WE CAN REFORM OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

SafeCity Initiative And Citizens Together Can Address Solutions

SafeCity Initiative (safecityinitiative.com) exists to "bring
assistance and accountability to the criminal justice system." The
organization will, on an ongoing basis, identify specific challenges
that face our criminal justice system and then implement initiatives
that address the solutions.

The first of these initiativesincludes the creation of a Centralized
Criminal Justice Management System (CJMS), the reduction of the
prosecutorial backlog that exists throughout Mississippi in the
various district attorneys' offices, the reduction of the case load
backlog in our court system and finally, an intelligent look at
alternative sentencing plans.

Citizens need to understand that law enforcement, prosecution, the
courts and the corrections department are all dependent on one
another. The CJMS would ensure that all criminal justice entities in
Mississippi communicate real time, in a Web-enabled environment, on
one data base platform. Such a system would close the "cracks" that
the multiple felon criminals keep falling through. Such a system would
actually aid in crime prevention, the most effective solution possible.

Once a crime has been committed and the grand jury has decided to
prosecute the charged individual, the criminal justice system must
provide a fair and speedy trial. Too many jurisdictions in Mississippi
have a backlog of cases. SafeCity Initiative has requested that the
attorney general's office send special assistance on an ongoing basis
to those jurisdictions that have unreasonable case backlogs. Some
progress is being made, but Mississippi needs to more efficiently use
the prosecutorial resources we have, at the direction of the attorney
general's office if necessary.

Assuming the prosecutor's problems are solved, the courts must provide
speedy access to their system. SafeCity Initiative has requested the
Supreme Court to send special judicial assistance on an ongoing basis
to those areas in Mississippi that are having court backlog problems.
This can be accomplished by utilizing judges in certain parts of the
state with relatively light case loads to assist other parts of
Mississippi that have a heavy backlog.

Another false perception is that the only alternative to dealing with
the crime situation is to lock up each and every person convicted for
the maximum period of time. Mississippi is operating at maximum
capacity. The Department of Corrections operates a system that is
trying to cope with an out-of-control drug problem. Be soft on crime?
Absolutely not. Instead, be more innovative in alternative sentencing.
Sending a first time non-violent offender to prison might not be the
option we wish to take as more alternatives for penalties, restitution
and rehabilitation become available by statute.

The alternatives in dealing with the current situation are by no means
easy solutions. SafeCity Initiative intends to bring solutions to the
forefront. But Mississippians must realize there is hope, and together
we can make a difference. As a start, contact everyone you know in
leadership in Mississippi and tell them you whole heartedly support
SafeCity Initiative!

Clinton G. Herring Jr., a Jackson real estate developer, is chairman
of SafeCity Initiative.