Shelby voters must push for progress in juvenile justice
It’s election time which means many voters begin to play the blame game.
Many seek to identify candidates to blame for government’s failure to address all of society’s ills. Others seek to blame candidates for poor performance in providing government services. Still others blame candidates for failing to show courage in standing up for what the voter feels is important.
Candidates for office often attempt to avoid blame by dodging the issues or by not being transparent, if they do not want their actions scrutinized. Both tactics are on full display this election season.
The ongoing debacle at Shelby County Juvenile Court is a shameful example. On June 29, County Attorney Kathryn Pascover and her assistant, John M. Jones, wrote a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) asking it to end its monitoring of Juvenile Court.
The county signed the 2012 monitoring agreement in lieu of court action being taken for Juvenile Court’s failure to provide due process protections, failure to adequately protect youth from harm in the Detention Center, and for treating youth differently based on their race.
This is the county’s second attempt to get the DOJ to end its oversight. The first in June 2017 angered many advocates who correctly pointed out the reports from independent monitors clearly stated compliance had not been reached.
That’s still true. The most recent independent monitor reports indicate due process protections remain inadequate and our court continues to treat black youth more harshly.
County commissioners were angry the 2017 letter was sent without their knowledge. It was signed by Juvenile Court Judge Dan Michael, Mayor Mark Luttrell and Sheriff Bill Oldham.
Apparently their anger did not matter because the June 2018 letter was also sent without informing the County Commission. This time the
More viewpoint For more commentary, go to commercialappeal.com/opinion/
letter was not signed by any elected official but rather by the county attorney.
There are two broad problems here. First is court’s failure to resolve the problems while it continues efforts to eliminate oversight.
The county attorney’s letter says the court will never resolve the equal protection issues because it cannot.
“Candidly, the 5-1/2 years of effort and renewed effort by the County and the Court in the area of DMC/Equal Protection demonstrates that the Court will never -- because it cannot -- reach the statistics desired by the DOJ and the Monitor,” Pascover wrote.
In other words, we cannot do what we agreed to do so quit watching us.
The second problem is the County’s lack of transparency in trying to squirm out of their responsibility in this case. County leaders clearly are trying to sneak this letter under the radar and avoid the scrutiny of the public and of some elected officials.
Who do voters blame for trying to eliminate oversight? The Juvenile Court judge’s position regrettably is not on the ballot this time. Luttrell, Oldham and a majority ofcommissioners are not seeking re-election.
But voters will elect a new mayor, sheriff and at least eight new commissioners Aug. 2. So far, both candidates for sheriff, Floyd Bonner and Dale Lane, have said they don’t support terminating the agreement at this time. Other candidates for office should weigh in on this.
If we want to play the blame game and hold officials accountable, it starts with us. We get the type of leadership and representation we elect. We should insist on answers to tough questions and then get to the polls and cast ballots for leaders who represent the best in us.
Bill Powell was settlement agreement coordinator for the U.S. Justice Department’s Memorandum of Agreement with Shelby County Juvenile Court from 2012 until he resigned in 2017. Prior to that he served three mayors as the county’s criminal justice coordinator.