Thank you for giving me support and I will tell you that I am far from posting other works in progress in my blog. I am hoping to delve into the roots of poverty and bring people together as a community.
Is this a housing court order to pay the $800 into the court for past rent, or is it the landlord forcing you to pay the $800 or be evicted?
What State do you live in? In Minnesota, and most Midwest states allow the eviction if it first goes through the proper course through the housing court. Here in Minnesota, a landlord cannot focibly evict a tenant without going through court to get a judgment order to evict.
Contact your local housing attorney at legal services or a non-profit organization in your community that deals with landlord and tenant laws.
I don't think your landlord can kick you out for not paying the rent after 25 days. I know that Minnesota law doesn't permit it unless there is a risk of damage to the property or until there is an an unlawful detainer filed in housing court after there was a court order to remove yourself after an eviction proceeding.
I do not know what State you live in but contact your housing law librarian or attorney services for the poor. They will direct you to the help in your area.
Please check this out and contact your united Way or Salvation Army for financial assistance.
I have a question for you whether your father served in any branch of the military services. If he did serve at least 180 days in active service, then he should qualify for burial benefits. Call your local Veteran's Administration to get the ball rolling.
Your father's probate proceeding should recover your father's assets before anyone claims a lien on it.
Contact your legal services office for free questions you have about your financial difficulties.
I have something worth more than money, which is knowledge.
I do not know what California law allows, but I am pretty sure domestic abuse isn't protected. The first thing you do is to stop your husband to come home until he shows that he can be responsible for his actions.
The latter may require you to contact your Human Services department in your county for your needs. More importantly, you need to contact your local programs that help woman in abusive relationships.
From this view, your local community resources should point you in the right direction, in which case do not discount your religious organizations for help.
Check out my responses to other people on my help page to see if you can find your answer there.
Try calling the United Way number 211, or contact your local Salvation Army or Community council for resource materials that list services that you need.
Apply for Section 8 or subsidised housing for your transition period. Many Catholic charities exist in metropolitan cities who help woman and children who are victims of domestic violence.
Best of luck to you, in which case you are on the road to recovery.
P.S. If you have the courage to have your husband arrested then I am sure you will be fine. However, if this is a pattern of abuse, I would obtain a restraining order.
I'm in Minnesota, but it is not hard to do legal research in your home state or contact your legal aid office for your future options.
You lacked vital information, such as the questions whether you contacted SSI for your male friend or contacting your community Human Services department for yourself and the children.
Call your United Wat Hotline and your local Salvation Army to get started on your path of independance.
Posted in parkerscause on Mar 28, 2008... modified on Mar 28, 2008
Dear Hayley:
I have a second interview on Monday, March 31, for the Dakota Communities for an Advocate position. This is an organization that mentors and teach independance to people who have disabilities--mental, physical or both.
Thank you for asking, I have been trying to find work. The paralegal field is flooded with applicants for positions that require 3 years of experience or more.
The social gatekeeping devised by the powers that be frustrate me with credit, background, and work history checks. It seems that the elite and those who know people in guarded positions will recieve any consideration for social and employment mobility in America today.
I volunteer with various non-profit organizations so I can build my resume.
In addition, I am aplying for any employment position whether it pertains to my goals or not. I am expecting my second child this September. I am flirting with the idea of selling Herbalife products from home.
Every other day I check this site to see if I can learn or contribute with other members.
I hope things are well with you in this economy. I just hope that whoever becomes president will reverse the damage that this presidential administration had caused.
You cannot discharge Federal student loans unless you can show that it is causing a severe hardship, such as unemployment or being below 100% of the poverty guidelines.
Federal bankruptcy court is the only way to go if you want to risk your credit rating.
I suggest you try to make payment arrangements with the loan company or bank you had business with first.
I'm in the same boat as you, in which case I need better advice as well.
What can your industry do for people who are ex-offenders. Here, in Minnesota, one out of sixteen people have a criminal record.
In addition to serving their sentences, ex-offenders face 200 legislative sanctions that bars them from obtaining employment, licensure, and housing. Not only does the ex-offender suffer but also his or her family and friends who depend on ex-offender for support.
If you are reading this post, however late it is for me to respond, I would caution that I am not a lawyer, but in my opinion.
I find that helping people who are in this type of legal problems should note the following things in my response to this letter:
This post states that the writer is a victim of identity theft and he now has a criminal record.
I have a sincere problem of believing that unless for some unfortunate circumstances of police or judicial misconduct that occurred in this case.
In my experience:
(1) Victims of identity theft are NOT responsible for desputed debts if they report the error in a reasonable and timely manner.
(2) The victim should contest the convictions by submitting a volunteered fingerprint card to the local law enforcement for investigating the error.
(3) Fingerprints taken in most states are required for people charged with a Felony only.
--In this happenstance the fingerprint files and records among the two of you, I beleive you should not have anything more than starting the investigation and filing a complaint.
I am not a licsensed lawyer and you should contact a criminal defense attorney.
2) What does the police and county report say about your situation?
3) Who was watching the kids while the police dragged you down to the station? Are you married or divorced?
Here, in Minnesota, the police take the children away if they are in need of protection, in which case it includes immediate health care, food, clothes, and safety if the police feel that child services need to evaluate the home life. In most cases the children are returned after a court hearing if there isn't probable cause to keep them in foster care.
Most child protection services will investigate the home within 24 hours if there isn't an immediate danger to the children.
The first problem you have is that you failed to say what State you live in because every state has different rules and procedures, but every state has a common goal for protecting children and their rights.
Remember, there is no such thing as a "mother's rights State" anymore. That kind of thinking is stereotyping the past mentality of the 70s. Today, the courts look at the best interest of the child, in which case you should have called the police and documented your girlfriend's alleged behavior.
If thre is more violent outbursts and irresponsible behavior exhibited by your ex-girlfriend, then make an effort to call child protection services and file a complaint. In addition, most states do allow the child's grandparents to file into family court for investigating and rule on the welfare of the child.
Please contact an experienced family law attorney as soon as posible if you believe your ex-girlfriend is endangering your child.
In Minnesota, if you are not married then the child legally belongs to the mother. You may have signed the recognition of parentage form at the court house or at the hospital, in which case you do have legal rights and obligations for your child.
Most states have a free legal service office for indigent clients. The United Way can refer you to a lawyer who does "pro bono" work, or you can call your county Human Services office for help.
Contact me with more information if you have any questions.
The National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped, Donated Dental Services (DDS) Program serves people who are disabled, elderly, or medically compromised and have no other way of paying for dental care.
You must call the toll-free number (800) 365-7229 to begin the application process.
I am wondering if you are a veteran of the armed forces, if so then contact the VA for the benefits for vocational training. If not, then contact your local workforce center for leads.
Many financial grants and loans are available through the financial aid office of the school you want to attend.
Here, in Minnesota, we have a two-year and a four-year criminal justice program that serves law enforcement and other departments. There are scholarships available to law enforcement students who have family members already involved in law enforcement, so check those out at the Web sites that promote the fraternity of police officers. Some of these ideas should help you out.
Another way to find money is to contact your local law enforcement and ask questions about applying for the police department.
One question sticks in my mind is the basic requirements for a law enforcement officer, so check that out before getting started.
Thank you to those of you who helped me with my pre-law education and my desire to help other people with your encouraging words. The following is my thesis summary of what I learned while attending Metropolitan State University and living in the East side of St. Paul, MN. I will hope that my continuing education and Web postings will inspire other people to share their experiences and working for a better society.
I created a Legal Advocacy & Criminal Justice Degree, in which I use to engage in politics, law, and community for learning and influencing social change. My compassion is for defending human rights, equality of justice, and educating others to defend themselves. I can make a difference in society when I work with others for social equality, not for the cost-benefit analysis.
I graduated with honors as a Phi Theta Kappa in the Paralegal AS Degree program at Inver Hills Community College. I have kept a library full of notes and textbooks, in which case I will always review, and update what I have learned. Among the required Metropolitan State reading and core lessons, I learned to adopt Aristotle’s ethics for living within the “golden mean.” To me, the founder of Metropolitan State University, David Sweet (1973) formed his curriculum around the golden mean so people will remain balanced and feel free to improve their education. Many instructors like Myles Horton and nontraditional students have directed my education in multiple directions, in which case I adapt their experiences for my own use.
However, my criminal justice instructor influenced me the most. She taught me how she preserves and defends the US Constitution in the Ramsey County Public Defenders Office. Her talent for providing fair treatment and legal protection for indigent clients inspires me. My first three cases she gave me were homicides, in which case it taught me how to remain objective in the search for justice. The instructor accepted me for my talents and motivations as an enthusiastic, educated person.
Sociologists say that twenty percent of the American elite own eighty percent of the wealth in America. The extent of the financial inequality concerns me for learning, “Gangs,” and “White-collar crime.” If I expand my education deeper into my community, then White-collar crime is of greater concern to me. I take part in the neighborhood watch, in which case it causes a neighborhood divide to me. I recognized the need for gang intervention in my neighborhood and I took steps to tell the neighborhood watch and the proper City and law enforcement departments. Now, after three years, my alleyway is free of crime with the help of my neighbors who share their information with me although the crime ebbs and flows with the percentage of at-risk youth living in the neighborhood.
The lesson of life teaches me that overcoming social inequality is difficult unless there is an active, political movement for equitable justice, education, and economics. For any lasting effects, I must interact within my community using my legal and social education. I can share my personal power to motivate people to put forth their time and talents for a political base of social power. Together, my neighbors and I have the political strength and combined education for finding resolutions within the community. Now that I am graduating, I can apply for work in the field for ACORN-PAC on Raymond Avenue. I have a two-year volunteer agreement with the Ramsey County Community Action’s Policy Council for the Head Start preschool program. I will also continue my neighborhood projects for improving my neighborhood.
I understand how the individual affects change by first looking at social interaction. Many people confuse the spirituality of sensitivity and compassion within the political battles of ethics and justice. I believe people are ignoring their social connections for being a “good neighbor.” There are two ways people can become a better neighbor. First, people need to expand their awareness of social influences and connections people have with one another. Second, people can learn and teach each other without overstepping the boundaries of dishonoring the individual’s intimacy and privacy.
I began my community involvement right in my backyard, which is a culturally diverse, impoverished neighborhood on the East Side of St. Paul. I believe the City of St. Paul does not tackle the underlying issues of social inequality, and positive, social programs are nearly nonexistent.
However, there is a Police Athletic League (PAL) at the Salvation Army on Payne Avenue, a Boys & Girls Club near Hazelwood Avenue near the Roosevelt Town homes. In addition, Face-to-Face Youth Services sits on Arcade Avenue that caters educational and health services for at-risk teens.
I need people to work with me for a new community leadership and teach each other to make a spiritual transformation through socialization and educational opportunities. I give support to and interact with the other cultural communities who share their knowledge of medicines, networking, and survival skills. I tutored at the Lao Family English School where the students are respectful and, in turn, some of them were happy to teach me their cultural traditions. I still learn from the immigrant’s experiences, in which case some of them teach me how to live within my means, exchange cultural learning, and to be self-sufficient.
I believe my neighborhood is becoming more individualistic and even xenophobic, with people only associating with those in their cultural community. The result of ethnocentrism excludes people from understanding other cultures because some people are ignorant of their own cultural history, as well as the cultures of the scapegoat races. I am trying to resolve the social disconnection, in which case I must help people learn how to get along in the neighborhood.
With the latter problem, the East side of St. Paul struggles with crime resulting from cultural indifferences, lack of authoritative involvement, self-esteem issues, and the sense of powerlessness. The neighborhood became a subculture of ignored citizens by their government, and the disadvantaged are “warehoused” in subsidized, rental housing made available by absentee landowners who live in more well off communities. I am acting on my courage for demanding ethical justice for everybody through my legal education. I am working alongside ACORN-PAC for resolving and educating the public about housing problems, such as predatory lending and absentee-landlords.
I will apply my education for the disadvantaged population. Many people are ignorant of the laws, and nobody is above the law. There is no excusable defense of ignorance when law enforcement intrudes on civil liberties without people intervening. For example, educated people must take the civic accountability and initiative for teaching the younger generations of the misguided nature of antisocial behaviors, such as drug abuse, racism, domestic abuse, and materialism. I exercise my personal power to influence positive change in my neighborhood through my experiences and involvement in various organizations. I am hoping to reach the impressionable juveniles in need of guidance, in which case I would consider helping the Police Athletic League or the Boys and Girls Club. My educational goal mimics the St. Paul Police mission statement.
On 1/29/2007, I called St. Paul Police Sgt. Porter for the East Side District mission statement, in which she replied:
“The mission of the Eastern District is to improve the quality
of life by addressing crimes and creating a safer environment
for our diverse neighborhoods. Assertively building problem-
solving partnerships and strengthening relationships with our
community.”
The mission statement is a hard goal to carry out in the East side of St. Paul. To me, the police are reactive rather than proactive. People face problems that result from concentrated law enforcement in the East Side area, especially the onslaught of parking and citation tickets. The St. Paul police do not share their policy information and cultural practices with the public. For many people, the media portrays the police hiding behind a blue wall of silence. I will know in time if the police purposely use socio-economic stereotyping or if it is because the police often intercept low-income people committing crimes in economic strained neighborhoods. The Social Reflective Anxiety, or “Keeping up with the Joneses” and socio-economic problems in low-income neighborhoods inhibit people’s life-chances and advancement. The result is more police calls serving the impoverished neighborhoods with already strained community services.
Sensibly, people believe the wealthy do commit crimes at an equal pace parallel to the poor, although the wealthy limit their exposure to street policing. In traffic stops, the public may argue the middle and upper income classes receive more breaks from the police than the low-income class. If not, then the argument could support that upper and middle- income classes have a greater amount of economic and networking resources to fight the police in court.
However, the poor have greater risks for a Terry stop because of their prolonged exposure to the police in public. In addition, the poor lack financial and social support for protecting their rights. Often, their public defenders have ridiculous numbers of cases, which they often choose to make a plea bargain instead of fighting the charges. Lawyers occasionally argue against difficult police testimony sarcastically known as “testilying.”
The police are human and they do make mistakes. I educate people of their rights and how they can improve their chances from getting a ticket or arrested, especially if you live, work, or drive through the socio-economic strained neighborhoods. Low-income neighborhoods often contact the police as a pseudo-social service with calls for emergencies and dispute resolutions. Frustrating police work and its environmental influences cause cynicism in some of the police officers, which often the innocent becomes the focus of investigation.
Sociologists say that social power limits personal power, unless the actor has the authority to wield power. Some people come to me for help with their legal rights, or for exchanging their ideas and helping me. I am using the insights and organizing techniques I learned at Campus Camp Wellstone for bringing my neighborhood’s social awareness of its political power. I worked at the ACORN-PAC phone bank during the last city council election, in which case we contacted 14,000 voters.
I learned that to affect ourselves or to influence other individuals is one thing, to affect a group, formal organization, community or society is something else again. Although I am not yet successful at crossing the trust barriers, I still have the enthusiasm and courage for resolving neighborhood issues by educating others to become better citizens. I patrol the neighborhood trying to meet new neighbors and making notes of improvements needed. For example, I like to share my experiences that I have posted at this help page Web site.
This Web site is my library of experiences that I share with everyone as a base of my vocational depth. I use it for gauging my progress in education and cementing my skills within real situations. I believe that an educated person learns by examining a problem and taking the initiative for resolving the problem. The volunteer project, St. Paul Save Our Streets is a creative, continuing, neighborhood initiative for reducing criminal nuisances. I canvassed my neighborhood with fliers, telephoned different City departments, and talking with concerned neighbors gave me the hope for resolving the alleyway nuisances of theft, drugs, prostitution, speeding, and illegal trash dumping. If I flyer out one hundred homes, I learn I might meet three or four people in my neighborhood, even worse is the response from my community leaders.
I have tried to put the fear of tort liability into the consciousness of my community leaders at the District Five Community Planning Council meeting after two years of pleading for traffic and public safety enforcement. The Traffic Engineering Department performed two dubious studies for addressing the criminal nuisances in the residential alleyway. The City did not want to accept my proposal for sealing off the alleyway between the businesses and the residents with a traffic barrier or installing speed bumps.
I took this experience of how politics work to see the Traffic Department argue that it needs signatures from all the homeowners who share the alleyway. I believe the East side has a forty-five percent absentee-landlord rate and vacant homes. The latter project is one result of my experiences and goals for trying to help my neighbors.
However, the perpetuating social patterns stemming from the choices made by the City and County leaders wanting to remain in power, limit the lasting effects of justice and order for any social progress towards equality. Even when I gave the City of St. Paul proper notice for its services, I received the feeling that nothing is serious enough for the City to enforce State traffic statutes until there is loss of property or life. I noticed that many residents do not involve themselves to help build a better community. People may feel that these social patterns will persist because the City does not want to resolve the social problems.
I have compiled a trial notebook if somebody should suffer any injuries or property loss from the reckless, alleyway traffic. The latter is a plan that offers the attorney the information for filing a tort of negligence against the City of St. Paul. I feel the City of St. Paul seemingly does not care about weighing the odds against a civil judgment that may raise homeowner property taxes. Besides, they are discounting the law about our elected officials, and their immunity from tort actions does not apply when they neglect to enforce State traffic and public safety statutes. I will research if the laws have changed and look for new legal precedents.
Seemingly, our civic leaders also divert their citizens’ attention from the social inequality by having the poor believe that they do not have the opportunities or the will to campaign or vote for permanent change. Politicians are not talking to their local constituents or proposing any community improvement programs for the Payne-Arcade area. I felt both effects when Pakou Hang lost her city council election against Dan Bostrom for Ward 6. The sad fact of this theme is the social hierarchy excludes the disadvantaged and the poor labeled as “criminal” or “uneducated.”
Besides, people cannot support their families due to added inner city problems, such as joblessness, the fear of political and legal barriers, failed education, overcrowding, and the lack of socialization with diverse cultures. Many people cannot or do not vote, and it is common for the wealthy to use predatory tactics to direct the misfortunate into isolated, community housing projects without protest.
As a paralegal, I can discuss domestic violence at great lengths for the rights of the accused and the victim. The St. Paul Police have a “Victim’s Rights” website with a laundry list of crime prevention tips, social service links, and telephone numbers for empowering crime victims and the meek.
In the Eastside of St. Paul, the police answer more calls for domestic assaults, robbery, burglary, and shots fired than any “quality of life” calls. The favorable consensus of the police is that poorer neighborhoods deal with many financial and social issues among the diverse cultures. Intoxicants, for instance, provide a temporary escape to stressed people that leads into bigger problems in the neighborhood.
Some people display misplaced xenophobic attitudes for accepting and adhering to cultural differences. Here, the problem lies before me that many of the minority groups living in my neighborhood distrust the police and prefer to deal with their own problems. This may lead a person into trouble when they fear of losing their cultural identity to the government when the law intervenes. For example, the Hmong believe in using strong forms of punishment for their children. The Latinos believe in “Machismo” and use force to settle their problems.
I believe that all cultures have a way for settling their differences, but sometimes, physical force applied in any matter brings trouble to the victim, the perpetrator, and the people near them. Everybody suffers from domestic assaults and other violent crime, in which case I found that fifty percent of the male abusers also abuse their children. Many of these children end up joining gangs or involve themselves in criminal activities.
Unless people help gang members achieve educational and social equality, gangs will continue to strain the East Side of St. Paul as a perpetuating ghetto. The police and the East Side community must work towards suppressing or erasing gangs in my neighborhood. I need to do the best I can for fulfilling my community’s five basic needs that gangs fulfill, which are survival, love, power, freedom, and fun.
In summary, for any lasting effects I must interact within my community using my continuing legal education and social studies and lead by example. I can try to motivate people into incorporating their time and talents for a political base of social power. For example, neighborhoods watch clubs, virtual block clubs, community policing, and gang intervention programs. Together, we have political strength for finding achievable but equitable resolutions within the community. If we do not try to act for change, the community will fall behind socially, economically, and spiritually.
If financial opportunities come by me, I plan to enroll in William-Mitchell School of Law. I like to dream of finding my legal colleagues continuing their goals of public service instead of amassing great wealth. Whatever methods the Payne-Arcade neighborhood chooses to rid or suppress gangs, nothing will work if people just sit back and hope gangs and social problems will disappear. I found there are many ways to be a good neighbor and help at-risk youth from joining gangs. Simply getting involved with people in your neighborhood builds community and awareness, which I could help stop children from joining gangs. I like to place a couple of TVs outside and plug in a video game, in which case it brings all the neighborhood children together.
However, most people do not allow their children to associate with each other. I wonder if the cause is ethnocentrism or the fact there are many level 3 sex offenders living in the neighborhood. It is a sad fact when you try to reach the adults but they resist the chance for meeting people.
Here, St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington models his community-policing like the metropolitan cities of Edmonton Saskatchewan and Houston, Texas. Both cities proved that people working with and accepting people as individuals in the community reduce crime and violence. Community meetings and actions produced a positive movement for social education and gang intervention. Here in St. Paul, I believe people, such as me, can reduce the inner-city problems if we all act like a family and listen to our children, fulfill everyone’s needs, and give the poor social equality.
I'm sorry that I did see your message until today.
I graduated with a BA in Legal Advocacy & Criminal Justice from Metropolitan State University on December 15, 2007.
Now I'm looking for work in the legal field with the lack of office experience, in which case people want to hire people with an average of three years legal experience. I'm hoping to find an internship with whomever so I may reach beyond the catch-22 situation.
Posted in Brighan on Apr 26, 2007... modified on Aug 24, 2007
The recommendations contained in this report are in response to concerns about sex offenders moving into the Payne-Phalen neighborhood, and the recent Eastside rapes at the hands of multiple sex offenders. I like to warn the readers who live in the Payne-Phalen neighborhoods there are no legal monitoring models in use that will provide 100 percent protection from predatory sex offenders. Besides, people must think about their morals and ethics for balancing the civil rights of convicted sex offenders between the greater good of public safety and its costs. Many legal analysts give their support and opinions that low-level sex offenders might clog the sex offender monitoring programs, in which case the current science of sexual offender risk assessment is faulty. Abner (2006) is a Justice Public Safety Analyst who writes “Waging War on Sexual Crimes” in the April 2006 issue of State News about the new police supervision role for monitoring and interacting with high-risk sex offenders (p. 13). Currently, Ramsey County uses the “Weed and Seed” program, which can screen high-risk sex offenders from moving into the Payne-Phalen neighborhoods. The U.S. Department of Justice's developed the Weed and Seed program to demonstrate an innovative and comprehensive approach to law enforcement and community revitalization, and to prevent and control violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in target areas. The program, initiated in 1991, attempts to weed out violent crime, gang activity, and drug use and trafficking in target areas, and then seed the target area by restoring the neighborhood through social and economic revitalization. Weed and Seed has three objectives: (1) develop a comprehensive, multi-agency strategy to control and prevent violent crime, drug trafficking, and drug-related crime in target neighborhoods; (2) coordinate and integrate existing and new initiatives to concentrate resources and maximize their impact on reducing and preventing violent crime, drug trafficking, and gang activity; and (3) mobilize community residents in the target areas to assist law enforcement in identifying and removing violent offenders and drug traffickers from the community and to assist other human service agencies in identifying and responding to service needs of the target area. “Weed and Seed” can help in the sex offender’s rehabilitation from their offense until they are unlikely to reoffend. In which case, Ramsey County and the St. Paul Police can work together for using Abner’s idea with Scotland’s supervision model by working with trained police inside appointed sex offender units enforcing sexual offense prevention orders, and supervising sex offenders (Scottish, 2005). Scottish (2005) posts their police model, which has a successful working partnership with community social service agencies (p. 1). Each offender has caseworkers, probation officers, and law enforcement assigned to him or her for the long-term goal that helps them assimilate back into society. In addition, Abner (2006) recognized that “in execution of such duties the police may, on occasion, act in an encouraging advisory capacity…” (p. 19). The police must help sex offenders regain public trust and self-control. Until then, court orders are the first line of defense. Court orders restrict offenders, for example, not to frequent public parks, playgrounds, child-care, or certain public events where vulnerable people may be present. The St. Paul Police must enforce any court order violations made by high-risk sex offenders. Barring a mistake, sex offenders should have three warnings before using GPS or civil commitment. Ramsey County can copy the Scottish Concordat agreement, which proposes that Eastern District police and others involved in monitoring teams should undertake nationally provided training on overseeing sex offenders and risk assessment. Law enforcement can learn to reassess the priority allowed to work with sex offenders, and evaluate contributing sex offending intelligence to wider crime prevention and detection databases (Scottish, 2005). However, there are problems with supervising sex offenders and enforcing laws in the Payne-Phalen area that I will discuss. First, the lack of community budget to pay overtime costs for St. Paul patrol officers to “baby-sit” sex offenders. To offset these costs, the City can apply for money at the Department of Justice Sex Offender Management Grant Program (CSOM, 2007). In addition, the sexual predator can help pay for his or her monitoring program through community service or by some other incentive programs. Second, many offenders leave their “zones” without registering or updating their information. This is where frequent monitoring by the Eastern District needs to verify if the offender is compliant. Finally, most offenders are using the Internet at home, which limits public scrutiny for monitoring the offender’s computer activities. With having said that, the Payne-Phalen neighborhoods want sex offenders to have proper supervision that identifies any changes of the offender, which could increase the risk of harm to others. The Eastern District police can help their sex offenders develop techniques for self-risk management through supervision and guidance with the help of frequent home visits by police units, social workers, and probation officers. On each compulsory interview, 1) the sex offender must receive a copy of the registration requirements; 2) asked to verify if his or her information is still valid and record any changes; and 3) have the right to choose a Sex Offenders Co-coordinator to link with and be a link for other police colleagues and proper agencies (Scottish, 2005). Following the Scottish lead, new requirements in the sex offender’s release agreement must allow the Eastern District police officers to use laptop computers with tracking software. The new computer software allows the police officer to preview any material stored on the offender’s personal computer during the home interview, which each program costs $35 and charged to the high-risk offender (E-School, 2002). Computer software tracking gives St. Paul police new investigative abilities for watching high-risk sex offenders. Electronic monitoring can also include satellite monitoring by GPS or RFID. Global Positioning System (GPS) is a small unit, which police officers can use satellite tracking. GPS mapping of the community can aid officers track high-risk sex predators. The high-risk offender can help pay for the GPS service used with the home monitoring program. Each GPS bracelet costs about $2,000 and the cost for daily monitoring via GPS costs about $8; in addition, agents who monitor sex offenders need to have acceptable training and salary (Nelson, 2007). The GPS supervision program exists in Wisconsin, in which case it already cost $1 billion+ to Wisconsin taxpayers with looming budget cuts (Marley, 2007). However, bulky ankle bracelets cause the offender a public stigma and the bracelets are susceptible to tampering and removal, which thirty-three States have not yet voted if microchipping may be an alternative. I will mention the RFID to show people how far people are willing to go to give up their civil rights or infringe on others. RFID— I showed a PowerPoint presentation about RFID in my Critical Issues of Law Enforcement class. I told the class the RFID is a small passive or active microchip the size of a grain of rice implanted under the skin of the sex offender for tracking and identification. The group project highlighted the microchip has health and civil rights issues, in which case seventeen States banned microchipping humans following the passage of 2005 Wisconsin Legislative Law 482. The ACLU and many legal analysts argue that microchipping and using GPS on humans violate the 4th , 5th, 8th, 9th, and 14th Amendments of the US Constitution. Minnesota legislation currently does not ban the use of GPS or RFID, which tracking indigent sex offenders with 80-cent microchips are cheaper than GPS bracelets. However, problems will occur if a sex offender moves out of Minnesota into the other seventeen States that banned microchipping of humans. Many States adopted Wisconsin law 482, which punishes the entity who injected the microchip with fines of $10,000 for each day the microchip remains inside the resident. Therefore, I believe the cost of remote monitoring should not trade public safety for definitive police work that supports the civil rights of the sex offender and the community. Electronic monitoring is expensive and brands the offender with public humiliation until the next argument presents itself that new technology makes the GPS bracelet discreet. Public opinions to use electronic devices for monitoring sex offenders who “might commit a crime” infringes their Eighth Amendment guarantee from “Cruel and Unusual Punishment.” Sex offenders can challenge their Constitutional rights or public laws all the way to the US Supreme Court at costs to taxpayers. I believe it is cheaper for the Eastern District to monitor offenders with consistent judicial and citizen supervision with verbal and written warnings, and then civil commitment to psychiatric hospitals or prison if there is noncompliance. Scottish (2005) writes, “police officers must have supervising powers similar to social workers and probation officers, which directs a sex offender to end specific activities or undertake others, such as health clubs, public activities involving vulnerable people… If the offender rejects such a warning and after a suitable time has elapsed (at the discretion and recorded by the police officer) then the police can issue the offender a final warning.” The commanding supervisor must give his or her approval before disclosing the sex offender’s personal information. The Commander must find out if citizens have any prior knowledge of the sex offender before disclosing any information; Second, people must know about confidentiality laws and the use of such information for public protection and specific purposes only (Scottish, 2005). If the warnings do not stop the offender’s high-risk behavior, then by law, it is possible to commit the unresponsive offender indefinitely to a psychiatric hospital. The US Supreme Court ruling in Kansas v. Crane 534 U.S. 407 (2002) said, “States retain considerable leeway in defining the mental abnormalities and personality disorders that make an individual eligible for commitment; and psychiatry, which informs but does not control ultimate legal determinations.” Crane cited Kansas v. Hendricks 117 S.Ct. 2072 (1997) that it had set “forth no requirement of total or complete lack of control, but the Constitution does not permit commitment of the type of dangerous sexual offender considered in Hendricks without any lack-of-control determination.” The Court stated that Hendricks referred to the [Sexual Predator] Act as requiring an abnormality or disorder that makes it “difficult, if not impossible, for the [dangerous] person to control his dangerous behavior.” Id., at 358 (emphasis added). The Court defined the word “difficult” suggests the lack of control was not absolute. The Court admitted-- “an absolutist approach is unworkable and would risk barring the civil commitment of highly dangerous persons suffering severe mental abnormalities.” In Hendricks, this Court said, “It is enough to say that there must be proof of serious difficulty in controlling behavior.” The Center for Sex Offender Management at www.csom.org said sex offenders have recidivism rates of 52 percent in twenty-five years, in which case society must think about balancing the civil rights of convicted sex offenders between the greater good of public safety and its monitoring costs. Sex offenders may face a stigma of public scrutiny because of changing legislation, routine judicial supervision, and the fear of civil commitment, especially for the low-risk sex offenders. Besides, new legislation somehow entraps people and ruins their lives until there is a Supreme Court decision. With having said that, educating people about sex offenders is the key for mutual civil existence. The biggest benefit is that ideas are coming directly from fully invested community members helping the sworn monitoring staff to understand the community’s perspective on what they want and need to know. Both the community and the police department benefit from an increased awareness of an offender’s assigned risk level and helping each other with keeping accurate registration information. Find a core community group that is reflective of the city’s demographics and encourage them to meet with police departments to learn about sex offender management. Citizen volunteers are a visual extension of the law enforcement presence in the neighborhoods; neighbors know that they can approach the sex offender monitoring team with questions and ask for information. Costs are small to the judiciary. A large network of community and federal organizations can absorb most of the costs, such as grants from Foundations, our Department of Justice, and the offender or other people. High-risk sex offenders can rehabilitate themselves when they contribute community service or personal finances to help pay for the continuing help provided in the sex offender monitoring program. The message to sex offenders is that police departments are enforcing public monitoring. In conclusion, the public can help a sex offender change for becoming a productive member of society, in which Scotland, so far, has a high success rate of assimilating sex offenders back into society. Sex offenders supervised by the police, probation offices, and concerned citizens will work. However, some people say that electronic monitoring by GPS must be the final solution for noncompliant sex offenders. Legal analysts argue that 24-hour electronic monitoring is unconstitutional. Many conservative people believe if the offender recidivates or has three warnings under the judicial supervision model, then off to court to judge whether he or she will spend an indefinite time at a State Hospital or prison. Until legislation changes, I believe that before anyone thinks about depriving the sex offender’s civil rights, people should not forget about the wide berth of Minnesota laws that can trap consenting--but unmarried adults--with arrests for illegal sex. Someday, you too might be a convicted sex offender.
References
Abner, Carrie. (April. 2006). Waging War on Sexual Crimes: States Target Sex Offenders through Policy and Practice. [Electronic Version] State News. Retrieved from www.csg.org on February 25, 2007.
CSOM (Center for Sex Offender Management). (Feb. 2007). FY 2006 Comprehensive Approaches to Sex Offender Management Grant Program Awards Announced. Retrieved from http://www.csom.org/whatsnew/new.html on February 26, 2007.
Harrington, St. Paul Police Chief John M. (Spring. 2007). LAWE 301, Community Policing Lecture notes Jan. 22, 2007. Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN. Marley, Patrick. (Feb. 15, 2007). Doyle seeks less sex offender monitoring: Budget retreats from parts of plan he OK'd last year. [Electronic version] Journal Sentinel. Retrieved from http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=566483 on February 25, 2007.
Nelson, Joe. (2007). "City Sees Early Success in GPS Program.” San Bernardino County Sun (CA) (02/26/07)
Scottish Executive Publications. (November 24, 2005). Information Sharing Steering Group report - sharing information on sex offenders. ISBN # 0755948734. Retrieved from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/10/27174205/42063 on February 25, 2007.
Posted in Brighan on Jul 25, 2007... modified on Jul 27, 2007
What is a gang? Nobody agrees what the definition of a gang is, but some people do agree that a gang is a group of people that identify themselves by their use of symbols, permanence of organization, and involvement in criminal behavior. Gangs share cultural and protective values as an extended family, in which case has a “core” and “fringe” members. Gangs promote and identify themselves with their own clothing styles, hand signs, graffiti, tattoos, and abstaining from anything associated with their rivals. --Graffiti is more prevalent within the gang’s core territory, which graffiti can tell about the gang’s structure, alliances, and conflicts.
Who is a gang member? Historically, gangs came from poverty and immigrant communities, but today it does not matter. People can find gangs from all socio-economic backgrounds and in every city. Prisons and the media promote cultural images that are perpetuating gangs.
Gang members are identified by a ten-point criteria passed by Minnesota Legislature and used by the Minnesota Gang Strike Force. A gang member is identified by meeting three or more of the criteria. Associates meet one or two points of the criteria. Once identified, the gang member's information is posted in the gang pointer file until 3 years elapsed without further activity.
Criteria:
1) The person ADMITS to be a gang member,
2) The person is OBSERVED to associate with known gang members,
3) The person has GANG TATTOOS to show alleagence,
4) The person WEARS GANG SYMBOLS or COLORS associated with the gang,
5) The person is PHOTOGRAPHED with other known gang members or showing signs of gang involvement,
6) The person is recorded and written on gang DOCUMENTS and graffitti,
7) The person is IDENTIFIED by a reliable source as a gang member (Teacher, social worker, police, etc.),
8) The person is ARRESTED with other gang members,
9) The person CORRESPONDS with gang members by telephone, e-mail, mail, etc.,
10) The person WRITES gang symbols and other gang affiliation on notebooks, school work, etc.
Discussion:
Unless people help gang members achieve educational and social equality, gangs will continue to strain the East Side of St. Paul and other neighborhoods as a perpetuating ghetto. The police and the St. Paul East Side community must work towards suppressing or erasing gangs in my neighborhood. Often, the St. Paul Police confront gangs in the Payne-Phalen area where there is poverty, problem rental properties, and drugs. St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington reminded me that giving people access to equal opportunity, proper guidance, and help would improve their lives. Sociologists like J.M. Charon and Professor Tom O’Connell also taught this wisdom to me. Besides, I interviewed an elder gangster (OG) whom I call “Hercules” supported my research why he and other children joined gangs. Each person implied to me that I could make a difference in my neighborhood, in which case I quote an African proverb--it takes a whole village to raise a child. I can work with the community for changing social inequality. Charon (2004) writes that people are ignoring their social connections for being a “good neighbor” (p. 193). In addition, he said, “Society can begin to understand the importance of the individual in affecting change by first looking at social interaction” (p. 214). Overcoming social inequality is difficult unless there is an active, political movement for equitable justice, education, and economics. Myself, I can try to motivate people for their time and talents as a political base of social power. For example, I interact with my neighbors by getting to know them because they are becoming individualistic and even xenophobic, which some cultural groups formed gangs. In my neighborhood, social power limits personal power, unless the actor has the authority to wield power. Charon (2004) said “To affect ourselves or to influence other individuals is one thing; to affect a group, formal organization, community or society is something else again” (p. 218). Gangs are subtle around the Payne-Phalen area, which is a culturally diverse and impoverished area. Gangs thrive in the neighborhood because they can exert their own influence of power and income without much interference by citizens or the police. Chief Harrington (2007) taught me how to use SARA for gang problem analysis and resolution with William Glasser’s Control Theory (May 14). Glasser’s Control Theory lists five basic needs that gangs fulfill, which are survival, love, power, freedom, and fun. Gangs search for these needs because many members lack a father figure in their lives for physical and spiritual support. Glasser’s Control Theory show that many children join gangs because they cannot cope with their problems, such as joblessness, the fear of political and legal barriers, failed education, families in crisis, and cultural diversity. These adverse social conditions breed contempt for at-risk youth facing differences, lack of authoritarian involvement, self-esteem issues, and the sense of powerlessness over their ego and needs. Hercules agrees with Glasser’s theory because children will search for attention and welfare somewhere else if they do not receive the love, care, and attention at home. Many people, especially parents, fail to take the accountability and initiative for teaching children about antisocial behaviors, such as drug abuse, racism, crime, violence, and materialism. According to Drs. Meda Chesney-Lind and Karen Joe (2000), they support the theory that “[t]he gang is a haven for coping with the many problems they face in their everyday life inside marginalized communities. Paradoxically, the sense of solidarity achieved from sharing everyday life with similarly situated others has the unintended effect of drawing many gang youth, both boys and young women, into behaviors that ultimately create new problems for them” (p. 111). Chief Harrington (2007) taught me that sociologist, Frederick Thrasher agrees that each gang member joins because they seek to forge their identity and preserve their subculture through common struggles and camaraderie (May 18). Hercules added that, “Your gang is your family. They will feed you, buy you clothes, and take care of you. You got to take care of your family because no one else will.” I think gangs exist because St. Paul civic leaders give the working poor beliefs that they do not have opportunities or the will to make permanent change. Hercules believes that some local politicians are not working for community improvements in the Payne-Arcade area. To me, the sad fact of this theme is that social hierarchy excludes the disadvantaged and the poor labeled as “criminal.” With this sensed response, people use civil laws for curbing gangs, such as evictions for being a nuisance in public housing. In addition, code enforcement inspectors have the power to root out gangs living in slum housing. I believe the City limits gang intervention in my neighborhood, in which case private organizations and citizens must help the police rid my neighborhood of gangs. In my neighborhood, one such St. Paul organization is the EastSide Peacemakers. They published a community guide full of helpful organizations that helps the poor, and in turn, helps reduce the need for gangs. On Arcade Street, the guide lists “Face-to-Face” as an organization that provides an alternative school, health, and psychological services for children. The Hmong-American Partnership (HAP) on Arcade Street offers the Hmong community counseling services that reduces the stress between the youth and their parents’ cultural traditions. The YMCA offers after school recreation, but some people cannot afford to pay their dues without the help of Ramsey County Human Services or scholarships offered by the YMCA. To me, the Police Athletic League (PAL) does not exist in the East side, in which case the YMCA or HAP can share their space with PAL for social and educational tutors. Now, I know PAL survives at the Boys and Girls club in the East side as well on Payne Ave at the Salvation Army. The City of St. Paul can only hope the businesses proposed to occupy the new Asian-Pacific Cultural Center (APCC) at the Hamm’s Brewery site could help deal with at-risk youth. My “village” must take responsibility for educating every child about gangs before they become unreachable. Together, we have political strength as a social power base for finding achievable but equitable resolutions for gangs within the Payne-Arcade area. First, gang members must break their cycle of violence and addiction to gangs glorified by the culture of American media. People should pressure their elected officials to support a legislative bill that limits the media exposure of gangs to children. However, the media could argue that it educates the parents and the public, which surmounts the risks of perpetuating gang behavior. The difficult balance of gang exposure should rest among the parents, the community and law enforcement working together in gang intervention. Police knock-notice visits are effective for inspecting the child’s home life and intervention. Arguably, the USA Patriot Act II could reinforce police arresting powers for gang control under domestic terrorism. The First Amendment of the US Constitution does not protect hate speech, public immorality, and assembly when it puts our national security at risk. However, gangs could fall down a slippery slope of unsettled definition that mimics the horrors of the Spanish inquisition or the McCarthy Red Scare trials. Second, the City of St. Paul must reach out and mentor children with citywide programs. Church and spiritual leaders could canvass the Payne-Arcade area and reach out to children before the gangs recruit them. Educational institutions and service clubs can help children improve their self-esteem, educational goals, and community ownership while they earn respect and pride from their mentors. Clubs like the American Legion, VFW, and Lion’s Club have the financial means and volunteers who can work with our social institutions. Chief Harrington commented in my COP class that North Minneapolis had success with controlling juveniles near the housing projects and the MTC bus routes with a GOD Squad--neighborhood mentors interacting with at-risk children. Programs like DARE may reach some children although they know illegal drugs are profitable and the law is forgiving if they dealt or carried drugs for gangs. The latter is dangerously true when people tolerate gang behavior because it does not directly affect them or they profit from gangs. Hercules added that, “gang members are trying to hustle for any money or opportunity to survive, in which case they will take the risk.” However, St. Paul police officers who volunteer their time with at-risk youth can have a positive effect on them. Police sponsored programs will also keep at-risk children busy while they learn acceptable social behavior and self-reliance. The St. Paul police could start an amnesty program that helps people leave gangs with gun buybacks, new clothes, education, and continual guidance. The police can help instill people with trust, boundaries, community programs, and job leads. In turn, grateful citizens could give police new information about gangs. Hercules wonders if they can reach children who had negative experiences with the police. He said, “In my day, the Chicago police treated me wrong and everybody stayed away from them because they will put a beat-down on your ass even if you weren’t doing anything.” Finally, ask a gang member why he or she joined a gang. Asking questions can open a dialog of trust, which may lead you to the core of their problem. If the problem is at home, then simply move him or her out of that environment to a new environment that stresses opportunities and social discipline. However, the latter is not easy because the degree of gang involvement depends on the person and the seriousness of his or her roles in the gang. Many of them are out of reach for intervention, in which case the courts may be the only recourse for them. Hercules said, “Once you receive the brand [gang tattoo] from the Governor, he owns your ass, and there is no way out after that.” Sometimes gang members who removed themselves from their street family feel empowered to start and take control over a new gang. Often these types of gang bangers “age out” from gangs. Hercules told me that most gang members are active although they age out of gang support. Although Hercules does not expose himself, he said that many OGs are running their own hustle. Paraphrasing him he said, “As you get older and wiser you start to work for yourself and fuck the gang and their monetary tribute.” In conclusion, Hercules agrees with me that whatever methods the Payne-Arcade neighborhood chooses to rid or suppress gangs, nothing will work if people just sit back and hope gangs will disappear. There are many ways to be a good neighbor and help at-risk youth from joining gangs. For example, neighborhoods watch clubs, virtual block clubs, community policing, and gang intervention programs. Simply getting involved with people in your neighborhood builds community and awareness, which could stop children from joining gangs. Metropolitan cities like Edmonton Saskatchewan and Houston, Texas proved that people working with and accepting at-risk children as individuals in the community reduce gang violence. Community meetings and actions produced a positive movement for social education and gang intervention. Here in St. Paul, I believe people can reduce gangs if we just act like a family and listen to our children, fulfill their needs, and give them social equality.
Will you help?
References
Charon, J, M. (2004). Does the Individual Really Make a Difference? in Ten Questions: A Sociological Perspective. pp. 212-236. Belmont California: Thompson and Wadsworth.
Chesney-Lind, Meda, and Joe, Karen. (1995). “Just Every Mother’s Angel, an Analysis of Gender and Ethnic Variations in Youth Gang Membership,” Gender and Society, Vol. 9, No. 4 August 1995 page 426.
Harrington, St. Paul Police Chief John M. (Summer. 2007). CJS 333 01, Gangs Lecture notes. Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN.
Hercules. (June. 2007). Personal Interview with a West-side Chicago gangster.
Posted in Cabinboy on Jul 25, 2007... modified on Jul 25, 2007
It is illegal to turn somebody away for employment if they have a disability.
However, proving this in court is difficult unless you have documentation to support your perceptions.
I believe that your local Department of Economic Development at your Workforce Center or unemployment office should help you finding employment.
Try to contact the United Way, Goodwill Industries, and the like for job leads.
Posted in Anura Srilanka on Dec 5, 2005... modified on Jun 23, 2007
The fastest growing languauge to learn in business is Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, if you already know the english languauge. Here in America, we struggle with economics and business laws between other countries.
I would feel that the best field of IT would be computer forensics.
In this day of terrorism and computer crimes, I would believe that tracing and catching computer criminals will be needed in great numbers in the future.
I would have your son learn about our Constitutional law and our political process and obtain grants and funding through the scholarship process.
Posted in Brighan on Dec 6, 2005... modified on Dec 20, 2006
S. AVE O.UR S.TREETS __________________________________________________
Dear Neighbors on the 800 block,
Do you have continuing problems in your back alley about:
(1). Unsavory characters trespassing through your property or hanging around dealing drugs or panhandling?
(2). High-speed traffic flying down the alley putting you and your family at risk for death or serious injury?
(3). Finding litter, illegally dumped garbage, drug paraphernalia, or other damaging foreign matter on your property and close to the alley?
(4). Have you seen an increase in property or personal crime occurring in the alley near the business’s on Arcade Street?
If you have answered YES to any one of these questions, we want to hear your opinions and resolutions at a special neighborhood meeting. The neighborhood must enforce and resolve all of these issues about the back alley traffic connecting to the Walfoort Liquor store.
The past two years, some residents of the 800 block have tried to educate and remove the problem of high-speed traffic to and from the Walfoort Liquor store. We need the efforts and opinions from the 800-block community sharing the alleyway with their support of enforcing ordinances and state laws for protecting our property and children.
One neighbor on the 800 block is a paralegal and offers to remind the public the following:
“The Minnesota Criminal statutes and Traffic laws of 2005 state:
**Minn. § 169.14, Subd. 1. (1997). Duty to drive with care. No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway [roadway is defined as a highway, §169.01, subd. 31] at a speed greater than is reasonable for becoming and remaining aware of the actual and potential hazards then existing on the highway and must use due care in operating a motor vehicle. In every event speed shall be so restricted as may be necessary to avoid colliding with any person, vehicle or other conveyance on or entering the highway in compliance with legal requirements and the duty of all persons to use due care.
**Minn. § 169.01, Subd. 67 (2000). Alleyway. “Alleyway” means a private or public passage or way located in a municipality and which (1) is less than the usual width of a street (2) may be open to but is not designed primarily for general vehicular traffic (3) intersects or opens to a street, and (4) is primarily used for the ingress and egress or other convenience of two or more owners of abutting real properties.
** Minn. § 169.14, Subd. 5c. (2003). Speed zoning in alleyway. Local authorities may regulate speed limits for alleyways as defined in section 169.01 based on their own engineering and traffic investigations. Alleyway speed limits established at other than ten miles an hour shall be effective when proper signs are posted.”
The regulated speed for our alley is 10 MILES AN HOUR.
Therefore, the alleyway belongs to the residents of 800-block close to Walfoort Liquor store and excessive speeds, drunk driving, littering, and criminal activity associated with nonresident patrons endanger our property and children of the 800 block neighborhood.
The businesses on Arcade Street have an agreement [a promise to avoid from becoming a nuisance] with the neighborhood or have penalties imposed on the business.
If you have complaints, solutions, or extra comments to share about enforcement of unwanted traffic and criminal activity associated with nonresidents abusing the alleyway and our property, please respond by writing or calling to:
Dan Bostrom, Council President Ward 6: (651) 266-8660 Scott Renstrom, Legislative Aide to Dan Bostrom: (651) 266-8661. E-Mail: ward6@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Leslie McMurray with District 5: (651) 774-5234. Her e-mail is: d5-director@visi.com
Write to: City Council Offices 310 City Hall 15 W Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102
The District Five Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) meeting in December will include some discussion with St. Paul Public Works about options to address these issues. The CPED meeting will be held on: : December 6, 2005; And Also To Be Announced Arlington Public Library 1105 Greenbrier Ave., St. Paul
CC: The Neighborhood Block Watch, Ward 5&6; Council Member Dan Bostrom with Ward 6; Leslie McMurray with District 5; Mayor Randy Kelly.
UPDATE:
Memorandum
Date: 12/21/2005 Time: 12:09 PM
ABOUT: Save Our Streets Neighborhood Project Traffic Count Records.
Dear Monica:
Thank you for showing up on December 20th 2005 and performing the traffic count in the alleyway next to Walfoort Liquor store. Tuesday nights in the winter is the slowest day for Walfoort Liquor store. As I said last night, it feels like having a doctor’s visit and the symptoms of the problem is not noticeable.
However, I have only counted traffic that crosses my path adjoining to my property and not including the turnaround at the end of the alley next to Walfoort Liquor store.
From December 8, 2005-December 20, 2005 I have stepped up enforcement with signs, cones, and a visual presence of taking down license plate information. Some people noticed and they have taken their route on the residential streets. However, on December 20, 2005 I did not post signs and cones because many drivers ignore any warnings and they feel it is a joke played against me in trying to resolve the traffic problem.
In the summer months, more cars and foot traffic will double while the children play and residents are working around their property. I fear, as I stated in my letters posted to the City Council and its proper departments, that without proper and consistent traffic enforcement this problem will continue in strength. These are the facts of my current observations that I have recorded for you:
• During the winter weekdays before 6:00 PM, I have counted an average of 30 cars rushing down the alleyway. • During the winter weekdays from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM, I have counted an average of 35 cars rushing to Walfoort Liquor; especially nearing closing time. • During the winter weekends of Fridays and Saturdays from 6:00 PM until 10:00 PM, I have counted an average of 70+ cars rushing down the alleyway. • Other than speeding, many other crimes associate with Walfoort Liquor store; that is, Drivers without licenses, some drivers with active arrest warrants, muggings, thefts, and illegal dumping of trash going to and coming from Walfoort Liquor store. See the attached records of license plate information.
In my winter estimations, we have an average of 360 cars of nonresidents violating traffic and legislative statutes in our neighborhood every week. I do not know of any residential alleyways with this volume of traffic seen in our backyard. This is a safety concern that must have a permanent solution before any loss of property or life.
Please contact me again and I will continue this safety enforcement project in the summer when school allows me the time.
Sincerely,
Shannon Wadding 846 Jessamine Ave E. St. Paul, MN 55106-2612 wadding@usfamily.net
CC: File, District 5 Planning Council, Dan Bostrom with Ward 6, St. Paul Police Department, Monica Beeman with City of St. Paul Traffic Engineering Department.
From Monica Beeman, City of St. Paul Traffic Engineer.
Dec 20, 2005 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm I was out to the alley between Arcade, Mendota, Jessamine and Magnolia to count vehicles, check speeds and generally observe traffic. The evening was cold, and there was snow on the alley surface but no precipitation. The alley, albeit winter, was reasonably clear. Although we did not arrange to meet Mr. Wadding he happened to be in the alley and did speak with us briefly. He has sent out a separate e-mail dated 12/21/05 expressing concern that the traffic was lighter than normal, that he has been placing cones and signs in the alley but had none in place while we were present, and indicating more traffic is typical from his general observations and definitely higher in non-winter seasons.
Conditions Observed: The traffic volumes in the alley were relatively light, 24 vehs/hour for each of the two hours observed with 17 vehs/hour or 18 vehs/hours coming to and from the liquor store alley access point. Approximately 6 to 7 of these cars came and went from Arcade. The remaining 10 to 12 vehicles associated with the liquor store came and went through the alley to the Mendota end of the alley. This is a small number of vehicles but reflects about 42 to 50 percent of the alley traffic. There was only one car each hour that cut through the alley having no destination/origin in the alley.) The remaining vehicles were residents. The amount of traffic recorded in the alley for winter conditions is not significant but does clearly show that there is a draw from the liquor store. The general travel patterns for the liquor store include the alley because the liquor store site is relatively small and parking dictates how entrance/exit to the site occurs. There is no ability to turn around on-site without a significant maneuvering of the vehicle. Also there appears to be a preference to use the alley eastbound when exiting from the alley to avoid the traffic signal at the intersection of Arcade/Magnolia. See attached sketch.
There were no conflicts with pedestrians or observed immediate hazardous behaviors associated with DWI etc. There was one non-traffic related conflict involving yelling between individuals associated with the liquor store. We did observe a police car traveling the alley.
The alley is relatively flat in grade and although was snow present the alley was relatively clear. We also took speed information in the alley with a speed gun but discovered that the radar gun did not record speeds below 15 mph. Speeds in the alley were taken at about the mid point, excluding those slowing to turn into residences. We took the speeds of approximately 13 to 15 vehicles and saw 7 or 8 vehicles traveling above 15 mph, with an average for this group of 15mph in the first hour and 18 mph in the second hour. The highest recorded speed was 25 mph which occurred just before 8:00 pm. The officer traveling through the alley had a recorded speed of 18 mph. 85th percentile speed information could not be determine due to the limitations of the radar gun.
Assessment: Winter is obviously not reflective of the extent of the conditions Mr. Wadding has referenced nor does it indicate an immediate hazard but it does confirm that the liquor store reflects 40-50% of traffic traveling down the alley toward Mendota and that the average speeds even in winter are above the legal speed of 10mph in an alley. It is likely that traffic volumes and speeds are higher in non-winter seasons. There is also likely more potential for pedestrians to be present in better weather seasons. This location should be rechecked in spring.
The information seems to indicate that the residents along this alley could install such things as speed signs, speed bumps or request a one-way alley via the city’s standard petitioning practice, however, each have varying levels of effectiveness and come with both positive and negative results. • Posting the speed of an alley has very limited likelihood of affecting a driver’s choice in speed. • Recently a set of speed bumps were removed in a alley in another neighborhood due in part to the fact the speed control devices actually attracted more kids to be in the alley skateboarding so what controlled car speed actually increased the exposure to kids, a definite safety negative. • And one-ways would penalize the mobility of residents on a daily basis with the potential to limit only half the liquor store traffic and with the potential to increase speeds, again not the intended result. Of course, it should be noted that the costs under City policy for any of the above are shared by the abutting property owners.
Recommendation: This is an alley with both commercial and residential access, not a development practice typically allowed today, and as such has the potential for conflicts in use. Clearly, there is a perceived conflict in use by at least a few residents, a general concern for safety related to speeds and commercial access is not the preferred practice according to today’s development standards.
Although dead-ending of the alley is the only way to eliminate all traffic non-residential traffic it does not seem a reasonable alternative given the restrictions imposed on residents travel patterns, and the physical space needed for a alley turn around. From the other perspective the liquor store parking area is not big enough to turn vehicles around on-site so full closure of their alley driveway alone is also not feasible. Therefore, I would recommend working with the liquor store to revise the traffic pattern so that their customers use Arcade or travel back out toward Arcade. See attached sketch.
The elimination or modification of access to the alley from the liquor store would require working through LIEP to achieve. Traffic engineering can assist with the development of access alternatives some of which may be tried as temporary or could be worked out between/with others.
In the mean time speed enforcement in the alley would seem the best overall approach and I will make a request to Police. Also Mr. Wadding should note that a private citizen should not place traffic control device in the public right of way.
Monica M. Beeman, PE City of St Paul Department of Public Works Traffic Engineering 800 City Hall Annex 25 West Fourth Street Saint Paul, MN 55102-1660 (651) 266-6214
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world" Gandhi
(Replying to the Official Traffic Count Report-12/23/2005).
Monica, Very thorough and thoughtful analysis. Thanks! Bruce ********************************************************************************
12/23/2005 (Reply Message)
Dear Monica:
Thank you so much for your detailed report and your time in the traffic count.
I do agree that your sketch is the right solution but the drawing that I would have presented for the solution would to cut the alleyway as a dead-end from the house next to the parking lot and across to the other side of the Food-shelf mission.
In the Eastside of St. Paul, the police answer more calls for domestic assaults, robbery, burglary, and shots fired than any “quality of life” calls. The favorable consensus of the police is that poorer neighborhoods deal with many financial and social issues among the diverse cultures. Intoxicants, for instance, provide a temporary escape to stressed people that leads into bigger problems in the neighborhood. 
