75 lines
4.1 KiB
Plaintext
75 lines
4.1 KiB
Plaintext
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May 1990
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DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE
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LAW DAY 1990
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By
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William S. Sessions
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FBI Director
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When President Dwight D. Eisenhower established Law Day by
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Presidential Proclamation in 1958, he stated, ``It is fitting
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that the American people should remember with pride and
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vigilantly guard the great heritage of liberty, justice, and
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equality under law....'' Law Day has since become an occasion
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for Americans to rededicate themselves to these ideals.
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This year's Law Day theme, ``Generations of Justice,''
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encourages us in law enforcement to focus on the youth and the
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elderly. These two generations of Americans are particularly
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vulnerable to criminal elements because they are often helpless
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to defend themselves.
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This theme takes on special significance when we consider
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that the generation gap in America is widening. Those aged 65
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and older are the fastest growing segment of America's
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population; yet, they are perhaps the most forgotten.
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Unfortunately, the elderly are easy targets for violence and
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crime because they are vulnerable. Many live in terror of being
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attacked on the streets and have become virtual prisoners in
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their homes. Other senior citizens suffer from the psychological
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and financial abuse inflicted on them by caretakers and even
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family members.
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The children of today, America's most precious resource,
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are also innocent victims. Tragic cases of child abuse, neglect,
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and sexual exploitation continue to occur. Even unborn children
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suffer abuse from the ravages of drugs that plague our society.
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While safeguarding these two generations of Americans is not
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easy, one key element to success is cooperation. However,
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cooperation should be stressed not only among members of the
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criminal justice profession but also between law enforcement and
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the community.
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Preventing the abuse of America's youth and its elderly
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requires the total commitment of the entire criminal justice
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system--from the police officer on the street to the highest
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court in the land. Police, prosecutors, and judges must bring
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the full force of the criminal justice system to bear against
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those who threaten the well-being of both the young and the old.
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Yet, the battle against abuse is not law enforcement's
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alone. Positive citizen action is society's first line of
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defense. Through support of and cooperation with the criminal
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justice system, citizens can enhance law enforcement's
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effectiveness. Law enforcement must work with the public to
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promote crime prevention to the elderly. We also must make a
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full-fledged effort to educate our youth to the dangers of drugs.
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By making citizens aware of the problem of abuse, they learn to
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recognize it and hopefully to prevent it. Awareness, education,
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and prevention are three critical areas that can make a
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difference in the quality of life for not only youths and the
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elderly, but also for all generations of Americans.
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The first step in meeting the challenges of abuse is to
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focus on the seriousness of the problem and what we can do about
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it. Only then, through continuous citizen support and
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cooperation, combined with the best efforts of law enforcement,
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can we maintain and preserve the Constitutional rights and
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freedoms guaranteed to all Americans, young and old alike. As we
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commemorate Law Day this year, let us reaffirm our pledge to
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uphold the Constitution and ensure that we nuture and sustain the
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principles of Law Day every day of the year.
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