DA SHOULD FOCUS UPON PITTSFIELD

Anyone who reads The Eagle must be very disturbed by the frequency of
violent crime in Pittsfield. Though only a fraction of us live in
Pittsfield, we are all undeniably affected by what happens there.
Countless communities across America have enacted ways to separate the
"civilized" areas from the "barbarians." Resignation, indifference and
neglect become the routine reactions to unpleasant events on the "other
side of the wall." That's not the way we live here, nor should we want it
to be, but it's what will happen if we don't stop current trends.

Whatever the underlying causes, crime can be prevented through smart law
enforcement choices. Which is why we must take one more look at the
so-called Taconic parking lot situation, and see what it might have to tell
us. Recent trial transcripts reveal a sophisticated, long-lasting and
probably expensive operation to catch teenagers who were primarily selling
small doses of marijuana in Great Barrington. In and of itself, the
project succeeded. The Taconic parking lot is a safer and more pleasant
place, and 17 individuals will be compelled, one way or another, to face
unpleasant consequences for their unwise choices. Only the most
risk-adverse teenagers will be as brazen, at least for a little while.

But the above scenario is a train that has run off its track, and has taken
on a whole new meaning. District Attorney David Capeless' refusal to remove
the two-year jail sentence from the table is forcing numerous jury trials
down the system's throat. The recent mistrial, perhaps due to juror
nullification, indicates that an unknown number of trials are in store for
a long time to come if nobody cries "uncle." Most of the defendants have
never been engaged in other criminal activities, nor is there any evidence
that they would be. It's good to apprehend and convict criminals, but it's
even better to pre-empt the crimes. Are the local authorities seeking to
turn back the alarming tide in Pittsfield with the same level of dogged
determination they showed in the Taconic parking lot? If yes, then why do
some of us think we need to pose the question?

As a community, it's incumbent upon us to monitor how our elected and
appointed officials are using the limited resources we put at their
disposal. In that light, are the pending marijuana jury trials the best way
for the DA and the courts to be consumed, while we read about murder and
mayhem in Pittsfield?

JEFF HERMAN