Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, December 18, 1994 TAG: 9412200009
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: G-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
I'm concerned with the apparent lack of monies being considered for prevention and treatment in community-based programs, in contrast with the abundance of monies being considered for warehousing individuals with limited rehabilitative programs offered.
I'm not disagreeing with the need to re-examine the state of Virginia's Department of Corrections, but there appears to be a cause and effect here. I believe continued budget cutting for prevention programs, namely Virginia's community-services boards, causes the amount of services to a community (i.e. for mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse) to decrease. This in turn directly affects the crime rate. Less service available equals more crime.
I believe it's fair to say that most offenders in Virginia are substance abusers or have a history of substance abuse. What effect will the cuts to community-based services have on this population? If no or limited services are available to offenders, the chance that they will be repeat offenders is greatly enhanced. What effect does this have on adolescents who will be adults one day? I believe more of the adolescent population will enter the detention/corrections system, and crime by youth and adults will continue to rise.
I cannot conceive why anyone wants to deplete resources available to individuals in the area in which they live. Even a small cut to community-services boards, such as the 2 percent that Allen proposes, would mean at least 6,800 fewer people receiving care and at least 5,600 people denied access to prevention services. Does this mean these people have better potential to be productive in a prison system? Except for violent offenders, they will return to the community.
It takes longer to see a person serve society in a productive manner than it does to put up a building.
GAY C. MOFFIT
SALEM
A different view of a parade
IN RESPONSE to the Dec. 10 letter to the editor, ``Salem parade not in the spirit'' by Jerry Seidman:
I also attended the same parade. I went with different expectations and left with a far different impression. I didn't go for a religious experience.
What I observed was thousands of people waving, cheering and showing their appreciation as talented people marched through downtown Salem. The paraders were of all ages, with various talents, who gave pleasure to the crowd.
I've watched this parade grow over the years. My advice to readers and to Seidman would be to watch and enjoy what it has to offer. If you want a message delivered, join the parade and speak your message.
I love a parade and, fortunately, I'm not alone.
ROBERT MOORE
SALEM
`Handicapped' reference degrading
A DEC. 6 letter to the editor (``Classroom trend has a down side'' by Doris Boitnott and Gary Waldo) greatly troubled me.
The use of the pejorative ``handicapped'' by educators is appalling. Many groups of individuals with disablities have fought long and hard to end the use of this degrading term. It's the same as calling an African-American a Negro. It refers to times when, because of discrimination, the only way people with disabilities could earn a living was through begging with their caps in hand.
In 1990, Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Among other things, it mandates that all references in previous laws to ``handicapped'' be changed to disability. All educators should be aware of this.
This semester I had the pleasure of student teaching in an inclusive classroom. Though everything wasn't perfect, it was an effective classroom. The main reason it worked so well was because both the regular education and special education teachers felt inclusion was a worthwhile endeavor. Most of the time when inclusion goes bad, it's because those involved are against it.
The only bad thing about inclusion is that it doesn't have full support of regular or special education teachers and administrators. For it to work, everyone involved must fully contribute. Teachers need to put aside their prejudices and stereotypes to teach the children - all the children!
RINDA THEIBERT
RADFORD
Solutions to violence needed
CHILDREN today are committing violent acts on each other and on others, including law officers. I believe there are solutions to decreasing this mentality of toting guns and maiming and killing others, which is accepted as norm in America's society.
I appeal to the Roanoke community to bombard television networks and advertisers with protest letters against the glamorization of violence. The community could have one day a month to recognize children.
Religious communities could unite as an interfaith network, holding seminars to act as a moral locomotive to decrease child violence. All denominations citywide should come together as representatives for safe-guarding all children. Open mosques, churches and other houses of worship to teach substance-abuse issues, alternatives to violence, and morality to children. Encourage them by being moral examples for God and humanity.
Let's not be outdone by violence. Peace should be king.
OMAR T. RABB
ROANOKE
by CNB