With the November 2000 election on the horizon, the University’s Wayne Morse Chair of Law and Politics held a panel discussion Wednesday evening to inform the Eugene community about current political issues.
The organization sponsored the “No Way Out? A Forum on Mandatory Minimum Sentencing” panel discussion at the Knight Law Center to discuss the pros and cons of mandatory minimum sentencing.
One purpose of this free event was to educate students and faculty about this year’s ballot measures, particularly Measure 94, which, if passed, would repeal Measure 11. Measure 11, passed in 1994, set mandatory minimum sentences for criminals and affects people as young as 15 years old.
“I am amazed by the array of issues in this year’s election,” said Margaret Hallock, Wayne Morse Chair of Law and Politics director. “So a deeper level of understanding about the issues is critical for first-time voters.”
Hallock, who spoke at the forum about upcoming chair events, thinks an in-depth understanding of today’s issues also helps students feel encouraged to vote and participate in the community.
Wednesday night’s panel served as an informational discussion, complete with professionals presenting their research concerning the effects of Measure 11.
Emily Simon, a private Portland attorney and principle speaker at the forum, said she thinks Measure 11 should be repealed because of its effect on minors.
Simon, who specializes in juvenile cases, thinks all juveniles are unjustly punished by the measure. She said she is not against juvenile incarceration, but she thinks it is unfair to override a judge’s decision in each case.
“Measure 11 shifts power away from the judge, who should always have the final say,” she said.
Simon is also against the incarceration of juveniles in adult prison facilities; she created a public-interest law project to show how minors are negatively affected. Her research shows that juveniles who are incarcerated with adults are more likely to commit crimes in the future.
“It is a myth that juveniles under Measure 11 are put in juvenile facilities,” Simon said. “In reality, 20 percent of 16- and 17-year-olds are held in adult facilities.”
Dale Penn, Marion County District attorney and forum commentator, said he thinks Measure 11 offers solutions that decrease crime rates. His main concern is that society is protected, he said.
Penn spoke of gang violence in Salem through the past years and how Measure 11 has helped cut down the city’s crime rates. There were 75 drive-by shootings in 1998, but there were only eight in 1999, he said.
“Ultimately, Measure 11 has provided a tool for dealing with violent offenders,” Penn said.
The forum closed with the introduction of three new Morse Fellow law students and a reception to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Wayne Morse’s birthday on Oct. 20. Morse, a former U.S. senator and dean of the University’s School of Law, was involved in law and fair labor practices and was adamant about people having freedom of speech, said Kim O’Brien, Wayne Morse Chair of Law and Politics administrator.
Morse was one of two senators who opposed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution during the Vietnam War.
“He had a lot of political enemies, but he was very well respected,” O’Brien said.
Because he was an independent thinker and politician, the Wayne Morse Chair of Law and Politics was established to provide a venue for student and faculty inquiry and involvement in key issues. By bringing distinguished scholars to the campus, the organization hopes to further educate the University about current issues, O’Brien said.