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Show YfW 7 DAILY ( THE UTA H UNIVERSITY OF UTAH VOLUME 87, NO. 75 innefhod fells peaker of effecf ive lobbying these Organization and sound political strategy are the most effective tools of the lobbyist, Kirk Stromberg said January 12. in representative making of the legislators Institute's Coffee and Stromberg. "Providing information is the best way to influence Stromberg, legislative for the National Retired Teachers Association (NRTA) and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), spoke at the Hinckley Politics on lobbying with volunteers. "Older people are one of the largest special interest groups in the United States, and they are vitally interested politics said. Stromberg days," "As lobbyists, we work with them to build our grass-root- s network." Influencing decision- of the is the key session legislative to serving one's special interest group, according to well in advance A relationship m with individual legislators should be developed, said Stromberg, for a lobby to maintain influence. "I'm of the opinion that it takes 7 to to educate a legislator to the point of achieving an objective," he said. 10 years Stromberg detailed the training of volunteer lobbyists by showing slides during his presentation. His he said. legislators,"decisions organization in Utah are "Legislative often based on who best documented their position. You must learn to use facts." consists of a committee that Stromberg meets with five times a year. They assess the needs of their group in the state and formulate strategy. Directory ready "One of the most important steps in the lobbying process is talking with legislators in key Campus Directory is now available free to all and students faculty members. and white book may be picked up at the ASUU brown The offices or Special Orders desk at the University Bookstore. University ID must be presented to receive a copy. "No student funds were used for this directory," according to Clay Chandler, ASUU Campus Affairs Board chairman. The 10,000 copies were financed by the advertising contained throughout the book, saving $2,300 in student funds, he said. A new addition is a listing of the ASUU Cabinet and ASUU Assembly members. Chandler stressed that cabinet and assembly members are there to serve the students. They should feel free to contact their respective representatives to ask questions or voice opinions about ASUU legislation, he The long-ter- 1977-7- 8 leadership positions to determine the political feasibility of bills we support," Stromberg explained. He told of lobbying efforts prior to the current session legislative budget the which will lead to introduction of several non- budget bills onto the floor. Stromberg also elaborated upon the methods of establishing effective grassroots support. "One way to mobilize them is by contacting the people who receive less than $100 pension per month and said. Faculty, staff and student names were taken from fall quarter, 1977 records. A person's name number were not e of such on the listed if he or she had requested class card. registration personal information "The biggest challenge is making sure they (the directories) get to the students so they can take advantage of it," stated board member Tom Smart. non-releas- I Violent crime in the United decline sharply decade as the II baby boom grows older. post-Worl- But drunkenness and victimless crimes will rise, according to a new University study. Dr. Charles W. Turner, associate professor of two psychology, and Allen M. graduate students, Cole and David K. Dodd, have found that people are more prone to commit certain crimes at specific ages and that the nation's crime and divorce rates correlate closely with cyclic flucuations in the birth rate. Turner notes that some crimes have increased by as much as 300 to 1,000 percent in the past 20 years, while divorces have risen 83 percent during the same period. "These figures are frequently cited as evidence that society and the family are falling apart for reasons ranging from individual disorders to massive social deprivation," he said. Turner believes, however, that a more fundamental "It appears that as people cause can be found in the changing national population characteristics resulting 7 from the baby boom and the declining birth rate from 1962 to 1975. In their study, funded under a University biomedical research grant, the grow older, they move from thrill-seekin- g Using a sophisticated computer model, the researchers compared researchers projected that the period from 1968 to 1982 would be characterized by an increase in the number of individuals the baby boom generation at high risk for committing violent crimes. "It's just more logical that if there are more people at an age when they are more prone to commit a crime, there will be more crime," Turner said. uniform crime reports compiled 1955 to by the FBI from with the changing national popula1975 tion profile. "We found that crime and divorce are age specific, and that not all individuals are equally at risk for committing a criminal offense or a divorce," experiencing Turner commented. For example, the researchers found that the median or middle age for persons arrested for curfew violations, loitering and minor offenses 6 was years old. Median for persons committing ages other types of crimes include: 15-1- and property narcotics violent crimes, crimes, homicide, rape, 21 to 25; vagrancy or driving under the influence, 31; and drunken17-1- ness, 37. 8; crimes to violent crimes and then on to crimes against society or victimless crimes, such as prostitution," Turner said. 1947-195- Expanding on work being performed by other researchers, the University team predicts that robberies and , homicides, which have declined slightly since 1975, will rise again in 1978-7- 9 and then fall by as much as 40 percent more than the next decade. Besides the aging of the baby-boogeneration, the decline will result from fewer people being at the violent crime-pron- e age because of m yJ m V'CQy v asking them to write about their lifestyle," said " Stromberg. We then collect the letters and send them to legislators." The experienced lobbyist believes legislators are affected by the mail they receive, and that they read it. "Especially in a state like Utah where they just don't receive that much mail," he said. Stromberg recalled a comment he received from a legislator that the AARP and NRTA were the most effective lobbying organizations in the state. "We have never had to use any strategy that was less than ethical," Stromberg stated. "We tell them that any effort must be dignified and never include threats." He believes unethical pressure tactics only serve to alienate the legislator and limit his or her help in the future. "Our style of is very lobbying non-militant- ." The issues now being fought for in Utah by Stromberg's group include retirement, improving pension benefits for retired public employees and working for home health care. "The situation in Utah is different because many of the needs of the older people are satisfied by the Mormon Church," he non-mandato- ry added. Violent crime and divorce may lessen wifh baby boom decline and divorce States will in the next d War generation ' mmm jimii.k.j.iiHiiiiii ';i''iMMiiliiiiM'iMiiiw(-"a!- yC the declining national birth rate in recent years, Turner said. In similar fashion, the divorce rate is likely to plateau in 1983-8- 4 and then decline for several years. occurs most Divorce frequently among males age 23 to 27 and females between 20 and 26, and the baby-boogeneration will be beyond that age, Turner said. m The Utah criminologist suspects that a population bulge influences crime and divorce indirectly through its effects on economic conditions. "As a population wave hits, it overwhelms society's ability to provide sufficient resources, such as education and employment opportunities," he said. This situation, Turner says, may be one reason that persons between 16 and 25 have the highest crime rate. "Young people who are frustrated in their attempts to gain employment because of the intense competition for by the jobs created often turn population bulge to crime as an alternative," he ... - t. -- i Kirk Stromberg spoke at Coffee and Politics January 12 about lobby efforts for retired persons. News Briefs from the Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY-T- he of Department need for a Transportation still isn't ready to back up its tax increase on gasoline, Utah House 12. Majority Leader Ronald Halverson said January miners "never had a Idaho Ninety-on- e chance" once fire started deep underground in northern Idaho's Sunshine Mine, an attorney told a federal judge be one of the January 12 at the start of what promises to longest and most complex trials in Idaho history. BOISE, HELENA, Mont. U.S. Sen. Lee Metcalf was found dead in Helena early January 12, Helena Police Chief Jack Williams said. Metcalf was 66. (D-Mon- t.) WASHINGTON, D.C. Pushed by higher food costs, wholesale prices increased 0.7 percent in December and brought the total increase for the year to 6.6 percent, the government reported January 12. MANAGUA, Nicaragua Demonstrators looted and burned the customs building and set businesses and cars afire January 12 to protest the machine gun slaying of opposition editor Pedro Chamorro. WASHINGTON, D.C. President Carter accused the Soviet Union on January 12 of sending "some men" as well as large shipments of arms to Ethiopia in its clash with Somalia. CAIRO Egypt and Israel traded proposals January 12 for future security in the Sinai Peninsula, but made no settlements in that progress on the key issue of Jewish desert region. Weather partly cloudy and fair, increasing clouds by evening; high 47, low 34 Friday becoming cloudy and windy with rain likely by evening; high 44, low 32 Sunday cooler with intermittent rain; high 40, low Saturday 30 commented. W.'.V-V.V.Y- . .:7.7 |