Change law to protect the innocent

To the editor:

Right to Assistance could solve some of the unintended consequences of a city nuisance ordinance that goes too far. Under the nuisance ordinance, the city places penalties against the property, but oftentimes does not charge the criminal. The unintended consequence of this is that the innocent and the victims bear the burden of that crime. The owner and victim cannot enforce the law, cannot punish the criminal, but under this ordinance (Chapter 22A) the property owner must somehow correct the recurring violation by the criminal on his property and within 1,000 feet of that property. The unintended result is that violent crimes are increased because the criminal does not get punished and the victim and owner are reluctant to call the police.

After a little over a year of the present nuisance ordinance in 2014 there were eight murders in Cedar Rapids compared to three in 2013. There also was an unprecedented report of shots fired in our streets. I am asking that the ACLU proposed language for 'Right to Assistance” HF 493 be added to the SAFE-CR program and nuisance ordinance. This language protects the innocent and victims by allowing them to report crime without penalties being placed on the property. Unless we have this in writing in the law it is not a part of our SAFE-CR program and the victims and innocent will continue to be punished for crime they did not do.

Sheryl Jahnel

Cedar Rapids