Show Court Shows Welfare Needs Reform Simon Says By S Thomas Li i Editorial Writer The story you are about to read is true It took place some time ago but finds new timeliness in the midst of the current political outcry for social reform The scene is the states state's Third Circuit Court building in downtown Salt Lake City room mom I was there to gather information for a research paper detailing the inner workings workings workings-or or lack thereof thereof thereof-of of our criminal justice system The cases before the judge that morning seemed fairly routine There were a few cases of narcotic possession possession possession posses posses- sion from a recent rock conce concert a handful of shoplifting charges a disorderly dis- dis disorderly disorderly dis dis- orderly conduct and a well-dressed well businessman accused of contributing to the delinquency of minors I was about to leave when the bailiff called the case of a young mother I had been watching her off and on all morning as she wrestled with two toddlers and an infant trying trying trying try try- ing to keep them as quiet as possible during the proceedings The Trie judge looked up from her file as the woman approached the bench stated the charge shoplifting charge shoplifting and asked her how she would like to plead Guilty but with good reason your honor the woman said and began to explain She was a single mother of three and had recently lost her job for chronic absenteeism She had to take the time off she said to care for her infant daughter who had been sick with pneumonia Her husband had left them shortly after they had moved to Utah from California She didn't know anyone here and didn't know what else to do do She explained how she came to be bein bein bein in the courtroom that day Her daughter daugh daugh- ter had a high temperature and there was no medicine in the house It was wasa a week before her final check would be ready and she had only pocket change to see her family through She had applied for emergency state assistance but was told it would take at least three weeks to process her claim three claim three weeks she didn't have So she bundled up her children and walked to a nearby grocery store She took an inexpensive bottle of baby aspirin the aspirin the only thing she had stolen in her life life and and put it in her pocket The rest as they say is history She was stopped as she tried to leave the store taken into a backroom and held until the police arrived She was arrested and taken to jail No bail was set et because she hadn't been in Utah w long enough and was considered a flight risk A social worker had come and taken her children to a shel shel- ter That morning was the first she had seen of them in almost a month She concluded her story by asking the judge what she would have done in the same situation The judge thought for a moment then commented hate welfare caSes cases That will be the most expensive expensive expensive sive bottle of aspirin you ever bought and fined her Compared to the reduced fines and minimum sentences the t e judge had been handing out to junkies and derelicts all day she had fined this woman whose only real crime was caring for her daughter the maximum fine allowed by law r Thankfully that judge is no longer serving on the bench having been voted out by concerned citizens like myself However the memory of that day will live in my mind mind and and the mind of the young mother mother for for forever ever as a reminder of just how justice justice jus jus- tice ice is defined in our courts As we move into this election year and begin to address the issue of welfare reform I hope our state and national legislators have situations like that mothers mother's in mind as they try to reshape our social services If not they may may find themselves out of a job this November |