10 thousand
homeless folks (some are repeats)are arrested or cited by the MPD for largely
"livability"
offenses. Just so folks understand if you are on the Streets of Minneapolis at
night
with nowhere else to go and you don't look "right" you will at some point be
cited
or arrested for something...many of these "offenses" are basically derived out
of the
lack of anywhere else to be. The cops are in a bad spot, often, because
neighborhoods
or businesses call in and the cops are forced to "do something". Being on the
street
with no where to go will make you look "wrong". Not to say that the homeless
have
no responsibility for their predicaments, some do. Some have had just plain bad
luck. Others it is substance abuse, alcohol or mental health issues. Still
others have
financial problems coming out of divorce or separation. Basically, most are
simply
just regular folks fallen on bad times. Mostly, they are not rich. Wealthy
people often
have difficulties understanding how these things can happen...I deem it
arrogance and
ignorance. It is odd as so many of our ancestors fled the Old World under
similar
circumstances, many under stricture of indentured servitude...we forget that.
Most
of our families were not members of the landed gentry or aristocracy...their
crime
was more often than not poverty or political or religious dissent...but mostly
poverty.
We need to remember that.
 At any rate, let me know what I can do to help increase understanding in
neighborhoods. I have no problem with public safety. For violent criminals I'll
help you drag them to the cop shop. For those in poverty or with other problems
that cannot be cured by a jail cell I ask that we have a bit more compassion.
Fearing someone because of how they look is not "criminal" it is ingnorance
in action. Very often looking at someone who looks "scary" can be dispelled by
engaging them in conversation...they are people just like you.

Guy Gambill
(Northeast)