Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 29 March 2002 — Page 2

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, MARCH 29,2002

Students get civics lesson through Project Lead

By OSEYE T. BOYD Staff Writer While more and more young people are becoming involved with the juvenile justice system, few ever think about the legal process. Many — youths and adults alike — think the legal system is oppressive and don’t understand how laws are enacted or why there are laws. Project Lead (Legal Education to Arrest Delinquency), a program created by Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, helps students understand the ramifications of illegal activity and why

a crime is a crime. Project Lead targets students in fifth through seventh grades and utilizes three community resources: schools, community officials and organizations, and Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, says extension educator George Okantey. Instead of a teacher rattling off why students should not be involved in illegal activity. Project Lead is interactive and students receive visits from local lawmakers in their district, a police officer, the prosecutor, a department store manager and a representative from the juvenile court system. “It becomes a civics lesson in government. (They)

leam laws are started by an idea that goes through the legislative process. It is a curriculum that teaches good citizenship: how do you best participate in the running of government in your community. It really validates most of the things they teach in the classroom,” Okantey said. One exercise demonstrates to students how laws protect them. Students go on an imaginary visit to Freedom City where there are no laws. There they have total freedom and soon leam if there are no laws, there is no recourse when someone violates your rights. “They come to realize that the law is actually there to help them. The law is not there to oppress them,”

said Okantey. St. Gabriel eighth grade teacher Mike Schill says Project Lead “provides an opportunity for the kids to see real world applications of how laws get passed." His students took the interactive class to a new level by suggesting possible laws to local state representatives. Okantey also believes teachers can use Project Lead to create positive peer pressure. By opening classroom discussions, students may urge each other to obey laws and avoid trouble. To leam more about Project Lead call George Okantey at (317) 275-9305.

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Students in Mike Schill’s class at St. Gabriel School participate in Project Lead (Legal Education to Arrest Delinquency), a program where they learn the reason laws are needed and what it means to be a good citizen. (photo/J. Buntin) • ' 5 ■' /' ' ' . '' ; ' • . ' • < ;■ . }?■ , •- ' _ ;.•••' ••,••/ ' ’ V ( ’ V. • Booster seats to be given at 2 sites

Special to The Recorder ‘ j.". :• •» i FamHieAef Indianapolis Public Schools students who need car booster seats for children ages 4-8 and weighing 40-80 pounds may be eligible to get free seats at one of two giveaway events on April 13 and April 27. On April 13 the giveaway will be hosted at School 14, 1250 E. Market St. The April 27 site is the Keenan Stahl Boys & Girls Club, 1949 E. Troy Ave. Both events are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The booster seats are for children too big for infant car seats, but too small for standard adult-sized safety seat belts alone. Interested families should call 278-3218 to make an appointment for either day. Both the

child who’ll be using the seat and the vehicle they’ll be riding in must be present to receive the free booster seat. The seats raise the child up enough so that the adult belts fit them better and more comfortably. An added benefit is that the children can then also see out the car windows, making travel more enjoyable for everyone. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death and injury to children. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that nationally, more than 500 children ages 4-8 are killed each year and thousands are injured from riding in unprotected or improperly fitted safety devices. Studies show that in Indiana, more than 8 of 10 parents and caregivers of

children ages 4-8 have heard or read about booster seats, but only 17 percent actually use the safety devices. The giveaway is part of Boost America!, a Ford Motor Co. national campaign aimed at donating 1 million booster seats to low-income families who have been pre-screened by United Way. The events are sponsored by United Way of Central Indiana, (UWCI), IPS, Bridges to Success, (a collaboration of UWCI and IPS), Automotive Safety Program. Indiana University and Indiana SAFE KIDS Coalition. The mission of SAFE KIDS is to reduce the number of deaths and injuries to children ages 14 and under from motor vehicle and pedestrian injuries and other accidents.

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O’Bannon signs law raising age limit for death penalty to 18

Special to The Recorder Gov. Frank O’Bannon signed a bill this week that prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from being sentenced to death in

Indiana.

O’Bannon signed Senate

Enrolled Act 426, which raises to juries," O’Bannon said.

least 16 years old at the time of a murder could be sentenced to

death.

“I believe this is an appropriate change in Indiana’s law on sentencing for convicted murderers, while preserving appropriate sentencing options forjudges and

18 the age limit for the death penalty for those who commit murder. Previously, a person at

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In addition to raising the age for the imposition of the death penalty, the law also: • Allows people ages 16-18 to be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. • Requires the court to instruct a jury that it must find at least one aggravating circumstance beyond a reasonable doubt before it may recommend a death sentence or life imprisonment without parole. • Requires a jury to provide a special verdict form for each aggravating circumstance that has been alleged. • Prohibits a judge from issuing a sentence different from a jury’s recommendation. Senate Enrolled Act 426 becomes effective July 1.