San Bernardino County DA pleased so far in battle to stop child prostitution
The district attorney knows his intense campaign against child prostitution will look good to voters in another campaign, the one for his future re-election.
"But that's not why I'm doing it," said Michael A. Ramos, San Bernardino County's top prosecutor, during an interview in his office Friday.
"I'm doing it for the kids," he said while reminding of his long history working with children, which began during his undergraduate days at UC Riverside coaching kids in flag football, which segued into volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club in Redlands -- "Have you seen their sparkling new building?" he asked -- and then to his years on the Redlands School District Board of Education.
The Friday morning meeting was arranged to talk about progress of the Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation, which Ramos created in March to meet a pervasive and growing problem of child prostitution in the county, with some of the children as young as 13, in which pimps would recruit and take over the lives of the children and sell them on the streets for sex or market them on Craigslist and other online bazaars.
"But that's not why I'm doing it," said Michael A. Ramos, San Bernardino County's top prosecutor, during an interview in his office Friday.
"I'm doing it for the kids," he said while reminding of his long history working with children, which began during his undergraduate days at UC Riverside coaching kids in flag football, which segued into volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club in Redlands -- "Have you seen their sparkling new building?" he asked -- and then to his years on the Redlands School District Board of Education.
The Friday morning meeting was arranged to talk about progress of the Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation, which Ramos created in March to meet a pervasive and growing problem of child prostitution in the county, with some of the children as young as 13, in which pimps would recruit and take over the lives of the children and sell them on the streets for sex or market them on Craigslist and other online bazaars.
Ramos said he is pleased by the progress. The coalition includes
experts from almost every department in the county, including public
health, mental health, law enforcement, Ramos' office, ordinary
citizens and Kelly Snellings, a specialist in organization, who Ramos
described as his re-election campaign manager and his wife's best
friend. He explained his thoughts about the best way for the coalition
to work eventually. "I envision everybody in the same building, the
health department, mental health and others ready to help the child."
Reminded that such things are expensive, he said, "I'm going to start looking under rocks."
He also said he would check whether some of the stimulus money from Washington could be brought into play.
He quoted San Francisco District Attorney Kamala D. Harris, who spoke at the coalition's first public meeting, "Don't rush. Do it right and it will last."
One of the newest elements from his office, Ramos said, is vertical prosecution in which a deputy prosecutor is assigned to a case at the start and stays with it through arraignment, preliminary hearing and trial. Under the old system, the same defendant could have faced as many as three prosecutors. Ramos says the new system is much better and more efficient.
He says two of his best prosecutors have been assigned to vertical prosecutions: Karen Schmauss and Vickie Hightower.
On the juvenile side, Ramos said, "It's what's best for the children." And in the adult courts, "It's what's best for the victims."
Ramos is admittedly tough on third strikers and other criminals. His Web site for his re-election June 8, 2010, as part of the Statewide Direct Primary, boasts that he leads the state in keeping lifers behind bars.
The DA's deputies like him. They are quick with praise and candid about it when he is nowhere within earshot. When apprised, he seemed pleased and said, "I let them think outside the box. I don't micromanage.
"There are some stressful times but (being DA is) a great job."
In an earlier interview, Karen Bell, Ramos' chief deputy in the juvenile section, said the agency would do it's best against child prostitution despite limited resources.
Ramos echoed that Friday, "I'm not going to let the economy stop me."
wes.hughes@inlandnewspapers.com (909) 386-3894
Reminded that such things are expensive, he said, "I'm going to start looking under rocks."
He also said he would check whether some of the stimulus money from Washington could be brought into play.
He quoted San Francisco District Attorney Kamala D. Harris, who spoke at the coalition's first public meeting, "Don't rush. Do it right and it will last."
One of the newest elements from his office, Ramos said, is vertical prosecution in which a deputy prosecutor is assigned to a case at the start and stays with it through arraignment, preliminary hearing and trial. Under the old system, the same defendant could have faced as many as three prosecutors. Ramos says the new system is much better and more efficient.
He says two of his best prosecutors have been assigned to vertical prosecutions: Karen Schmauss and Vickie Hightower.
On the juvenile side, Ramos said, "It's what's best for the children." And in the adult courts, "It's what's best for the victims."
Ramos is admittedly tough on third strikers and other criminals. His Web site for his re-election June 8, 2010, as part of the Statewide Direct Primary, boasts that he leads the state in keeping lifers behind bars.
The DA's deputies like him. They are quick with praise and candid about it when he is nowhere within earshot. When apprised, he seemed pleased and said, "I let them think outside the box. I don't micromanage.
"There are some stressful times but (being DA is) a great job."
In an earlier interview, Karen Bell, Ramos' chief deputy in the juvenile section, said the agency would do it's best against child prostitution despite limited resources.
Ramos echoed that Friday, "I'm not going to let the economy stop me."
wes.hughes@inlandnewspapers.com (909) 386-3894
This is very admirable to say the least. But once again Ramos is political positing for his re-election. It is ashamed that Ramos does not have his ducks lined up in a row. Crime is a mental heatlth issue and until Ramos realises that we will continue to pack our prisons and we will continue to be the County with the highest percentage of inmates. This program needs to be spearheaded by the D.A.'S mental health unit oops there is no DA'S Mental Health unit so lets give it to the next best thing the Counties Behaviorial Health Departmenmt. Haven't these kids been victimised long enough. Ramos must allow the Dept of behavioral health to be in charge bottom line.
E.T. Snell
Clown Community Activist
www.recallscalifornia.com