StepsTowardJusticeHub#3

Human rights advocates often write about injustices. Many of the issues are eventually met with equitable solutions that need reporting with equal zeal. "Mary Neal on HubPages" reports good news - positive outcomes in the struggle for human and civil rights. Each hub carries several stories of progress and one tale of valor by police officers who are involved in keeping society safe and just every day. Therefore, rather than applying individual titles, these hubs are all called "Steps Toward Justice," with a numerical reference.

"Steps Toward Justice No. 3" has five reports to celebrate:

• "Whites only" Valley Swim Club to pay $3.35 million for discrimination
• Native Americans: DOJ grants $925,000 to reduce recidivism in Montana; Proposed Tribal Law and Order Act of 2009 to increase safety in tribal communities gains support
• Spotlighting Cyrus Vance, Jr., candidate for New York D.A., a prison reform advocate
• Police saved suicidal man who fell from bridge in Somerset, Massachusetts
• Support grows to decriminalize mentally illness

The stories and videos continue after each shopping opportunity. Your feedback on the news presented and suggestions for individuals, organizations, and agencies to highlight in future "Steps Toward Justice" hubs are invited in the comments section below or by writing MaryLovesJustice@gmail.com. I appreciate your support and participation in spreading good news!

Discriminatory business practices must be penalized, determined The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. A panel ruled that Valley Swim Club in Huntingdon Valley discriminated against African American and Latino day campers from Creative Steps, Inc. in June. Creative Steps had paid membership fees for its campers to swim at Valley Swim Club, but received a chilly reception upon their first and only time going there. White swim club members openly complained about their children mixing with African and Hispanic day campers and greatly traumatized the Creative Steps campers and staff by hurling racial slurs. Surprisingly, the manager of Valley Swim Club asked Creative Steps campers and staff to leave and refunded their $1,900 membership fee that had been accepted before Valley Swim Club's management knew Creative Steps campers were not white.

There was much public outrage from citizens of all races over Valley Swim Club's illegal Jim Crow actions. Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission demanded that Valley Swim Club pay a $3.35 million fine, equaling $50,000 for each child who was discriminated against. Lawyers for the swim club reportedly plan to appeal the order, claiming that the number of Creative Steps swimmers, 67, put a strain on Valley Swim Club's lifeguards and staff. The panel ruled, however, that it was discrimination and not safety concerns that caused the children's rejection. Valley Swim Club has hosted parties with between 100 to 125 children in the past. John Duesler, president of the swim club's board of directors, complained that the black and Hispanic children would "change the whole complexion" at the club.

People who voiced objections to children being discriminated against are commended for vocalizing their disgust with prejudice online, in phone calls or letters, protesting outside the swim club, and signing petitions. It is noteworthy that many whites were among those most incredulous about the abuse Creative Steps children suffered. Kudos to The Color of Change, which immediately launched a petition calling for an investigation by the Department of Justice. Tyler Perry is congratulated for offering to send the children to Disney World to take the edge off their inexcusable subjection to racism. Acolades are due Stephen Girard College for offering its facilities for use by Creative Steps campers over the summer. Congratulations to Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission for taking appropriate action to penalize racist business practices.

Although the children were hurt, they should be encouraged as they browse the web and see the support they received. It also benefits children who were regular members of Valley Swim Club to see that many people strongly disagree with bigotry. The public's outrage over Valley Swim Club's discrimination when Creative Steps campers appeared at the pool on June 29 can be gauged by reviewing the comments posted at my Care2 article published immediately after the incident. Browse for "Day Camp Kids Told Minorities Not Allowed in Phila., PA Pool, by Mary Neal."

The film below captured attitudes regarding the panel's conclusion in this matter.

Attorney General Eric Holder expressed a few weeks ago that imprisonment is not always the most effective method for dealing with crime. He also stated that real justice is more important than procedure. The change Mr. Holder is bringing to the Department of Justice is evidenced by the DOJ's grant of $925,000 to hire eight probation and parole officers in Montana Department of Corrections. This should help reduce recidivism among Native Americans, whose recidivism rate is 33% higher than others. The grant will also benefit offenders who have drug and/or alcohol addictions and mental illness. Approximately 42% of offenders currently supervised by Montana DOC have both issues. Unfortunately, it is common among people who have mental health problems to attempt to self-medicate with alcohol and street drugs.

The DOJ grant will enable Montana Department of Corrections to provide more personalized attention to those at greater risk of returning to prison. Considering the the toil on communities caused by crime and the high price of incarceration, it is financially prudent and more humane to use resources to prevent crime and recidivism than it is to spend significantly more money to imprison addicts and people with psychiatric issues. Congratulations to Attorney General Holder and the DOJ for supporting prison alternatives.

Violent crimes such as rape are also problems on tribal land besides drugs, alcholism, and recidivism. Victims have difficulty getting satisfaction after serious crimes because tribal counsels lack the ability to sentence offenders to lengthy prison terms. The Tribal Indian Law and Order Act of 2009 (S. 797) was introduced in April by Sen. Byron Dorgan, of North DeKota. It is intended to amend the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act and several other existing laws and improve the prosecution of, and response to, crimes in Indian country and for other purposes. The House version (H.R. 1924) was introduced in April by Rep. Stephanie Sandlin, of South DeKota. Both bills are gaining support.

The video below explains why reform is needed.  Sen. Dorgan and Rep. Sandilin are congratulated for introducing legislation to address problems presented in the film.

Congratulations to New York for having an opportunity to elect a district attorney who advocates for jail diversion, prison rehabilitation, and assisting parolees' adjustment to life outside of prison walls. Cyrus Vance, Jr. is a candidate seeking to replace retiring 35-year veteran district attorney Robert Morgenthau. A recent article by Vineyard Gazette Online offers constituents insight into Vance's progressive opinions about reforms needed in New York's justice system.

Vance expressed dismay that although the United States comprises only five percent of the world's population, 25 percent of the world's prisoners are interned in U.S. correctional facilities. He cautioned that harsh measures do not lead to long-term crime reduction, and he voiced the need to provide assistance to inmates exiting prison because nationally, two-thirds of those persons generally wind up back in prison within three years of release. Vance believes there is a viable alternative:

“That is getting people treatment for the underlying issue that got them in trouble — whether it’s drug addiction or mental health problems, whether it’s anger management — trying to identify the factors and change that behavior, outside of a prison," Vance said.

Vance understands that getting people the help they need makes communities safer, restores families, prevents future crimes, and saves money. Incarceration costs around $60,000 per year per inmate in New York. He stated that safety and fairness are the most important considerations in a prosecutor's office.

Vance is proud of his past service on the state's Sentencing Commission. He said, “Just last March, the state amended its drug sentencing laws, the so-called Rockefeller laws, to permit judges to order nonviolent, drug-dependent drug sellers into treatment, as opposed to state prison. There is no more mandatory minimum sentence.”

New York has therefore restored to judges the right to assess the defendants that come before their benches and render judgments that take into account any extenuating circumstances that the judges see as being relevant, such as mental illness. Tough-on-crime measures such as mandatory minimum sentencing, three-strikes laws, the law of parties, and the War on Drugs are responsible for America's huge incarceration rates.

Police officers in Somerset, Massachusetts performed a valiant rescue of a despondent man at the new Brightman Street Bridge site on September 23. The suicidal man was a former iron worker who security officers noticed on the bridge and called police. When police arrived and tried to coax the man from the bridge, the man tried to sit on the edge but fell instead.  He was left precariously dangling by his hands. Somerset officers rushed to grab the man's wrists and pull him to safety. Lt. Glenn Neto, Sgt. Todd Costa, and officers Peter Massa and Ricardo Pavao ignored their own potential for danger and rescued a citizen in need.

The World Health Organization warned that a rise in suicides should be expected in response to the economic crisis. Surprisingly to some, the largest suicide rate is among middle aged white females. In fact, twice as many women as men call suicide prevention hotlines. Suicide is also rising among American troops. In February, Army officials reported that suicide rates were at their highest in nearly 30 years and that more soldiers died by their own hand in January than by Al Qaeda. Veterans advocates said the staggering figures the Army released did not include soldiers who commit suicide soon after leaving the military. Plans were made for suicide prevention training for all soldiers.

The nation's increase in suicide attempts makes it important for police departments to know how to respond competently in such situations. Somerset police officers are commended for responding quickly and appropriately to save the citizen in crisis. A year ago, I published a story and video about a similar situation with a despondent man threatening to jump off a bridge in Colombia, Missouri. Police responded by Tasering the citizen, actually causing him to fall from an expressway overpass. To appreciate how horribly the Somerset incident could have turned out had the police officers been less proficient, see Philip McDuffy's tragic ordeal in the video below and browse online for my article entitled "Police Tase Suicidal Man on Bridge, CAUSING His Fall, by Mary Neal."

IN 2005 when I undertook the mission of advocating for incarcerated mentally ill people like my unfortunate brother, Larry, I found little material online that specifically addressed the need to decriminalize mental illness. I called mental health organizations hoping that they could refer me to one that was exclusively dedicated to freeing mental patients like Larry was from bondage in correctional institutions where many are abused and some die. Although there are numerous excellent mental health groups and organizations, my search for one specifically dedicated to decriminalizing mental illness failed - there seemed to be none. In response, I founded an online advocacy organization: Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill (AIMI).

Roadblocks to treatment resulted from hospital closings, reduced community services, and stringent "immediate danger to self and other" restrictions against involuntary treatment that continue to leave sick citizens, their families, and neighbors less safe than is reasonable or necessary. For mentally ill prisoners, the end result of mental health reforms of the 60's and 70's was actually trans-institutionalization from the nation's health care system to the criminal justice system, from hospitals to homelessness and/or cruel incarceration. Now attitudes are changing. People are more cognizant of the incarcerated mentally ill, who comprise 1.25 million of the 2.3 million prisoners in America. Elected officials, judges, and other decision makers are moving toward prison diversion for mentally ill offenders, and the stigma attached to the condition is lessening. There is much more concern about imprisoned mental patients than there was previously. Heightened awareness is evident in news reports and editorials, prisoner activists group mail, and bills being proposed and recently passed in Washington and state legislatures across the nation. CHANGE is happening!

The groups, organizations, and individuals who work to benefit persons with psychiatric issues are too numerous to name here, and many are regional grass roots organizations that I do not have personal knowledge about. Special commendation and public support should go to Treatment Advocacy Center, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, The Carter Center, NAMI, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, ACLU, NAFPR, The Single Voice Project, SPAAMI, Pastors Against Injustice, Rights for Incarcerated People with Psychiatric Disabilities (a New York organization), StopMax, and many others that I plan to share information about in future hubs.

We are a long way from decriminalizing mental illness in the U.S., but I anticipate it happening some day. It is encouraging to know that at the end of Dorothea Dix's advocacy in the 1800's, only .07% of prisoners were mentally ill. Another great human rights advocate shared this profound truth:
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“When our days become dreary with low hovering clouds of despair, and when our nights become darker than a thousand midnights, let us remember that there is a creative force in this universe working to pull down the gigantic mountains of evil, a power that is able to make a way out of no way and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows. Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward JUSTICE.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Five more steps reported in our journey toward justice in America! Please join us for "Steps Toward Justice No. 4." Depending on what happens over the coming days, we might congratulate several organizations and highlight their services and contributions. Not all reports are positive like the reports presented in "Steps Toward Justice." Please visit my blog for daily reports on some of the problems that occur, such as the legless unarmed man and a 78-year-old who were Tasered by police, the alleged wrongful execution of Tod Willingham and apparent risks for another - Thomas Arthur. Just browse for "Mary Neal Google Profile" to get my Blogger link. I hope you visit soon.

If you missed "Steps Toward Justice" no. 1 and 2, you can access them by selecting "More hubs by Mary Neal" at the top, right of this HubPage.

We look forward to your feedback. Your suggestions for future reports and commendations are invited. We'd appreciate your sharing this hub with your friends and networks by sending the link or using the sharing buttons below. HubPages are commercial, so please do not re-post the data herein on the Internet. You may continue to re-publish my blog posts at FreeSpeakBlog and NowPublic articles, though. Your participation is appreciated.

Until next time, we'll keep moving toward justice one step at a time. That's wise advice from the music video to enjoy below the comments area. The video is followed by more potentially helpful information. Thanks again for your interest!

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Order my steps in Thy Word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. ~Psalm 119:133