THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 28, 1994 TAG: 9408270106
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
Residents of this safest city in Virginia for its size nevertheless worry about crime, though apparently no more than they need to. Maybe 50 citizens - but an impassioned 50 - attended a town meeting Thursday evening on Proposal X, Governor Allen's plan to abolish parole and keep repeat offenders, particularly repeatedly violent offenders, off the streets.
Jim Gilmore was featured speaker. As attorney general (and running mate of and possible successor to Gov. George Allen), Mr. Gilmore gives crime-fighting top priority. Republicans do, and an assortment of GOP stalwarts attended.
So did several city officials of indeterminate political party, or at least unadvertised. Good. Reducing crime isn't a partisan issue. Even how to reduce it needn't always be a party battle: Ken Stolle, Republican and Virginia Beach senator, will introduce the legislation in the Senate. Glenn Croshaw, Democrat and Virginia Beach delegate, will introduce this legislation in the House.
Much of what was said to Thursday's audience should prompt meetings of all kinds of minds. Mr. Gilmore began, for instance, with the argument for replacing the maze of parole provisions with truth in sentencing: so that judge, jury, defendant and victim don't wonder how long the convicted will serve. ``Injecting integrity into the (criminal-justice) system,'' he said, ``is the right thing to do.''
Mayor Meyera Oberndorf noted that while ``much attention is given to the rights, needs and wants of the accused,'' criminals' victims get a day here and there - too often, a day of mourn-ing or memorial, particularly for police officers.
``Our officers,'' said Police Chief Charles Wall, ``can tell you to the day when somebody's back on the block. . . . It costs a lot more to let (criminals) loose than to keep them locked up.''
Some of what was said won't prompt meetings of minds - but could usefully provoke other meetings on the subject of crime.
Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Albert Alberi, for instance, agreed with a questioner that people accused of violent crime too frequently remain free on bond: ``Prosecutors would like individuals charged with violent crime to be presumed dangerous and therefore held without bond unless they can convince the judge or magistrate otherwise.'' Now it's the other way 'round.
And after the meeting Councilwoman Louisa Strayhorn expressed another concern: tackling as vociferously and creatively as criminals the social ills that can contribute to criminality.
But for now, Mr. Gilmore gets the final word: ``There's not one soul out there who has to come under this criminal-justice system - just choose not to rape, to murder, to rob . . . '' by CNB