CNN Article on Resolution on Deadly Force

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SAFER PROJECT DISOWNS “ SCARED STRAIGHT”

To The Editor:
The September 10th issue of the Criminal Justice 

Newsletter juxtaposed a negative report on a Michigan 
State variation on the Rahway experiment with the CBS 
grant to SAFER Foundation.

For your information and files, we ask that you note
that:

•  Rahway’s confrontation tactics are too brutal and 
emphasize too much the element of fear. SAFER, while not 
denying the value of some confrontation, will stress honest, 
frank discussions by prisoners of mistakes they have made 
in their lives, then let clients see the grimness of prison life.

•  At Rahway, negative features of both destructive 
life choices and prison life are left dangling without 
context. At SAFER, such experiences will be considered in 
a three-week intensive counseling program which will help 
clients (young adult felony probationers, average age 20) 
see the consequences of choosing crime.

•  Most seriously, the Rahway experiment tries to 
scare clients away from crime without other follow-up. 
But, fear is the weakest motivator of all. Flence, SAFER’s 
three-week program is led by facilitators who have 
successfully overcome their crime and incarceration, who 
teach, and what is even more important, provide 
experiences of positive motivation and constructive 
lifestyle. The main focus of the three-week program is 
experiencing one’s own healthy inner self control and 
resources, which is the basis for self-esteem and the 
constructive use of freedom. Then, decision-making is 
taught in group discussions, vocational goal-setting and in 
planning exercises. SAFER’s further follow-up includes 
employment services and citizen volunteers.

•  At Rahway, large numbers of participants have no 
record or are status offenders; at SAFER (as noted above) 
all clients will be young felony adult probationers.

•  Research at Rahway has come late. SAFER will 
immediately seek objective scientific research from outside 
sources, as well as do professional monitoring from within. 
Negotiations are underway with the Illinois Department of 
Corrections relative to determining which institution is to 
be visited. A conclusion hasuof been reached in this regard, 
although the information I had in hand earlier led me to 
believe that this issue had been resolved.

Robert R. Lucas
Director of Community Education, SAFER

/79

POUCE
I^CP TO REVIVE RESOLUTION ON DEAD^  FORCE

A resolution on police use of deadly force, defeated at 
last month’s International Association of Chiefs of Police 
annual meeting, is likely to be revived by the group’s 
executive committee.

The resolution was proposed to the lACP by members 
10/8/79

of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement 
Executives, who held a press conference at the start of last 
month’s convention in Dallas.

The NOBLE resolution urges departments to institute 
guidelines that would prohibit officers from using their 
weapons except to protect their own lives or the lives of 
innrKent bystanders.

During the convention the resolution was endorsed by 
the lACP’s resolutions committee, but it was defeated 
during floor debate at the subsequent membership meeting. 
lACP Assistant Director Robert Angrisane told CJN that it 
was not so much the substance of the resolution but a 
problem with the wording that led to its defeat.

Flowever, “ the resolution is not deadby any means,’’ 
Angrisane said. He said a reworded version is scheduled to 
be reintroduced for consideration by the lAC'P Board of 
Officers at their meeting in Washington, DC’ on October 
21- 22 .

If it passes the board, it could then go on to be 
considered by the lACP Executive Committee. If 
approved, the executive committee could either submit the 
resolution for adoption at the next full membership meeting 
or simply announce it as an approved position of the 
executive committee. Angrisane termed approval by the 
executive committee “ likely.”

Crime Prevention. Among the 53 resolutions 
adopted by the lACP membership were several pertaining 
to LEAA’s community crime prevention program and the 
LEAA legislation.

Because community crime prevention programs 
“ cannot achieve maximum benefits’’ without the 
cooperation of local police, the lACT proposed that LEAA 
require prevention grantees to “ include a statement of the 
commitment made by local law enforcement agencies to 
coordinate their programs with those of the grant applicants 
and/or to support or participate” in the funded programs.

Further, it was requested that LEAA monitoring of 
community crime prevention programs include an 
evaluation of their coordination with local police.

On a related matter, the lACP also resolved to ask that 
LEAA fund a national crime prevention information and 
reference center under the auspices of the National Crime 
Prevention Institute in Louisville.

Two resolutions were passed pertaining to pending 
LEAA reauthorization legislation.

Resolution 23 seeks reauthorization of LEAA for four 
years at the high levels expended in 1975. And resolution 
33 supports the provision in the Senate reauthorization bill 
requiring that funds be available for “ the development of 
operational information and telecommunications 
systems. . . .”

Other resolutions included the following:
•  arson — whereas inclusion of arson as part of 

Uniform Crime Reports Part 1 data may have detrimental 
effects on the UCR, the lACP asks that any congressionally 
adopted changes in the UCR be adopted only with the 
advice and counsel of state UCR officials, the lACP and the 
National Sheriffs’ Assn.

•  radar — reacting to a recent court dec's'on