Wedgwood Crime Update, October 2001

Neighborhood Organizing Efforts Pay Off

All neighborhoods struggle with crime. The southeast quadrant of Wedgwood suffered through a very troubling series of incidents during August and September. Teenagers being noisy and disruptive escalated their behavior to breaking car and home windows, stealing cars, and, in one case, seriously assaulting a resident.

Neighbors contacting the police, the quick action of the police, and some carelessness on the part of the youths led to several arrests. Those arrests, coupled with the onset of school and the rains, seem to have greatly slowed the crime outbreak.

A group of Wedgwood neighbors has taken an active interest in the juvenile justice process, and has had a positive impact on helping to ensure appropriate sanctions. They have been attending hearings, questioning inappropriate arrestee release, and suggesting conditions for probation in sentence hearings.

Currently several youths have been convicted of some of the crimes and are either serving or have served time in detention. One part of their sentences is continuing community supervision, meaning they have probation officers who follow their activity. Additionally, they may have court-ordered sanctions, such as no contact with other youths involved in local crimes, curfew hours, and in cases where the youths do not reside in Wedgwood, exclusion from the Wedgwood area.

There are still a number of pending arrests which will be forwarded to the prosecuting attorney's office for further charges.

As recently as Saturday, October 20, two youths were caught shoplifting at the neighborhood Rite-Aid drugstore, and one was apprehended by the Seattle Police.

What You Can Do

If you see or hear a crime being committed, call 911. DO NOT try to intervene. This can be dangerous to you, and could invite retaliation. Call 911.

Report your call to your neighborhood Block Watch captain, who will funnel your report on to the community council's Crime Prevention Committee.

If you are a victim, take an active role. Be sure you get a Seattle Police Department incident number, and ask to be notified of all court proceedings. On a regular basis, call to inquire as to the status of the incident. Officers frequently detain suspects who then confess to earlier crimes.

If the police arrest someone for the crime committed against you, they will file a report with the Prosecuting Attorney's office. Follow-up with the prosecuting attorney and urge that charges be filed. Find out when those charges will be filed. (See phone numbers at right.)

In all cases, there is an arraignment, where the charges are read and the accused usually enters a Not Guilty plea. Then, about two weeks later, there is a "case-setting" where the prosecuting and defending attorneys meet to agree to a guilty plea, or a trial date, or agree to defer case-setting to a later date.

If there is a trial, a date will be set. In the case of juvenile crimes, most often the case-setting results in a decision on the part of the youth (and the attorney) to plead guilty. A date is set for the plea hearing and sentencing. When that happens, you may write to the prosecuting attorney to ask that specific conditions of probation be included in the sentencing.

As a part of that court date, the youth is informed of the charges, the prosecution's recommended sentence, and the ramifications of a guilty plea. The youth is asked if he understands all this, and if he wishes to plead guilty. If victims or others are present, they can have an opportunity to address the court.

The Wedgwood neighbors who have attended plea hearings and sentencings have demonstrated to the judges and to the youths that this behavior will not be tolerated. Your involvement does make a difference. For more information, contact Chris Altwegg at chris@123imagine.net.

- Chris Altwegg & Ellen Blackstone