United Nations Award for San Jose Judge Eugene Hyman - first Juvenile Domestic Violence Court in the US
- On: 05/12/2008 19:39:07
- In: Uncategorised
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has selected recipients from 12 countries to receive the 2008 UN Public Service Awards in New York on June 23rd. Judge Eugene Hyman [www.judgehyman.com] and the Santa Clara County Superior Court have been selected as the recipient for this prestigious honor for having broken new ground in United States jurisprudence. Judge Hyman is the creator and founder of the Santa Clara County Juvenile Domestic and Family Violence Court. The UNs Director of the Division for Public Administration, Mr. Guido Bertucci, announced the award May 12, 2008 in New York.
The Juvenile Violence Court has had a dramatic impact on reducing the number of violent young offenders being re-arrested for violent crimes and Judge Hyman has done it, not by spending more money, but by a common sense approach to changing attitudes and expectations that is stunning in its simplicity, cost efficiency and promise for meaningfully stopping the revolving door of violence.
The U.S. perpetuates a culture of violence and misogyny and government institutions fail to intervene at appropriate times. Violent juveniles become violent adults and the knee jerk reaction is to first send them to juvenile hall, and later they graduate to the county jail, next to prison and after three felonies, prison forever.
Even though the expense is horrific and there has been little increase in public safety, locking up offenders is an easy response. Law enforcement, prosecutors and the courts do this work efficiently.
The United States has more people in jail and prison than any other country in the world, including China with its population of 1.3 billion, more than four times the 300 million residents of the U.S.
The rate of incarceration in the U.S. is astronomical. 1 in 99 adults. The rate for Chicanos is 1 in 36 and for black adult males it is 1 in 15. For black men age 20 to 34 the rate is 1 in 9. The U.S. is the undisputed leader. No other country comes close as Adam Liptak so stunningly reported on April 23, 2008 in the New York Times: Inmate Count in U.S. Dwarfs Other Nations.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/us/23prison.html?ex=1209614400&en=26caf0c15ae6f5a3&ei=5070&emc=eta1
Despite the fact that seventy-five percent of all murders are crimes of domestic violence, American courts have ignored domestic violence education and training, which have been proven effective in reducing the social and economic cost of domestic violence.
In the face of this tragedy, Judge Hyman is a bright flame of hope that is beginning to catch on. His leadership in creating the Santa Clara County Domestic and Family Violence Court merits the accolades of the U.N.
Judge Hyman was the first to implement this very creative change in the justice system, recognizing that adult domestic violence offenders did not appear out of whole cloth in criminal courts. Domestic violence is learned and passed from one generation to another and from this breeding ground it escalates until it becomes murder. For decades domestic violence has been ignored by police and juvenile courts as something less than a serious crime.
The hallmark of the Judge Hymans program the very first of its kind in the United States is that it brings dedicated and intense attention to family violence offenses through a system-wide focus on intervention and rehabilitation.
The focus in Santa Clara County starts with a mandatory arrest policy, followed by a dedicated and trained team of prosecutors, public defenders, probation officers and legal advocates under the supervision of a dedicated Superior Court Judge. The goal is to treat these offenses as serous crimes. Santa Clara supervises the progress of juvenile offenders during a 26-week educational counseling program and thereafter for a total of 18 months.
This is a major break from the past when these offenses were not prosecuted in the Juvenile Court, but rather were treated informally as family problems, not as crimes, with probation officers providing informal supervision outside of the formal Juvenile Court system. Our legal system waited until the juvenile offender became a violent adult and only then did it take notice, long after abusive conduct had become ingrained, re-learned and tragically re-inflicted injury on others and taught to the next generation.
The key to breaking the cycle of violence learned by one generation, and taught to the next by abusive parents, is to identify children who will grow into abusive adults, more likely to become repeat offenders and to work with them in a learning and rehabilitation process over a period of many months.
Judge Hyman started a zero tolerance policy for juvenile domestic violence in the 13 cities in Santa Clara County.
In the past family members and partners have been reluctant to involve aggressors in the juvenile court system. Police when called commonly imposed a cooling off period and then left the scene without taking action, losing the opportunity to intervene, only to be recalled, often to more aggravated situations.
As a former police officer and experience trial lawyer, Judge Hyman recognized the value in identifying aggressors and targeting them for early intervention and rehabilitation. That was the origin of a zero tolerance policy. As a result, juvenile aggressors in Santa Clara County are either arrested or cited to appear before the Domestic and Family Violence Court, ending the days of informal supervision which failed to seize the opportunity to intervene and break the chain of violence.
The Domestic and Family Violence Court has proven itself by reducing the number of offenders being re-arrested for domestic violence. This has been accomplished by top to bottom training program in domestic violence for prosecutors, public defenders and probation officers. Everyone understands that the first evidence of domestic violence by a juvenile provides the optimum time to intervene and have an impact on preventing future crime that benefits the first offender, the offenders family and the community.
In addition to early accountability and victim safety, the additional services provided to victims are unique. Under the Domestic and Family Violence Court, in cases where juvenile aggressors have parented a child, specialized services are provided to mothers to establish paternity, custody, and visitation, imposed financial responsibility and obtain civil restraining orders to assure the safety of victims and their children.
Judge Hyman has drafted protocols to address law enforcement, probation, prosecution, intervention, and support for victims. These stakeholders can readily train new team members and when new people join the process that instigates a review of best practices, case law and new legislation to update the practices of the team. Lastly, the protocols provide a foundation for the program that is grounded and shared, not relying on individuals and oral training.
The most valuable aspect of the Santa Clara County Domestic and Family Violence Court is that it can be easily implemented across the country because it does not require additional budget.
All that it takes is knowledge of the program and a commitment to reducing the toll of domestic violence by intervening with juveniles to preclude further crime and to provide rehabilitation that can help individuals remove themselves from the circle of family violence that plagues so many cultures.
Judge Hyman is an outstanding public servant who has proven what creative thinking can do. He has led the way in the United States for other courts to adopt similar programs that will have a positive impact in reducing the damage caused by domestic violence. See and hear the full story on www.youtube.com.
Judge Hyman is the first in the US to have broken new ground in his unique approach to dealing with juvenile domestic violence and it provides a gold standard for other communities to emulate.
On behalf of a grateful public, thank you Judge Hyman. We need more judge like you. Judges who care. Judges willing to make a difference for all of us.
Richard Alexander
Compressed Natural Gas Cars: Environment
- On: 05/12/2008 02:26:43
- In: Uncategorised
With gas prices soaring above $4-a-gallon, and car emissions burning into our ozone layer, we need a better energy answer.
That answer may very well be Compressed Natural Gas.
It is what its name suggests - natural gas that is compressed. And it is far superior to gasoline or other oil-based products. It doesnt pose nearly as much of a threat in case of a spill, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Compressed_natural_gas, or to our general environment.
In a recent report, the New York Times said that people are moving toward smaller cars for better gas mileage, www.nytimes.com . That's all well and good. But in a crash, you risk greater injury in a small car. With thirty years of defective car litigation experience, there is no doubt that bigger is safer, with the exception of SUVs which are commonly unstable. http://www.alexanderinjury.com/articles.asp?cid=4&id=234.
A better idea for your safety and for the environment is a crash-worthy car with CNG in the trunk. An example is the Crown Victoria the battering ram of a car used by most police departments. It has a huge trunk to carry CNG tanks and a track record for occupant protection.
In California, dedicated CNG cars are entitled to drive past clogged traffic by using the HIgh Occupant Vehicle diamond lanes. California is no longer issuing the yellow car-pool permits for a Prius. All 85,000 are gone, http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/decal.htm . But there is no limit on HOV permits for CNG cars. In California the permit costs just $8.
CNG is the same clean gas thats used on a kitchen range. Nobody thinks about polluting the kitchen air when he or she turns on the stove top because CNG is the cleanest energy available. Eight-five percent of all natural gas comes from the US. The balance is from Canada. CNG is environmentally clean and because it is not a petroleum product supply is not dependent on Middle Eastern oil or prices.
It does reduce trunk space, but there is a huge backseat for cargo.
Until more people adopt this alternative, there won't be CNG stations on every corner. So when driving a CNG car you have to plan ahead but stations are easily located. http://afdcmap2.nrel.gov/locator/. In Northern California both PG&E and PInnacle Natural Gas have numerous sites. Planning ahead is a small price to pay for HOV lane access.
So far, the only CNG car in production is from Honda. In typical "how dumb can Detroit be?" fashion, Ford quit making CNG cars in 2004. But demand will bring supply and Detroit and Tokyo will take notice as people buy CNG cars to be their perfect commute vehicle.
And there is a big incentive to buy - a hefty tax credit for getting a CNG Honda Civic, the only CNG car in production. The car, which costs about $24,000, can bring a tax credit of $4,000. And it has a lot of power with CNG, which has an octane rating of 130.
One more benefit: on natural gas, engines run forever, because there is no gasoline to dissolve and pollute the lubricating oil, just clean-burning natural gas.
CNG is the cutting edge of driving and not polluting. Its as close as you can get to driving with a clear conscience and a clear environment - much better than a Prius, which still pollutes, even if less than traditional gas-hogs.
What about cost of fuel? That is on just about everybody's minds these days. CNG is about $2.50 a gallon. Big-trunk cars like the Crown Victoria can accommodate four three-gallon tanks or 12 gallons and have a range of approximately 250 miles. If you want to cut your fuel cost to $1 a gallon, install a home pump. Phill by FuelMaker allows you to refuel at home using household natural gas, plus there is an additional tax credit for purchasing a home gas pump. http://www.myphill.com/
Interested? In California, try Drive Traders and for Arizona cars Murphy at CNG Motors is very knowledgeable
Help yourself. Help the environment. Go CNG!
Richard Alexander
Congress Must Take Action to Protect Internet Privacy
- On: 05/09/2008 09:35:18
- In: Uncategorised
Mortgage Crisis: Impose Class Actions on Abusive Mortgage Practices
- On: 04/28/2008 11:43:55
- In: Uncategorised
The New York Times reports on April 28, 2008 that "(t) he mortgage industry, facing the prospect of tougher regulations for its central role in the housing crisis, has begun an intensive campaign to fight back." Loan Industry Fighting Rules on Mortgages. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/business/28mortgage.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin
Class actions by legal aid lawyers are banned under current law. These are incentives that would bring more advocates to those whove been abused -- and not in a nice way.
The New York Times reports a civilian employee of the Army Reserve, earning a monthly salary of only $2,800, was ridiculously approved for a mortgage requiring a monthly payment of $4,000. That mortgage was destined for foreclosure from its inception. "The Neediest Cases: Helping to Keep Homelessness at Bay as Foreclosures Hit More Families." New York Times, February 4, 2007. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/nyregion/04neediest.html?scp=1&sq=Helping+to+Keep+Homelessness+at+Bay+as+Foreclosures+Hit+More+Families&st=nyt Its a con game. And it shouldnt stand. Where are our lawmakers? Where are those who are supposed to represent the people? In hiding, probably. Or perhaps at lunch with lobbyists. Clearly, sub-prime lenders have preyed on those who didnt have a clue about how the game worked. The lenders may be able to sleep at night, but those who lost their homes to them probably wont, or perhaps they will at a homeless shelter. It's time to turn loose the lawyers. The 1995 the Republican Congress passed the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act a boon to cheaters. The GOP has long opposed class action lawyers efforts to represent consumers and investors. We need to repeal the 1995 act and let loose the class action lawyers on the outlaws. Before 1995 investors could sue en masse to go after fat-cat executives who fraudulently reported sales and book-to-bill ratios; those who put off reporting business reverses to inflate stock prices, and auditors who looked the other way. Before 1995, a strong plaintiffs bar of private attorneys had played a major role in the enforcement of securities law. No more. That year, 1995, private civil enforcement of securities laws died. The result was a diminishing probability that crooks would be held responsible for cheating. The aftermath of this bad bill is staggering. President Clinton foresaw the decimation of private enforcement of securities law. He vetoed it, but the Republican Congress overrode his veto, and we have seen the shameful results. Never before have there been as many financial frauds perpetrated on investors worldwide. Since 1995, Enron, WorldCom, ImClone, Global Crossing Ltd., Adelphia Communications, Xerox, Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Qwest ripped off investors because there has been little fear of being sued. Sadly, this is a very partial list. Lets bring back the fear to the big wheeler dealers who destroy pension benefits and hard-earned savings and to the real estate and mortgage industry for the current debacle. In addition to stronger civil remedies for homeowners, including class actions against predators like those who signed up a borrower making $2,800 a month for a $4,000 mortgage and then sold the paper to someone else who packaged it into a securities offering to investors, the criminal justice system should mandate the disgorgement of all profits, in addition to criminal penalties, in all such cases. Richard Alexander
Suing Drug Companies for Personal Injuries Should be Allowed
- On: 04/28/2008 11:07:19
- In: Dangerous Drugs & Medicines
Adoption Fraud: Dumping Mentally Ill Children on Unsuspecting Parents
- On: 04/27/2008 13:56:26
- In: Uncategorised
Maxwell's Pledge for Teenage Drivers Whitewashes Reality
- On: 04/25/2008 06:46:21
- In: Car accidents
That's why one no should take a pledge in Maxwell's name - its a one-sided pledge that intends to blame a driver for a passenger's death but it ignores the fact that riding with a potential killer can kill you.
For a far better approach to teenage driving deaths and a pledge for teenagers and their parents that is honest, read all the facts surrounding these deaths written by an insider who knows the real story and isn't afraid to talk about it. http://www.alexanderinjury.com/articles.asp?cid=4&id=232
Richard Alexander
TRASYLOL CAN KILL WHEN GIVEN DURING SURGERY
- On: 01/13/2008 14:14:21
- In: Dangerous Drugs & Medicines
Kidney failure, stroke, heart attack and death following open heart or bypass surgery in many cases have been caused by Trasylol®, a drug manufactured by the German pharmaceutical conglomerate, Bayer AG, which was meant to limit bleeding during surgery procedures. But in November 2007 Bayer AG was forced to pull Trasylol® from the market following a request by the FDA.
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FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CURTAILING STATES' EFFORTS TO EXPAND MEDICAL COVERAGE TO KIDS
- On: 01/07/2008 18:36:57
- In: Health Care
As Californians absorb the grim news of the budget, the idea that tens of thousands of families will lose health insurance is slowly looking like it might become a reality.
Read all of FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CURTAILING STATES' EFFORTS TO EXPAND MEDICAL COVERAGE TO KIDS
DANGEROUS MRI'S CAN CAUSE MAN-MADE DISEASE
- On: 01/02/2008 12:48:41
- In: Dangerous Drugs & Medicines
MRIs are so routine that medical patients usually feel they have nothing to worry about when their doctors recommend them. But an emerging and dangerous disease, that is essentially being ignored by the media, may force people to take a second look. Some MRI’s are used with gadolinium-based contrast agents, which causes nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, a man-made skin disease that strikes unsuspecting patients, especially those with kidney problems.
Read all of DANGEROUS MRI'S CAN CAUSE MAN-MADE DISEASE




