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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Task Force tackles issue of local racial disparities Part 2 of 2 By Allison Geyer The Daily Cardinal
“People move here to find a better way of life, but they find that it’s not as welcoming as they hoped it would be,” said Celia Jackson, cochair of the Dane County Task Force on Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System. In response to observations such as this, in 2008 the Governor’s Commission on Reducing Racial Disparities in the Wisconsin Criminal Justice System compiled statistics on racial disparity in Wisconsin’s criminal justice system. Based on the Commission’s recommendations as well as other reports confirming Dane County’s “severe overrepresentation of people of color in the criminal justice system,” County Executive Kathleen Falk and County Board Chair Scott McDonell worked with the Dane County Equal Opportunity Commission to form a special Task Force whose goal would be to review the Governor’s report and apply its recommendations to the problems that exist in Dane County. The Task Force began its work in September 2008, meeting monthly. Divided into five sub-groups and comprised of county residents from law enforcement, service agencies, community advocacy groups and the courts system, the Task Force hosted presentations given by
experts in the criminal justice system and held four public hearings designed as listening sessions. These public hearings provided an opportunity for the Task Force to understand the concerns of those who are most affected by racial disparities. The majority of the public voiced concern about inequality. According to the Task Force report, several different people testified, “while they lived in the dangerous inner city neighborhoods of Chicago, not one of their family members had ever been arrested there— but upon moving to Dane County, nearly everyone they knew had somehow become involved in the system.” Other testimonials described alleged racial profiling by the police, skepticism and reluctance in filing complaints, unnecessary incarceration, exorbitant fines and the “revolving door” system from prison to probation and back again, according to the report. One community member said “people feel that they can’t go to the law for help,” and another called the county’s problems with racial disparities in incarceration “a new kind of slavery.” Yet another described the fear and violation felt by a fam-
City ordinance would make drinking on the job illegal By Hannah Shepard The Daily Cardinal
An ordinance sponsored by Mayor Dave Cieslewicz that would prohibit the consumption of alcohol by employees of licensed retail alcohol establishments while working is being considered by the Alcohol License Review Committee . Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, argues that the proposed ordinance is unnecessary. “It is a solution in search of a problem largely because it is already against the law for an employee of a liquor license establishment, bar or restaurant to be under the influence,” he said. Verveer says the decision of whether or not to allow an employee to drink on the job should be left to the discretion of the owner. Madison’s Alcohol Policy Coordinator Katherine Plominski does not think servers should be able to consume alcohol while on the job. “Most establishments have inhouse rules to stop this from happening, but it is surprising how many
don’t,” she said. Plominski said this is an opportunity for Madison to help shape state policy by changing the current ordinance. “There is a sober server ordinance on the books, but it is hard to understand. … It needs to be looked at again,” she said. Some opponents, such as UW-Madison student and ALRC board member Mark Woulf, find the proposed ordinance to be too broad. “By prohibiting all drinking, we are stepping on some toes. If a family member of an employee walks in and wants a drink, that would be illegal under the new ordinance as it is written now,” he said. Woulf, Plominski and Verveer all agree the ordinance needs to be amended before it can be passed. The ordinance was originally scheduled to be discussed at today’s ALRC meeting, but has been postponed to a later date. Cieslewicz is currently revising the proposal so it would only affect owners, staff and contracted employees.
ily when immigration enforcement officers “claimed to be local police officers, knocked on doors and entered their homes without permission, demanding IDs from everyone inside and taking family members away to be deported.” This perception that causes mistrust of authority is in contrast to the Madison Police Department as a leader in “proactively implementing the best programs and policy changes that would directly impact racial disparities,” according to the Task Force report. In fact, the MPD has been making an effort to resolve differences even before the formation of the Task Force. “We embrace pro-active, problem-solving, community-based policing models and have officers doing many things to help raise-up neighborhoods, families and individuals,” said MPD Public Information Officer Joel DeSpain. He added, “We are always reviewing our policies and procedures as they relate to why our officers make contacts with citizens. It is certainly our goal that contacts are based on behavior—not race.” disparity page 3
Danny Marchewka/the daily cardinal
Students voiced their support Tuesday for immigrant rights.
UW students rally for immigration reform By Valerie Klessig The Daily Cardinal
The Madison Student Coalition, a union of local high school and college students and immigrant rights advocates, rallied Tuesday as part of a national week of action to encourage federal immigration reform. The march began at Memorial Library and finished on the Capitol’s steps, where activists held a press conference to voice their support for two bills: the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, introduced in 2001, and the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act, introduced in December. Both bills would provide a path to higher education and citizenship for immigrant youth brought to the United States at a young age.
Buy low, sell high
Danny Marchewka/the daily cardinal
Students packed the University Bookstore Tuesday to purchase textbooks for the coming semester.
“We are here today because we know it is time for a change in our nation’s immigration system, and we know we as a community can contribute in making that change,” UW-Madison sophomore Evelin Rodriguez said. The press conference featured community members and area middle school, high school and college students. After the press conference, participants lit candles and retraced their footsteps down State Street. The rally concluded at Humanities, where advocates gathered for music and food. Mario Garcia, finishing his last semester at UW-Madison, said comprehensive immigration reform needs to occur this year because it reflects the values of the United States. immigrants page 3
Towers Residence Hall to convert to apartments The Towers Residence Hall on State Street began its last semester as a private dorm this week, and will instead serve as an apartment building available for rent as early as next fall. According to Alyssa Heikkinen, leasing director at the Towers, the building’s new management company, Best Management Onward Campus, made a decision in early November to convert the Towers into an apartment building. “Since the building has been here for so long, we are hoping to make sure that people understand that it is not a private residence hall anymore, it will be just regular apartments for anyone and everyone,” she said. Heikkinen said BMOC began renovations within the building shortly after the decision was made, beginning with the removal of the dining hall cafeteria. She added that they currently have model apartments available towers page 3
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”