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| ; stan t sane ane Beer + ‘Nessa u Cri ‘Studies Reform Ideas: | By Bob Bridgeo incola— The ‘newty focined Nassau mT crime au is studying a re Peeing from Weeks “Pat jurors Oy lot to the, creation of a echiabilitation sentet for In shout & month, the unit, the Couneil oa Crime Prevuution, will mecct te consider recom mendations for judicial and law enforcement refonn. Most of the proposals under study were included in a February repost br the President's Commission on Crime, but one of the suggestions is 3 new approach by the county, That is the proposed selection of trial and grand jurics by random lot. The jury selection fan is the only proposal before the council that has be strony bacx'ng of County Exsccutive Nickerson. - The co::ncii's ‘recommnendations will hinge on a j 31-pare repozt mleased last week by Nickerson. Ile has askec * ae dc-man council of | experts snd inven headed by ° Nevstay | Police Comic zaissionet Francis B. Closeup Looas; ic cousiccr a number of. reborn, intcuig some on phicl be has taken no /e The changes include ipStifp | encth od oF stucitng trisl an ; pointment of district attornics and their assistants, the ezeation of a local rehabilitation center for ‘delinquents and first offenders; the reicase of as many suspects without bail as possible following examination; anc revision of the system where the district attorney's office and defense lawyers bargain oa guilty pleas before or during trials to reduce court congestion. Prevention Is Concern ’ A survey of the attitudes of Looney and the . council members showed that the group was pri- marily concemed with prevention of crime, espe- cially by youths, and the protection of defendants’ Irights. “Looney said the council would produce anitten studics on he problems it deals with. He hae he expected the council to conduct a seminar on the report's recommendations in about two months. The council has no kesislative powers, but its roposals are expected to carry more weight than those of indix iduals, said the council would old public hearings periodically and issue an annual jbold p A Nickerson spokesman said it was set up in Ipart to guurantce that Nassag would receive funds j under the propnsed Safe Streets and Crime Control yAct now before Con ess and expected to be passed soon, “We couldn "O get funds without the ‘crime courcil in existence,” said the trying to jump the gun so pe tn {the act) passed we wi.. ciready be ” He added that the council migat hire 2 fu aioe dircetor and part- time he. u isderal o¢ private foundation funds * became availahie: or oo a o> - ret ime ‘Pane of and minority-gronp members. Nic . Grand juross are now cither nenimated by" judges os " detention of youngsters in prisons ahere they are . nae - thrown in with hardened criminals. “You're just -* 25000 eens Tl? Tunning a school for crime,” he said. . “ a whe ots ae a random lot. Program, Not Trial, Urged re weil wen oe nee grand juries; the ap ~ __ tion a. an alternative to a court trial. A Nic Pal ae oo! ye . Spo - establishment of a rehabilitation center as “a very - the council to ex . tional Convention. The. Nassaa report said,” - *. Certainly strong arguments could be advanced in- favor of of appointed “We're : _ McGini - spurt and, without any intention to harm the de- an _The mport pints out Wat the grand jer sateen innnecd ote ‘fagetereres a fog tans are said to give too much power to fey’ - 7 ; commissioners and ‘discriminate aginst low-income a , a spokes man said, favored sclection by lot “ 2s a inare dema- cratic an arguincai made in the report. - chosen from tclcphone books and tax milk. Two -*- 7 > ~~ members of the council who arc defense lawyers based in Mineola, David it ate Too FeO McGinity, backed the proposal yesterday. McGinity -2 2 7 Uo fle urged that a different govemmental body such ae the state attomey general's office, handic complaints NT before a grand jury so that 3 district attomey, who 5 must eventually try a case, could not influcnce Bee. “Eo caa! grand jury in the pretrial investigation. lt rey The idea of a county rehabilitation ecnter for . FO re youthful delinquents and first offenders drew sup- | . “Ad oe port several. comnal members, ineludin: _ mt) ES County Human Relations Comunissioucr Farrell Sry ar EY lee ae Jones. Joncs said a imajor problem has been the 90 om to the jJcnt's crime cnn- Peirez, a deles Vote suggested that youngsters who | * es ference in March, 2 Een Me rt bak twat Ae Date ds 5 ye NA cocet - 1 a were not considered hardened criminals not be tried | 0 -_ Lt AD. eo? if other remedies were available. “Once take a oo : AL og kid into court you've lost him,” he wid T Ile sug- ° _ ve a a gested that young offenders be required to report to —-— See Tee a probation officer and participate in a program |. oa! similar to that required of persous actually on proba-" vas : kesman sid the county exccutive regards the” interesting idea and one that the council should | study.” But he added that Nickerson would defet te 2-7 tie council on the feasibility and cast of the program, 7 a re The spokesman said Nickerson woul aiso like’. woo! plore a proposal to appoint district. “a attomeys. A move to change the office from clective ~~ to appointive failed in the recent State Constite- -__ trict attormeys.” It galled “the 22... old-sh He politically oriented district attorncy's office Ae wn one The Nassau report also asked the council to ae that all negotiations between the district attomer office and defense lawyers kcading to pleas of cnilty on lesser counts be made a bie part of the Sot: “record. Nickerson has refused to take a stand on this |. and Looncy sid he would wait for the council to © decide, but MzCiazti and Pcircz svongly savored it. - ssid the bargaining process should be |? made public so that it could be reviewed a3 3 foctoe ~ in appeal cases. Peirez said, “There are too mang -. cases where people are shuttled behind the dooss ia. aR Tt ™- 7 Fendint, a ples and a sentence ace, that wag. on ans . :