unequ
ByRho cia B. I
Capital News Service
LANSING - Equality and
justice are just some of the rights
people of every race, gender,
color and creed are supposed to
enjoy as United States citizens.
But many argue that there is
a disproportionate number of
minorities to whites serving sen­
tences in jails nationwide.
And some believe that
women receive unfair and insen­
itive court decisions in cases
concerning rape and abuse.
While the controversy con­
tinues nationwide, some 'state
officials and judges believe
Michigan has reduced unfair
practices in sentencing based on
race and gender.
Michigan Supreme Court
Justice Michael F. Cavanagh
said race and gender disparities
concerning sentencing have
been reduced in Michigan.
- "Racial and gender factors
shouldn't playa role in sentenc­
ing, but unfortunately in some
places it does," Cavanagh said.
"In Michigan the racial and
gender factor has be n reduced.
.. It is not a significant factor in
entencing. State guidelines and
entence reviewing have made it
hard for discriminatory prac­
tices to take place in this state -
it is hard to form a bias."
"Di parities in this state have
been reduced almost to a statis­
tical insignificance. Other states
are free to inact la that verse
on subtle forms of discrimina­
tion, but that doesn't take place
here."
Department of Civil Rights
Director John Roy CastiHo said
that .while Michigan "still has a
long y to go" in attaining equi­
ty in the judicial system, the state
h surpassed other areas na­
tionally.
"Yo can't say e are doing
e lIent, but we've seen that in
the I t few years e have done
• a lot to insure fair practices in
I -
refle
the judicial system," Castillo
said.
Castillo said many factors ac­
count for the large number df
race and gender disparities in
the judicial system including
socio-economic background.
"There are many arguments
out there," Castillo said. "But
some of it has to do with
economics and poverty ...
Minoriti outnumber whites 2-
1 in the poverty level and this is
where many crimes are com­
mitted.
White-collar crimes,
however, are committed by edu­
cated white individuals who can
afford better attorneys rather
than being assigned public
defendents. "
Castillo said while there is a
ow misrepresentation of
minoritie and women serving as
key judicial officials since 1968
there has been an influx of
minority and female applicants
into taw chools across the
country.
"There is a good repre­
sentation of minority and
women key judicial officials- in
Michigan," Castillo said. "There
are over 1,000 Black attorneys
and 150 Hispanic attorneys in
the state. Blanchard appointed
Justice Dennis Archer, the
second Black dver to erve on
Michigan's Supreme Court ...
this is a good sign"
Out of eight" Michigan
Supreme Court justices, there
are two women, Chief Justice I
Dorothy Comstock Riley and
Chief Justice Patricia Boyle.
Justice Dennis W. Archer is the
only Back member.
Gov. James Blanchard has
been credited with appointing a
25 percent representation of
minorities and omen erving
key roles and positions within
his administration.
Many racial bre kdown
figurtes for prisons nationwide
Co Ii 16
.
Going for bro e: strateqles
tor the Jac son campaign -
Gradu!ltion requirement:
IS ntice or se
By Colleen Ge 0 Id
Capital News Service
- LAN ING - A bill requiring
high school eniors to compelte
40 hours of community service
I before graduation received a
nod of approval from a senate
committee, although one parent
called it aIorm of "servitude." _
"The bill, introduced last
December by Sen. Jerome Hart,
D-Saginaw, would require all
high school student to com­
plete 40 hours of community ser­
vice as a graduation require­
ment. The legislation also would
allow students to earn a half
credit toward graduati n for 50
addition I hours of volunteer
service.
Analysts predict the bill
I would cost taxpayers anywhere
from $3.7 million to $5 million -
annually for administrative and
transportion cost. The Michigan
Constitution ys the ate can­
not require programs without
provciding the method of fund­
mg.
Testimony at the Senate
. Education and Mental Health
Committee was mixed.
Bloomfield HiIJs ad­
ministrator Gary Doyle said a
similar program already in place
at the district's high schools
helped students development a
positive self image and gave
them a sense of worth. The skills
help them fight suicidal feelings.
"Community rvice is cer­
tainly not a suicide prevention
program, but it certainly addres­
es the concern," Doyle said.
Fran O'Connell, coordinator
of . he volunteer program at
private Marywood High chool
in Birmingham, said its program
carne from tudent demand.
"They learned an awful lot,"
she said. "They learned what
they could do and what they had
to offer." -
But several parents ex-
pres ed concern that th state
was exercising too much con rol.
"I agree with the concept of
volunteer w rk, but to mandate
rvitude is not mething that I
agree with," s id Betty Lcwi ,
whose . ix da ghtcrs all com­
pleted volunteer wor . "When
you mandate omet . ng, you
t ke it out of the pirit f giving."
Joan Holly, a re cher at
Grand Rapids' Fore t Hills
Public Schools, said she was "ex­
tremely shocked" to learn about .
the bill before the Senate.
"I em getting increasingly dis­
turbed at the state's control of
my child," Holly said. "How long
before you start telling our
children where they will be
working also?"
The bill, now facing Senate
consideration, will have to battle
considerable opposition, includ­
ing the powerfullobbyi IS of the
16
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