Pursue better alternatives to a career criminal court

Pursue better alternativesto a career criminal court
EDITOR:
The Vindicator, along with the Mahoning County Chiefs of Police Association, suggests that the time may be ripe for a separate "career criminal court" to address repeat offenders. While I applaud every proposal geared toward reducing crime, I am not sure this type of "court" is necessary or practical.
First, I am not aware of the existence of a "career criminal court" in Ohio or any other state. I am curious as to how this court might work. Its creation would be based upon legislative enactment, and its validity would certainly be tested on constitutional grounds.
Generally, criminal cases are randomly assigned. Due process considerations may prevent specific criminal defendants from being steered to a specific judge. Moreover, a new court would also require new administrative costs and expenses, and this might not go over well in these tough economic times.
Second, I believe the approach to career criminals and a safer community should be much more simple. The solution is good public advocacy. Both the prosecutor and the defense attorney have the opportunity to address the judge at sentencing.
The long-standing policy in Mahoning County of a prosecutor "standing silent" at sentencing in many criminal cases makes no sense. If the prosecutor believes a defendant deserves incarceration, make a set period of time a condition of any plea bargain. If the crime is probationable, make the case as to why incarceration is truly deserved.
The current judges in Mahoning County are fine. In my experience, most will make the correct decision when given the proper support and argument. Let's try this first.
LEONARD D. HALL Boardman
Clarett is quality young manwho will surely see success
EDITOR:
Maurice Clarett has thrilled millions with his athletic performance as an Ohio State University running back and has an unlimited future barring injuries and unforeseen circumstances.
Maurice has exceeded the college freshman record of his adviser, Jim Brown, Syracuse University great who is recognized as one of the greatest professional football running backs of all time.
Maurice is exercising his option to challenge the NFL rule adopted in 1990 that to be eligible for the NFL draft, a player must wait until three years after his high school class has graduated unless there were extenuating circumstances.
Maurice has been charged with violating collegiate rules and misdemeanor falsifications that may lead to character smear, but in gridiron language they may be compared to stepping out of bounds, a motion penalty or offside.
Maurice is a quality teenager with great talent. I hope he can be as successful as his buddy, LeBron James, who, too, was the victim of adverse journalism.
McCULLOUGH WILLIAMS Jr.
Youngstown
A million reasons to hireYSU, convo fund-raisers
EDITOR:
I have a simple solution to the dilemma facing the proponents of the convocation center and those that were against YSU's raising Paul McFadden's salary.
The city should hire 10 fund-raisers at $100,000 each, and they can raise the money necessary to make up the difference from the $25 million they have and the $50 million that they need to build a center befitting of a major-league city!
As for YSU, using its justification for McFadden, why not hire 1,000 more fund-raisers?
BILL JOHNSON
Boardman