Crime Doesn't Pay ? Victims Do
BY MARGARET PERSON CURR1N
United States Attorney
And RETHA J. LEE
Victim/Witness Coordinator
There is nothing in your life ? short of war, famine,
or pestilence ? that can prepare you to be a victim of
violent crime. To be dragged from your car on your
way home from work and mugged or beaten. To be
raped in your own apartment in the middle of the
night To have your daughter murdered or sexually
abused in her college dorm room on her first venture
away from home. In our hearts, victims of violent
crimes hold a special, tender place, because we know
that their pain might well be ours.
But there is no tender place in our criminal justice
system for victims. Even the name implies it: justice
is for the criminals, not victims.
While criminals are surrounded by a blockade of
legal and constitutional rights, victims are left out in
the cold. Only a few states offer constitutional guaran
tees to victims. The rest offer various "Victims' Bills
of Rights," with the provision that the rights named are
suggestions only. If they are ignored by the authorities
in a particular case, victims have no recourse.
Most Americans are unaware of the pain of vic
tims, for a variety of reasons. Movies and television
show a system of police officers, prosecutors, and
judges who arc fighting for the victim. Their job is to
get the criminal and put him away ? all within 60 min
utes.
In reality, it doesn't work that way. A victim may
suffer a complete physical, emotional, and financial
breakdown from his or her experience, while the at
tacker is out on the streets again in a matter of hours,
days, or months.
Part of the reason for this is that in the American
system of criminal justice, a violent crime is held to be
a crime against society. The officials of the law, from
the first police officer on the scene, to the judge and ju
ry, to the prison guard who finally releases the offend
er, arc all agents of our injured society.
This is not an isolated problem. North Carolina's
crime rate has increased 12%, triple the national crime
rate increase of 3%. Our state has risen from 40th in
1985 to 28th in the 1989 national average crime in
crease. Many Carolinians will be touched directly;
others will be vicariously affected. Economically, not
one of us will escape the effect of crime and violence
in our state.
When it happens, how they will be treated? One
woman, a rape victim, was kept in a hospital emergen
cy room until the early morning and subjected to the
necessary (but painful and humiliating) examinations.
All her belongings, including her clothes and her purse
(with her wallet in it) were taken from her so be held as
evidence. When it was over, she found herself stand
ing on a street corner in a paper dress, without money
or keys to her apartment, and with no way to get to her
home across town.
Victims have needs ? real needs ? that must be
met. To be denied even minimal involvement in "their
case" is painful to them. Yet often they arc baiTed
from the courtroom by officials who feel that their
presence might have an adverse effect on the rights of
the criminal.
Ten years ago, there were seldom victims in our
courts. Today, the situation for victims is looking bet
ter. Today, there are judges, prosecutors, law enforce
ment officials, and various service providers working
with victims' rights groups to give victims a voice in
our legal system, and to create avenues for compensa
tion.
California, Rhode Island, Florida, Michigan, Texas,
and Washington all provide constitutional protections
to victims. Forty-six states have victim compensation
funds; in North Carolina our Department of Crime
Control and Public Safety administers the Crime Vic
tims Compensation Commission funds. Both Republi
cans and Democrats make victims' rights part of their
election year platforms. President Bush has made the
issue an integral part of his agenda. Victims and their
advocates across the country have organized a grass
roots movement that has gained the attention and sup
port of lawmakers and judges. It's a movement that is
having a powerful effect on the way we approach the
question of criminal justice.
Across North Carolina, organizations including the
North Carolina Victim Assistance Network, North Car
olina Justice Acadcmy, North Carolina Council on the
Status of Women, North Carolina Department of
Crime Control and Public Safety, and the Victim-Wit
ness Subcommittee of our Law Enforcement Coordi
nating
Committee have organized together into a powerful
coalition to address this problem and to draw attention
to the plight of victims. Many working on this issue
are victims themselves. Others are important members
of the legal system. All of us are partners for justice in
a Tight for victory over violence. We have performed
miracles in the last few years by helping to initiate
needed reforms. We have often been the only ones
who stood between a victim and total despair. We
have put their time, effort, and money on the line for a
cause. And we have made a difference.
This week is National Crime Victims' Rights
Week. All across our nation, from the Rose Garden at
the White House to our own community watches and
city halls, communities arc taking a stand for victims*
rights. And that's as it should be. We owe victims our
support and respect
George Santayana once said that one of the greatest
crimes of all is to stand silent in the face of wrongdo
ing. The way we treat victims is a crime. It's a system
we created, and it's a system we can change. The pnee
of crime is too high and, so far, it's the victims who
have paid the bill.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Future Is Dependent On Educational Opportunity
To the editor:
What will determine the quality
of life in the twenty-first century?
What has made Raleigh and Char
lotte prosperous in recent years?
What can we do to build a bright
economic future for our region of
the state?
Rural Eastern North Carolina has
historically relied on agriculture and
manufacturing industry for econom
ic strength. However, increased
technology and offshore competi
tion have recenUy combined to en
danger both segments of the econo
my. During this time, the service
sector flourished in Raleigh and
Charlotte, linking the cities to high
technology and better jobs.
Eastern North Carolina, however,
has not received the support neces
sary for it to experience similar
growth. For example, interstate
transportation linking Eastern North
Carolina to the Piedmont is not yet
completed, but tax dollars have paid
for sufficient transportation in the
Triangle. Further, North Carolina's
two major airports serve the Pied
mont region of the state. Our two
largest state universities are also lo
cated in the Triangle, where State
tax dollars support the Raleigh
Durham area. It is no wonder that
major high-tech firms often choose
to locale there.
These changes have had a strong
economic effect on Brunswick
County. For example, the average
Brunswick County resident will
earn about SI 0,000 in 1990. That
figure is 46% higher in Wake Coun
ty, where a supplement of SI 634 per
child was added to state funds in the
1988-89 school year; Brunswick
contributed an additional S761 per
child. A typical Wake County
classroom had about $22,000 more
to spend than one in Brunswick
County. Thus, the economic suc
cess of the Triangle has resulted in
greater funding for its schools.
The State of North Carolina has
traditionally supported public edu
cation. Unfortunately, the present
system of public funding provides
only for a minimal level of quality.
Local systems must raise their own
supplemental funds if they desire
the best quality of education avail
able for their children. Rural east
ern counties, whose citizens sup
ported the economic development
and institutions of the Piedmont,
have not been able to match funds
with urban counties. Urban teach
ers earn higher salaries, and funds
for textbooks, equipment, and other
supplies are much more plentiful.
A high-tech education for the future
requires more expensive micro
scopes and computers; the need for
additional funds will only become
more critical in the 1990s.
A strong economic future is de
pendent on educational opportunity.
What must be done? The State of
North Carolina should begin to fund
a superior system of education for
her children, not a marginal one that
requires additional local funding in
order to meet quality standards. If
local systems desire additional
funding for their schools, they
should have the right to supplement
state monies, but such funds should
not be necessary just to meet basic
standards of excellence. Our eco
nomic future depends on a stronger
state commitment to education.
John A. Pamell
Pembroke
(The writer is on the business facul
ty at Pembroke State University.)
Incompetence
If Not Crime
To the editor:
In the April 19 edition, you report
that last Wednesday, the Brunswick
County Commissioners, voted to
raze the Red & White building in
Bolivia which they purchased for
$75,000 only two years ago. This
with an estimated cost of $28,000 to
demolish the building plus any legal
fees paid on purchase to county at
torneys amount to well over
$100,000 for an empty lot in a poor
location.
The North Carolina Department
of Investigation should be called in
to determine whether the board of
two years ago was duped into au
thorizing the purchase of what was
surely a decrepit building. If no
crime was committed, incompe
tence certainly prevailed.
Arthur Ross
Calabash
Fishing's Back By Popular Demand
The weekly fishing report is
back. Can you believe il?
It's been about four months since
I wrote the last fishing report of the
1989 season. Time sure flies.
Most local fishing experts will
tell you fishing was pretty pathetic
last year, especially after Hurricane
Hugo came through and ripped up
the fishing piers, ruined the fall spot
season and stirred up the king
mackerel waiting offshore.
But let's not dwell on the past.
This is 1990 and from the way
things have gone so far, it may actu
ally be a good fishing year.
I hope so. There's enough prob
lems to deal with in Brunswick
County without the fishing going
sour.
You know, I used to hate writing
the fishing report when I first start
ed working at The Beacon. I didn't
know the first thing about fishing,
and worse than that, I didn't care.
I'm not Bill Dance, but in two
and-a-half years of training I've
learned the difference between
croaker and whiting and Spanish
mackerel and Spanish moss.
Calling for reports from the local
fishing holes is a good way to start
each Monday morning. The people
are nice to work with, and they're
not likely to sue the newspaper.
What bothers me, though, is that
Doug
Rutter
I haven't caught a single fish since
moving to Brunswick County three
years ago.
I've seen thousands of fish while
walking up and down the fishing
piers and covering the various tour
naments each year. Heck, I've seen
two-year-old children catching fish.
I'm in a horrible slump.
To be honest, I never have been
much of a fisherman. As a young
ster, I always hated baiting the hook
unless we were using dough balls or
something artificial. I just didn't en
joy sticking a metal hook into the
side of a worm and getting worm
guts all over my hands.
The whole concept of fishing,
wailing for a fish to bite a hook hid
den behind a treat, never really did
anything for me.
But now that I'm a bit older and
not quite as encrgetic as I used to
be, fishing's not such a bad way to
pass the time.
I've been fishing a few times
since moving to North Carolina. My
former roommate, Mark, and I went
surf fishing a couple times. But we
never caught anything.
Since moving into a canal house
at Holden Beach, I've taken more of
an interest in fishing. The canal is
right outside my back door, so it's
real convenient
I've borrowed a couple of fishing
rods from my father and have tried
my luck several times, but haven't
had a bite. I know there's fish in the
canal because I've seen them jump
ing out of the water.
Writing the fishing report each
week, I hear just about every excuse
in the book ? and some that aren't
in the book ? when the fishing is
lousy. It's either too hot, too cold,
too windy, too early in the season,
too late in the season.. .you name it,
I've heard it.
I'm not going to blame my lack
of success on the weather.
Personally, I think the fish just
don't like my brand of bait. Most
small fish like blood worms, shrimp
or cut mullet. So far, they haven't
gone for my cheese-filled hot dogs.
I'm not worried, though. It look
me a while to get used to cheese
filled hot dogs too.
THE CAPE
T?T? A D SHALLOTTE
M. Hir.HWAV no
HIGHWAY 179
VILLAGE PINES OFFICE PARK
17/1/1 ? SUITE 4 ? 754-884S
rUUl Center
Professional, Thorough and Gentle Foot Care
?Heel Pain / Heel Spur 'Running / Sports Injuries
?Bunions, Corns, Calluses ?Diabetic Foot Care
?Warts, Ingrown Nails 'Surgery and Alternatives to Surgery
Dr. Gregory Young, DPM By Appointment Only 754-8848
t'WIwt IMiIWh-i W4CON
PHOTO BY BILL FAVEt
WILD SUMAC can be used for plantings around the home.
Sumacs For Our Yards
BY BILL FAVER
Not many of us think about using some of the sumacs as plantings in
our yards. Wc may admire them along the roadsides
anu ncu^ciuw5, uui wc forget they could also he useful
as hedges and as landscape plants
Slag horn sumac grows wild in the southeastern
states. It usually requires well-drained soil in full sun.
i Luiis sccnr. to invade areas where vegetation has beer,
disturbed. Often found in large thickets, sumac has al
most a tropical look with the compound leaves some
times as large as two feet long. Staghom sumac can
grow to a height of 25-30 feet if conditions are favor
able.
Summer flowers are greenish-yellow in clusters 6-8
inches long and are often overlooked. Plants become almost spectacular in
autumn when the foliage turns deep red and then bright scarlet before
falling. After the leaves drop off, the fruiting clusters add color and abun
dant food for birds. The fuzzy end branches of staghorn sumac on male
plants look like velvety antlers in winter and give the name to this shrub.
Sumacs can he transplanted from the wild with reasonable success. It is
best to transplant when leaves fall in autumn or in early spring and to dig
out small shoots with as many roots as possible. They should be planted
where they can be watered thoroughly. When plants become established,
expect them to grow quickly and to develop into a mass of beautiful shrub
bery with landscape interest for most of the year.
COMPLETE INTERIOR
DECORATING SERVICE
-Mini blinds
?Vertical blinds
-Micro blinds
?Carpet
-Wallpaper
-Draperies
?Pictures
Ruby Floyd
Oce<z*t laic
Hwy. 904, #3 Seaside North
579-6091
?1956 THE BRUNSWICK BEACON
WoHnociHaw Maw O DH
-/I . VM ? , w . IV*
Hatch Auditorium,
North Carolina Baptist Assembly
Caswell Beach
Eric Knight conducts the orchestra
and vocalists in a Pops Concert,
"A 'Knight' of Burt dacharacn
and Hal David
General Admission $8
Senior Citizens/Students $6
For tickets, send check and selt
addressed stamped envelope to:
NC Symphony
PO Box 11122
Southport, NC 28461
IISUWJBIMgailiiB...
QUALIFICATIONS
EXPERIENCE EDUCATION
Practicing Attorney N.C. Central University School of Law
sSolTeache, Juris Doctor Degree
Deputy Sheriff N c State University
Police Officer Bachelor of Science Degree
Probation/Parole Officer Agriculture Education
Constmction Nakina High School Graduating Class
Security Officer Valedictorian
???????????????*???????????????*?????
Democrat, District Native, Family Man, Hard Working, Fair to Ali
??<?nce in the Judicial System ? Resident of Brunswick County
~ ^untv
'O
mEEDSA BEStDENT,
? ??** ^ ..
Democrat, Distnci
llu.. ,
?16 years experience in the Judicial Sysie. . . .
?Born and raised in Columbus County
WAYNE LONG for JUDGE
Your Support will be Appreciated
POLITICAL ADVERTISING PAID FOR BY THE CANDIDATE
ity
Thirteenth Judicial District
(Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus)
n VOTE
-w Msr LONC
DL/ I ? -
emocratic Commissioner Um ^
You are invited to a FREE COOKOUT
Saturday, April 28
Time: 4:00-6:00 at Lockwood Folly Community Bldg.