Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 12 April 1997 — Page 2

AGE A2

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

SATURDAY, APRIL 12,1987

Has Indianapolis stopped growing?

EMTORIAIS

Juvenile courts are at times arbitrary and unfair We are told that the juvenile male prison population has increased nearly 30 percent in the last five years. The popular perception is that most of those incarcerated are more violent and murderous than previous generations of youthful offenders. Overcrowding seems to be a chronic problem in both the adult and the juvenile systems, at least that is what we are being told. When we consider this information, we can then assume that the Indiana Boys School must be full of hardened young criminals. The truth is that the Indiana Boys School has always been used to do a variety of things. In some cases it is used to punish youngsters who have committed serious crimes. In other instances it has been used to punish unruly boys who a local judge thought needed to be taught a lesson, even though the act that bought the boy before the court was not serious. Things like trespassing or getting into a minor fight at school. Unlike the adult system, where incarceration is most often reserved for the most serious offenses, the juvenile system has been used in a variety of what most would consider to be unjust ways. The incarceration of Lawrence North High School student Tony Wong is an example of the inconsistencies of the juvenile system. At the discretion of the juvenile court Wong has been sentenced to the Plainfield Juvenile Correctional Facility for two months for an offense that an adult would barely have to spend a night in jail for. Hiis response falls into the “let’s teach him a lesson” type of sentence that only the juvenile system can consistently enact, because there is little of no oversight of juvenile judges in Indiana. Most judges do the right thing most of the time even though they have much broader power over juvenile offenders than most people realize. In the Wong case, in our opinion, the judge did the wrong thing. It makes us wonder how many juveniles are incarcerated only because they ticked off a judge. And since it can cost $15,000 to $30,000 to lock up a juvenile for a year this is no bargain for the public. Tony Wong was arrested twice for trespassing. This was in connection with anti-fur protests that were staged at a shopping mall. Such activity is certainly a nuisance, but it is hardly worth sending a juvenile to jail for two months under the guise of a probation violation. This is just too convenient, he must have really ticked off the judge. In addition, Wong has staged a hunger strike and as a result has been force fed by Department if Correction officials. This is an extreme reaction to a crime which is hardly extreme. In fact there are many Americans who believe that the staging of protests are a legitimate expression of citizens rights. Certainly under similar circumstances adults are not treated in this way and to us, this raises questions about the integrity of the juvenile justice system. How often is the sweeping discretion of die juvenile court abused? How often do juveniles spend time in jails for trivial offenses that would hardly merit fines in adult courts? As in the Wong, case is it the purpose of the juvenile court to teach juveniles that they should not protest things that they think are unjust? It would have made more sense to sentence young Tony Wong to community service. Every day convicted adult thieves are given community service or fines while Wong has lost 20 pounds and is being fence fed. They need to let this young man go home today before he becomes seriously ill. There is absolutely nothing right about this situation. The judge who sentenced Wong appears to have acted like a juvenile.

INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER DIRECTORY

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Here are some facts and figures you’ve not read in the IndianapolisStar and News or seen on channels 6,8,13or59. It’spart of a deep, dark secret city leaders don’t want to acknowledge, but the truth is that Indianapolis has stopped growing! Recently released U.S. Census Bureau data points to disturbing trends for our city and community; trends that

people from 1995, up only 906

from 1994.

At the same time, the population of the eight suburban counties

ing desires of Indianapolis grow- household incomes exceeding mg Black middle and professional $40,000, with Hamilton County ’s

class for a better life is emptying exceeding $54,000!

Black inner and center city neigh- Indianapolis firm ACB Data borhoods. Consulting estimates that the Afiri-

Our analysis of Black home can-American median household

ownership trends reinforces this, income in Indianapolis is increasBetween 1992 and 1995, nearly i n g > somewhat. ACB Data Con5,000 Blacks bought homes in the suiting reports that currently. Black Indianapolis area. The vast major- median household income for the

signal danger into the 21st cen- 29.000 more people have left In- tou^toutefdeCentelr^rhi^ Sem^^ $22 ’‘ 2 ' tur y; ' „ dianapolis/Marion County than More than 66 percent of new B lack Don’t hold vour breath that the New Census Bureau estimates moved in; nearly 14,000 in the past homeowners moved into inte- Black and white leadershio in this confirm that the population of the two years! Virtually all of this out- grated neighborhoods. Only 12 city/county unckrst^ds thise D^ city of Indianapolis has become migration is white; “White Flight” percentofnew Black homeowners lems andmorerm^tlvto^t, stagnant.Thecensusestimatesthe has returned to the city! moved into Center Township/in- deal with them* ^ ^

city spopulation,asof July, 1996, AsIndianapolis/ManonCounty ner city neighborhoods.

at 817,525. That’s up just 989 experiences white flight, it’s expe- Another disturbing fact city Heard in the street

rienced an influx of African Ameri- leaders don’t want to acknowl- If vou’ve heard a InnH rrachino cans and other minorities movmg edge is an increase in the number sound" in ^iLs Jt ^ to the city/county. Since 1990, of persons living in poverty! Late sound ofthe breaking of racial glass

,, more African Americans have last month, the Census Bureau re- ceiline in Indianaoolis media Jim of Indianapolis has grown 30,351 moved into Indianapolis than left; leased estimates of the number of week^ after I^tteizedTihe citv s or 4.8 percent. Boone, Hamilton some 5,000 alone in the past seven persons living below the poverty television industry for their lack of Hancock, Hendncks, Johnson and years! Additionally, Indianapolis level in each ofthe nation’s 3,100 diversity of African Americans in Morgm counties have exhibited isscetog™ influxcounties. nl^gfui p^^"^ double digit growth. Hamilton especially Asians and Hispamcs. Here in Indianapolis/Marion ceiling is broken in a meaningful County is now among Indiana s Why is Indianapolis losing County, the Census Bureau re- wa v 8 meaningful 10 W I th “ P°P u,a ’ population, especially when new pom the number of persons living a vivacious African American non of 147,719. For the first time homes and apartments are being in poverty rose 31.3 percent be- WO man with the intriguing name inhistory l.5maiionpeopleli*e built, it seems, on evo, vacant tween 1989 and 1993. Two in 13, of Sage Steeletet Sen tteT m the Indianapolis Metnvolitan stretch of land? The reason is 15.1 percentofeveijoneinlndia- ctal aLrt^ inTnS^k TV Ares.AndManonCounty sshare simple. While the outer city and napolis,orl23.59llivebelowthe spomTSnmts A^to IsaM

oftheroetro has fallen to just 55 mwnship areas continue m grow Federal povetly level. The house- r£m!

* >e ^ en ‘ . , rapidly, Indianapolis is steadily hold income gap between those WISH-TV8’snewweekend“Dav-Evendtoughthecnyspopula. losingpopulMioninitsolderwhite living in Marion County and In- break” momin^S^ltSe Inni has flattened out, Blackpopu- and Black inner city and down- dianapolis- suburbs continues to debuted during^hTHnaM^ lotion contmues to grow. The lat- town neighborhoods. widen _ “ 8 u ’ e h hour est Census Bureau estimateof In- Population flight is especially The Census Bureau says city/ SaneSteele whocomestoChan

! l0 ”r ™ African-American county median household income «| WSBTWiBe^d

i , .J y e.o 99 S!f ® 3 ’ 000 ?“ O f lnner Cly neighborhoods. Cnme, isnow$32,159.0ftheninemeno becomes the fimAlriS^A^ri 816,619; 224 percent of city/ drive-by shootings, •drive-thni” counties, only Madison County cS ^ts^cto™^SreMrtm county restdents are Afr,can drag dealing, lack of family sized has lower medhm household in rforj^Ta^rtoBtak loonr- , apartments and housing, the con- comes than Marion County. Five woZ^dW sX e£' Since the 1990 Census, nearly slant toimoil in IPS, and the grow- suburban counties have median w”flZr htog lefs h^<Z

HOW THE AMERICAN MEDIA PORTRAYS AFFIRMATIVE ACTK

but the truth is

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nel 8’s commitment to her (and other Blacks in their news department) is genuine. Channel 8 needs to continue to advance African Americans into continued meaningful roles as anchors, understudies to Debby Knox and Mike Ahem, and hire orpromote Blacks to news producers and department heads. Meanwhile, I’m hearing that another TV station has made a major commitment in hiring an African American in a major supervisor position. Details next’

week.

Twelve Churchs Chicken stores in Indianapolis have been sold to a Black-owned business. Atlanta Franchise Development Co. bought the Churchs Chicken stores in Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, Dayton and here, a total of 100 restaurants. Five of the 12 Churchs locations are in majority Black neighborhoods and most employ

African Americans.

After McDonald’s, Churchs Chicken will become the chain with the most Black-owned outlets in our city. Will other fast food out-

lets follow their lead? See ya next week!

I i ( ^ I 1 f I HHj | fT ^ t i j,* « lets follow their lead?

See yd next week^

Brown: salesman of commercial diplomacy

A year ago this month Ron Brown, the secretary of commerce, and veteran of the Urban League Movement, died in a plane crash in Croatia. His tragic death underscored the significant service he had given America as the world's chief strategist and “salesman of commercial diplomacy.” Ron’s brilliant insight was that the way to preserve the peace in thepost-Cold

nomically interdependent more apparent than in the relationship between Japan and the United States. In both countries the pace of the changes is reshaping the business worid and the job market at

breakneck speed. ForJapanese-affili-

PHONE 1317i 9 24 5 1 f

War world was to build a network of economic ated businesses in America, doing well in our interests and benefits that would permeate so- pluralistic racial, ethnic and cultural market, cieties not only at the level of government requires recognizing that diversity and equal agencies and businesses, but at the level of opportunity are an asset to the corporate bottom

ordinary workers, too. It was an insight that line.

Ron shared with John W. Mack, president of Like their American-owned counterparts, our Los Angeles affiliate and his long-time Japanese corporations that do business in close friend and mentor. That commercial di- America must become good corporate citizens. plomacy can be applied at the local level to the They must commit major financial and human economic benefit of all is the subject of this resources to help solve critical problems in column, which John originally wrote for the communities where they do business. And they booklet of the Japan Federation of Economic must adhere in their business policies and pracOrganizations. It discusses the economic ben- tices to equal opportunity, fairness, inHarion efits our Los Angeles affiliate has helped bring and respect for individuals of all races and

to inner-city residents where by developing cultures.

partnerships with Japanese corporations and This is not just a matter of altruism. It is good presents the case to its largely Japanese audi- for business. The payoffs for good corporate ence that being a good corporate citizen wher- citizens include an expanded, deeper and more ever one is, is good for business. skilled pool of potential employees for every — Hugh B. Price. level of the company, a richer consumer mar-

ketplace to tap, and consumer goodwill that

Nowhere is the force ofthe global economy's translates into consumer purchases of the corpush to make the world’s nations more eco- porate product. The partnerships the Los Angenomically interdependent more apparent than les Urban League has established with many in the relationship between Japan and the cul- companies, including Toyota Motor Sales tund market, requires recognizing that diver- U.S.A. Inc. and Nissan Motor Corp. U.S.A. sity and equal opportunity are an asset to the have shown what can occur when corporate corporate bottom line. leaders recognize being civic-minded is good

Nowhere is the force ofthe global economy's for the company, too.

push to make the world’s nations more eco- ’ Toyota made a major commitment to be-

come more involved in Los Angeles following the 1992 civil unrest that was triggered by the first jury verdict in the police beating of Rodney King. The company signed an agreement with us and contributed three million dollars to establish a facility that would provide state-of-the-art training in automotive repair for out-of-work inner city residents. The Los Angeles Urban League Automotive Training Center provided this entry-level training and also job placement services at no cost to trainees. In fact, the economic benefits to inner city Los Angeles began flowing even before the training center itself opened. It is in a predominantly African-American community, and was renovated by an African-American contractor who hired individuals from the community as part of his work crew, who did a quality job. Since its opening in 1993, approximately 400individuals have successfully trained there, and 93 percent of the graduating classes have found good jobs. More recently, Nissan has asked the staff of our Ron Brown Business Center to help it conduct consumer marketing studies and review its current marketing strategies with the goal of improving its business reach in Afri-can-American and other minority communities. That includes Nissan's pledge to expand its use of business suppliers owned by white women and people of color. In addition, Nissan has also committed itself to expand the number of African-American and other minorityowned Nissan dealerships in America. We in the Uiban League movement know that efforts like these are part of what Ron Brown had in mind both in the yean be spent with us and as he moved on the world state. He knew that improving the lot of ordinary people can be tremendous force for good.