Pubdate: Tue, 21 May 2002
Source: Monett Times, The (MO)
Copyright: 2002 The Monett Times, a division of Cleveland Newspapers, Inc
Contact:  or  http://www.monett-times.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1791
Author: KRISTIN NAMA

PROSECUTOR SEES EVOLUTION IN CRIME SCENE OVER 30 YEARS

Drug Problems Worse; People Refusing To Take Responsibility Increasing

n 30 years in one profession a person can learn a lot and see many strange 
things. Sometimes one sees that the more some things change, the more 
others seem to stay the same.

Does alcohol and drug abuse have a role in violent crime? Ask Lawrence 
County Prosecutor Robert (Bob) George and he will say alcohol nearly always 
plays a role in violent crime. That is an aspect of law enforcement that 
has not changed much over the years.

What has changed? George said last year three people died in Lawrence 
County last year from methamphetamine. Ten years ago one could not say that 
about the county, he added. At least if a person chooses to buy a bottle of 
alcohol in a store they have some expectation of quality control, George 
said. When taking a drug cooked up in a person's home or garage one never 
knows what it may contain.

Why do reports of child abuse seem more prevalent today than perhaps in 
past decades? George said better education of children and mandatory 
reporting by adults has resulted in more reports of abuse. However, he 
stated his belief that the Internet has contributed to an increase in 
sexual abuse of children.

Easy access to pornography on the Internet is one aspect of increased 
sexual abuse, said George. A potential abuser once had to order pornography 
by mail or go into an adult book store to obtain it. Now pornography, even 
child pornography is available online. Unsolicited offers to view 
pornographic Web sites are sent to many Internet users. George himself has 
received many such e-mails and said he, of course, would never request such 
a thing. Showing pornographic photographs and videos to children is one way 
to "groom" victims to accept sexual abuse, George said.

Alcohol has always been a problem in physical abuse cases, George opined. 
He estimated more than half of all assaults involve abuse of alcohol or 
drugs. "A lot of physical abuse is related to the over consumption of 
alcohol," he said.

One change in attitudes George has seen in his many years of law 
enforcement, 30 years as of September, is people seem less inclined to see 
wives or children as personal property to do with as they please. "We have 
more respect for individual rights," he said. At times in the distant past 
severe abuse cases perhaps were considered "family matters" and not an 
issue for law enforcement.

A marriage does not make a person one's personal property, George said. 
However, some of this attitude can still be seen in Lawrence County and 
violent crimes against a wife or child may not be reported. "I get more 
calls about [abuse of] dogs or cats than children," George stated.

George does not want to give the impression that Lawrence County is a 
hotbed of crime or that laws are not enforced. The police and Sheriff's 
Departments are very active and efficient, he said. It helps that most 
residents do not contribute to the crime problem. "The vast majority of the 
county are law abiding citizens. Thank God!" said George.

There does seem to be more drug activity to fight against lately. George 
said when he was a police officer in Joplin in 1974, an eight ounce 
marijuana arrest was "like breaking up the French Connection." A more 
recent arrest netted 192 kilograms of cocaine and 522 pounds of marijuana.

Another change George has experienced is in a lack of willingness to take 
responsibility for one's own actions. Or those of one's children. George 
said when he used to arrest people in the 1970s, generally they would 
accept the fact they were caught committing a crime and accept that they 
themselves made that choice.

The prosecutor said if offenders are likely to continue to commit crimes 
until they accept responsibility for their own actions. Community service 
can help an offender see the real damage done to the property and lives of 
crime victims. He cited the case of some convicted vandals who were 
required to meet their victims face to face and replace the property they 
damaged. George believes that particular service made a real impact in the 
minds of the offenders.

People can reform themselves and turn away from a life of crime, George 
believes. He said that is something that has not changed with time. "I 
still have a heart," he said, laughingly admitting some defendants and 
defense attorneys might be surprised to hear that.
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