Willamette Week Newspaper
822 SW 10th Ave
Portland Oregon 97205
lte fax#: 5032431115
lte email: mzusman@wweek.com

WW / 500 WORDS (top, pg. 3)

[2 pictures, one of a cell block and one of an Hispanic inmate sewing jeans]

YES ON 49

Want inmates to work? Pass this measure.

The Oregon Legislature is asking voters to amend the state constitution
not once but twice this season. Last week, this space was devoted to our
endorsement of Measure 50, which would clean up a number of problems
created when voters passed Measure 47, the property tax cut and cap, in
November.
Compared to the controversy swirling around that measure, 49 is a
cakewalk.
Measure 49 cleans up the language of Measure 17, which voters passed in
November 1994. That measure, which we supported, required inmates to work
while in state facilities and said their wages must go toward providing
restitution for victims, paying off court fines and reimbursing the state
for housing.
Implementing measure 17 has proved to be tricky. Finding Oregon
companies that are willing to employ inmates has been difficult, and the
bureaucratic inertia of the Department of Corrections hasn't helped. A
secretary of state's audit last year found a level of mismanagement that
would be laughable were out tax dollars not involved. Fewer than 1,000 of
Oregon's approximately 8,000 inmates are now employed under Measure 17
despite a $22 million appropriation this biennium to make it work.
Measure 49 does not address those issues, but it does tackle a couple of
easier ones in an effort to make inmate work more likely.

* Measure 17 restricts inmates from keeping wages they earn. This
conflicts with a federal statute requiring that any inmate involved in
the manufacture of goods sold across state lines must keep at least 20
percent of what he earns and that he be paid a prevailing wage.
Because of this conflict, the Department of Corrections was forced to
shut down production of its Prison Blues line of dungarees, which had
found some success with retailers across he country.
Measure 49 amends Measure 17 by allowing inmates to keep 20 percent
of their wages.
* A literal interpretation of Measure 17 would indicate that inmates
must be given a job behind bars. This has led to lawsuits on behalf of
inmates who have yet to get work. Measure 49 would clean up the
language to prevent such suits.
* Measure 17, which requires that inmates work fulltime, does not
allow the time spent transporting inmates to their jobs to be included
as part of their "work week." Measure 49 would allow this.

We continue to harbor serious concerns about the Department of
Corrections' ability to manage an inmate work program. That said, Measure
49 will make DOC's task a bit easier.

The AMERICAN ANTIPROHIBITION LEAGUE
Sponsors of the
OREGON DRUGS CONTROL AMENDMENT
http://ns2.calyx.net/~odca
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Drug War, or : 3125 SE BELMONT STREET PORTLAND OREGON 97214
Drug Peace?" : 5032354524/fax:5032341330/Email:AAL@inetarena.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
re: WW endorsement of Measure 49

To the Editor,

What are you guys nuts? Oh, so you "harbor serious concerns," what
tripe. Measure 49 supports the build up of a corporate police state, a
corrupt and racist prison industrial complex to provide the slave labor
to make it run to make it produce PROFITS for the already RICH. It's
distressing to see WW fall into lockstep with this nazi march down the
slippery slope. I'm not sure though if it's just elitist flap, or
downright ignorance?

America now has over 1.6 million of its citizens behind bars, between
40 percent and 50 percent are there for nonviolent drug crimes cum
parole and probation violations for same. Over 50 percent of ALL
prisoners are Black and Hispanic even though together they make up less
than 20 percent of the total population. Did you know Oregon already
spends more on corrections than we do on our universities, 7 times more
than on drug treatment and prevention programs? If we factor in the
cost of police, courts, loss wages, loss taxes, and increases in
welfare to dependents of those incarcerated the financial costs to the
tax payer skyrocket, the human costs are incalculable.

Adding a profit motive to enrich an already corrupt corrections
system is inviting even more corruption. For example, it's no accident
Oregon's Special Interest Legislature is about to add a potential
150,000 adult cannabis consumers to those eligible for this Measure 49
"jobs" program WW is endorsing. How long before we have to commit a
"crime" to get a "job?"

WW makes a big point about prisoner pay going to "victim
restitution." Ok fine. I don't think anyone would disagree with that.
But would you please show us the victims of the 2,500 prisoners now
incarcerated for victimless drug crimes? More than a minor
contradiction, apparently lost on WW. Sure make real criminals with
real victims work and work hard. Make them break up rocks or pickup
litter, it's called punishment. But don't punish the whole of society
by taking jobs away from those who need them most. To do so is to
invite even more crime and woe for everyone. Except of course those
few who make a profit from it all.

It's too bad the AntiProhibition League did not have the resources
to "buy" a statement opposing Measure 49. Had we the money we
certainly would have. So instead we'll appeal to you to publish this,
our official rebuttal to WW and the 'Republicrats' in Salem. PLEASE
VOTE 'NO' ON MEASURE 49.

Floyd Ferris Landrath Director