The Elections Are Over.... Now What?

The election season has passed. The people have spoken, or at least a portion of the people considering that too many decided not to exercise their right to vote.  The current leaders have been placed in their respective positions.  The difference with this election season is that those who voted really have an extremely high expectation for the leaders to lead. 

I watched the campaign season with energetic curiosity because this time there was a large number of young people and non political people (those who never ran for office before) who entered their names as persons who wanted to usher in a new America on all levels.

For those who lost, loosing an election, as well as any loss in life, is an opportunity for growth. When we decide to learn from our losses instead of letting them have control over our body, mind and spirit, or even worse letting them depress or destroy us, we strip the loss of its power.  Here are some lessons that we can learn from the losses this season as well as an introduction to the Judge Dawson Cycle Breaker theories of leadership.

Lesson 1. We Must Learn From The Past In Order To Change The Future.

The current generation of young people are not utilizing the wisdom of those who came before them. I'm not talking about the lip service statement that "we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us." I’m talking about burying your pride and asking someone "how did you do it?"  It's is impossible to be an effective leader if your ego, your past or your distrust keeps you from engaging in positive networking. When I decided to run for Judge I talked to everyone who would give me their time. I didn't care who that person was politically aligned to, I didn't care if the person told me I couldn't win. My goal was to dig for as much wisdom as possible. In my mind, it wasn’t about the other person or their personal agenda, it was about my goal to be a leader. 

Even when I was in high school I understood the value of learning from the accomplished. I remember writing a letter to Jones Day, one of the most successful law firms in the City of Cleveland, with offices around the world. While in high school I sent a letter to the managing partner asking him to give me a chance to meet with him so that I could learn how he became successful.  It was a long shot, a letter sent from a boy in East Cleveland to a top law firm in the country.   As I look back on it, I’m sure the letter was full of grammatical mistakes. Nevertheless, I was granted a meeting and that day changed my life. I truly hope that those seeking to be elected, those recently elected or those serving another of many terms utilize the power of asking others for their wisdom. True leaders know the value of experience.

Lesson 2. True leadership Comes From The Desire To Help Other People as Opposed to The Desire Achieve Personal Gains.

The past has shown us that many people elected to office immediately forget to serve the voters who got them there. For a leader to effect any lasting change, for a leader to leave a positive legacy, for a leader to be a Cycle Breaker, that leader must put the people first.  If you ever want to know if you've gotten off track as a leader, look around and ask your self, or your trusted team, if your actions reflect a concern for people or just yourself. If your actions are more about your personal goals rather than the future of the community your leadership is on the wrong track and you may not be cut out to be a leader. Just because you're popular doesn't make you a leader. Just because you won an election doesn't make you a leader. Leadership comes from the burning desire to help others. 

Lesson 3. Everything Matters.

Leadership is in your walk and your talk. I'm not concerned about people catching a leader saying negative things when they think the microphone is off. I’m not concern about a leader having a drink or two. It’s not the little mistakes, but the overall approach to your leadership position that determines your leadership character.  When you decide to be a leader your life is no longer your own and with that leadership position comes the responsibility to make sure you exhibit leadership at all times. 

Lesson 4. We Are All Leaders, Even Without A Title. 

In today's political climate citizens have the tendency to blame others for all the failures and challenges in this country. Instead of being active in the schools, we blame teachers for our kid’s failing grades or bad behavior. Instead of getting out to vote we talk about not being able to trust politicians. It's time for us to step up to the plate and be leaders.  You were born to lead in your area of gifting. By now we should all be able to identify at least one talent that we have. It's that talent that allows us to be a leader. It’s your talents that give you the opportunity to be Cycle Breakers.

East Cleveland Municipal Court’s Judge William L. Dawson is on a mission to help people to Finish First, live their best lives and be Cycle Breakers!  

To receive a copy of his newsletter reach out by: 

judgewilliamdawson@gmail.com

www.teamfinishfirst.com

www.Judgedawson.com

If You Don't Know What You're Talking About....Shut Up!!!

Real Talk with Judge Dawson

There is an old saying that, “If you don’t know what you’re talking about, shut up!”  I’m not the type of person to tell anyone to shut up, but I am amazed at how many people speak on issues, major and minor, of which they have no grasp of the full facts.  I felt compelled to write this article because, speaking without knowledge and acting without knowledge is a very dangerous way to live.

The Affordable Healthcare Act is one example of where people have been speaking and acting with out full knowledge.  I watched with amazement as the United States Government began the shut down process.  As our nation’s news outlets covered the shut down, I noticed interviews of everyday Americans asking if they preferred ObamaCare or the Affordable Care Act.  Over and over again men and women expressed their positions on which of the two policies they preferred.  Not only did people choose which one, but they also gave detailed reasons for liking one over the other.  The most disturbing part of these interviews and the answers given is that ObamaCare and the Affordable Care act are the same.  The confusion exists because the U.S. media gave the Affordable Care Act the nickname Obamacare. In fact, many of Obamacare's numerous provisions have already been enacted and helping Americans. The rest of the program continues to roll out until 2022. Over 100 million Americans have already benefited from the new healthcare law.

Across this country, people are standing firm, picking sides and arguing to the end on issues of which they are not clear.  The example in regard to health care is a national example.  On the local scene we have this happening every day on every type of issue.  We have people voting or not voting for local candidates on misinformation. We have people liking and disliking people on the basis of misinformation.  We have relationships and homes being destroyed on the basis of misinformation.  Just recently I heard very different sides of an alleged criminal event that took place in the City of East Cleveland.  The allegation is that some of the local youth were disrespecting police officers which lead to the youths’ arrest.  While the other side of the story was that the police abused the youth and used unreasonable force.

The worst part of this local example, as evidenced by what’s happening on the national scene, is that people are getting emotionally attached to their positions to the point of being willing to go to battle.  When the members of a community feel that police officers are using unreasonable force to keep the peace, trust between officers and the community is strained.  Sometimes this strain leads to violence.  On the other end, when the police officers believe that youth are out of control and disrespectful, officers will be more willing to use force and use it quickly to maintain peace and order.  

The solution to this quandary is to make sure you know the facts before you get attached to a position.  On a national scale, if you are going to debate the healthcare laws, don’t take a position just to spite President Obama.  To favor the Affordable Care Act while being against ObamaCare when they are the exactly the same thing is simply an embarrassment of your intelligence or lack thereof.  ObamaCare, Obama Care, and health care reform are all the same thing. The official name for "ObamaCare" is the Patient Protection and the Affordable Care Act (or ACA for short), a bill signed into law to reform the health care industry by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. On a local scale, to take a “all police are pigs” position, without being present to witness the alleged abuse, is an irrational act.  As a defense attorney and a Judge, I have come to learn that people only tell you half the story.  In effort to gain your support, they won’t talk about exactly what they did to resist arrest.  They won’t talk about how they obstructed justice and they won’t talk about how they disrespected the police.  Neither will every officer tell you how they may have over reacted when they made a certain arrest and labeled all youth as out of control.  

The moral of the story is to get all the facts before you put yourself, your reputation and your integrity on the line.  That goes for government officials, police officers and community members.  “If you don’t know all the facts then, shut up!”

East Cleveland Municipal Court’s Judge William L. Dawson is on a mission to help people to Finish First, live their best lives and be Cycle Breakers!  

To receive a copy of his newsletter reach out by: 

judgewilliamdawson@gmail.com

www.teamfinishfirst.com

www.Judgedawson.com

No One Cares Until It's Too Late!!!

As I sit in my chambers between my morning and afternoon court dockets, I look at the upcoming cases and feel my normal emotion of disappointment.  From people being charged with misdemeanors because they didn’t pay the bus fair to others being charged because of arguing and fighting in the streets over nothing (disorderly conduct), It seems like no one really cares about their future until its too late.  Now of course I can not speak for every person and every situation.  Surely some people care about the consequences of their actions, but even the best of us sometimes fall into the following traps: 1. Driving with out a license – no one cares until they are arrested. 2. Slowly riding through a stop sign or red light – no cares until they are in court facing a fine and points on their license. 3. Over reacting to a domestic situation – no one cares until they are in court charged with domestic violence.   

As Judge of the East Cleveland Municipal Court, I am dedicated to being a “Cycle Breaker.” I will fight to change the careless attitude about destruction of our communities and the destruction of people’s potential and future.  How will I fight?  By educating people through my workshops called “Finish First” and “Emotional Intelligence.”

 In addition to the training that we provide in our Court, I will utilize the power of creative sentencing to drive home the message of responsibility and accountability.  Recently the local Fox 8 news station covered the actions of my Court when I sentenced a man to cut the grasses of empty lots in the City of East Cleveland as a penalty for his crimes.  This man was convicted of stealing lawn mowers in the city and I decided that I had to make him physically and morally pay for his criminal activity.  By sentencing him first to cut grass and then to the Drug Court program headed by Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Anita Laster Mays, I made him take responsibility for his actions while trying to get him the help he needs to fight his addiction to drugs.  If he is not successful in the Drug Court program he will face 6 months in jail. 

 I am expecting a positive outcome and turning point for the offender, however I still dislike the fact that too many people don’t seem to care about their wasted potential or future.  Instead of the man cutting grass as a sentence, he could have pursued employment in that occupation or even started his own business. 

 Is it true the no one really cares until its too late?  Whether its an absolutely true statement or not, one too many people are getting caught in the Legal Matrix thereby destroying their future which effects us all. 

 On Monday night I will conduct the “Finish First/Emotional Intelligence” life skills training in the East Cleveland Municipal Court.  My goal is to empower people so that they will start caring about their future and creating their best life before its too late.  Speaking of creating a best life, my Chief Personal Bailiff, Maurise Sanders, was so impressed with the effort displayed by the man sentenced to cut grass that Bailiff Sanders offered to buy the man a lawn mower once he gets out of drug treatment.  This way, instead of going back to stealing lawnmowers, he can use the experience of his negative interaction with the legal system as a turning point and go from outlaw to entrepreneur. That’s being a Cycle Breaker!  

            

East Cleveland Municipal Court’s Judge William L. Dawson is on a mission to help people to Finish First, live their best lives and be Cycle Breakers! 

To receive a copy of his newsletter reach out by:

judgewilliamdawson@gmail.com

http://www.teamfinishfirst.com

www.Judgedawson.com

We Need To Re-Sensitize Our Consciousness

Cycle Breaker Pt.3

We Need to Re-Sensitize Our Consciousness

In my quest to be a Cycle Breaker, I am constantly reading, researching and studying criminal behavior and self improvement.  I recently listened to a presentation where a man analyzed some of the issues in the Black community.  The speaker gave the following assertions: 

1. Blacks have been killed at higher rates than any other group of people in America; 
2. Blacks have committed murders at higher rates than any other group in America;
3. Blacks have the highest population in our prisons;  
4. Blacks are the highest number of people infected with STD’s in America; 
5. Blacks infect people with STD’s more than any other group in America; 
6. Blacks have more unwanted pregnancies and abortions than any other group in America.  

In summary, Black people are 1/8th of the population but 4/8ths of the murder victims, 1/8th of the population but 5/8ths of the killers, 1/8th of the population but 4/8ths of the prisoners. 1/8th of the population but 5/8ths of those infected with STD’s.

I must admit that I feel very uncomfortable with these facts.  I feel uncomfortable because first, these are the same statistics that I have heard my entire life.  Though the Black community has made many advances, our negative and destructive behavior has increased.  To be honest, I felt most uncomfortable with these assertions because the person giving this presentation was a White Male. 

In the last article I discussed that, to be a Cycle Breaker, we have to take a look at ourselves and our community to identify changeable negative situations and circumstances.  I also mentioned that when other people analyze us we naturally go into defense mode. The presentation that I listened to was an analysis of the negativity and destruction that we know exists in our community and, though it was the truth, it was hard to hear.

Here is the Cycle Breaker big picture: the reason that these statistics exist in our community, the reason that we commit crimes at a higher rate, the reason that we go to jail as a natural occurrence, the reason that we have unwanted pregnancies and all other negative and destructive behavior is because we have lowered the standards in our community.  One thing that every one of us can do to avoid the travesty that was Trayvon Martin is to raise the bar of how we respect ourselves and then demand that everyone else raise the bar in their respect for us.  When we accept negative and destructive behavior in our community we are adding to the problem.  

I often discuss the issues of our community with people in my court and I have come to the conclusion that we allow ourselves to get distracted with the distractions. Meaning, the things we barely control become our focus while we ignore the controllable issues that devastate our lives.  I compare it to being concerned about the food burning on the grill when, behind you, the house is on fire.  We have become blind to the fires burning in our community, the negative and destructive behavior, but we get outraged at the issues or events that are subtopics to our major story.  Our major story is to work to better the lives of ourselves and our communities.  

People, we are asleep at the wheel while our cars are heading for the cliff.  We spend so much time in the club, buying clothes, getting our hair done, going on date nights etc. but little to no time helping change our community.  Yet at the first chance we get, we point our fingers at “racism” or the “ghetto people” as a source of the problems we face.  When are we going to take action on the second step of the “Cycle Breaker” system and take a long hard look at ourselves to determine if we are part of the change we want to see, part of the problem or just sitting on the sidelines watching? 

Let me shed some light on one thing, of many, that I’m doing through the East Cleveland Municipal Court to raise the bar of what we expect from ourselves and our community.  First, I started by sentencing people to come to my life skills program “Finish First” aimed at stopping negative interaction with the legal system. Then I started teaching about “Emotional Intelligence” and “How to Be a Cycle Breaker.”  Now I give out a pre-sentence worksheet where I have people discover and identify their values.  These exercises are aimed at getting offenders in my court to re-sensitize their consciousness.  Once we are able to identify our values, we will set our behavior and expectations in line with those values. When we live up to our values, our behavior, expectations and the activity that we allow to occur in our lives will change.  When we change our community and raise our standards not only will everyone have to raise their level of respect for us, we will saves lives.

To look at yourself and identify your own negative situations takes courage. See 12 Things You Can Do Now to Be a Cycle Breaker, available on www.judgedawson.com.  However, it’s even harder to swallow when other people analyze what’s wrong with you, either way, to live your best life, change the community and be a Cycle Breaker, we must all take a look within.

Over the next few articles I will further define and break down the principles of what it takes to be a Cycle Breaker.  These articles will highlight the instructions I set out in the manual, 12 Things You Can Do Now to Be a Cycle Breaker, available on www.judgedawson.com. I believe that with the right focus and direction we can all pursue the greatness that lies within us.    

East Cleveland Municipal Court’s Judge William L. Dawson is on a mission to help people to Finish First, live their best lives and be Cycle Breakers!  

To receive a copy of his newsletter reach out by: 

judgewilliamdawson@gmail.com

www.teamfinishfirst.com

www.Judgedawson.com

Being a Cycle Breaker Part 1.

The East Cleveland Municipal Court is on a mission to be a team of  “Cycle Breakers.”  In fact, my life is dedicated to the calling of being a “Cycle Breaker.”   My vision as a Judge is to use this position to help empower people to become the leaders that they are destined to be, but it takes work. Everyday that I sit on the bench as Judge of the East Cleveland Court I am dedicated to using this opportunity to help people change their lives and be the best that they can be.  I am proud to say that I developed this desire as early as my days as a student at Kent State University when I wrote these words on my mirror: “My mission it to positively change lives and affect policy.”  Though my mission has been adjusted over the years, the underlying purpose is the same, helping people live their best lives, or as my mother used to say, help people to “Better Their Lives.”  It is with that background that I began my mission as a “Cycle Breaker.” 

Over the next few articles I will define and break down the principles of what it takes to be a Cycle Breaker.  These articles will highlight the instructions I set out in my recently created  manual for the community, 12 Things You Can Do Now to Be a Cycle Breaker, available on www.judgedawson.com. I believe that with the right direction we can all pursue the greatness that lies within us.    

What is a Cycle Breaker?  I first heard the phrase “breaking cycles” from State Senator Nina Turner.  That one phrase not only defined my life’s journey but also my life’s purpose.  After meditation and prayer I came up with the following statement that I presented to my staff and then incorporated in my training material: "If you help and inspire people to better their lives, you are a Cycle Breaker. It doesn't matter how much you do or how long you’ve been doing it. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been helping change lives for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just help and Inspire people to Break Cycles." This quote comes directly from the manual, 12 Things You Can Do Now to Be a Cycle Breaker.

It’s from this statement that I will begin to define Judge Dawson’s “Cycle Breaker” movement.  

Inspiring People to Better Their Lives.  We are all born to be leaders.  I will discuss leadership in detail in later columns but for now take my word for it. Furthermore, there is a distinct difference between “a born leader” and people who are “born to be a leader.”  The distinction is important because so many people in the African American and other minority communities believe that to be a leader you have to belong to a club that is exclusive to the rich, famous and the well educated. When I hear the position that some people are born as leaders I firmly reject it.  We ALL are born to be leaders but to reach that potential we must work to become that leader.  We have to purposely develop the character and qualities of a leader.  

One quality of a leader is the ability to inspire people to live their best lives.  In fact, if you think you are a leader but you are not inspiring people then you are not truly leading.  You may be a dictator or a pretender but you are not a leader.  Inspiration is a key to leadership and once you become a leader, you will naturally inspire the people around you.  The next level, once you inspire people to better their lives, is becoming a Cycle Breaker.  Keep in mind that breaking cycles can also be a personal effort.  For example, If you recognize that drug abuse has been an issue in your family but you decide to change that behavior, you are a Cycle Breaker.Whether you are inspired to break cycles in your own life or in the lives of others, you are a Cycle Breaker.    

"If you help and inspire people to better their lives, you are a Cycle Breaker.”

In the upcoming columns I will further break down the principles to become a Cycle Breaker.

East Cleveland Municipal Court’s Judge William L. Dawson is on a mission to help people to Finish First, live their best lives and be Cycle Breakers!  

To receive a copy of his newsletter reach out by: 

judgewilliamdawson@gmail.com

www.teamfinishfirst.com

www.Judgedawson.com

The Art of Staying Out of Jail

Real Talk with Judge Dawson

“Hello, my Name is Judge William L. Dawson and I’m a man from East Cleveland who has endured life’s temptations, its’ ups and downs and its’ tragedies.”  That’s normally the introduction for those involved in treatment programs across this country.  I submit that we all, at one time or another, need treatment.  Whether we are dealing with a life changing event or the ripple effect of someone else’s actions, we all can use some words of wisdom every now and then. This column, “Real Talk with Judge Dawson” will be a treatment and empowerment tool.   After more than 11 years as a criminal defense attorney and now as a Judge, my mission is to use every ounce of my body to help people be the best that they can be.

With that in mind, in the year 2013, staying out of jail has become a science. It truly takes knowledge and action to avoid the untimely event of an arrest.  So as Judge of the East Cleveland Municipal Court I have created programs and procedures that will aid in the ability to avoid negative interaction with the Legal System.

The Science of Staying Out of Jail:

1.  Do The Right Thing - The easiest way to stay out of jail is this, “Don’t break the law.”  Sounds simple but as we all know, it’s easier said than done.  From driving charges, to relationship charges staying out of the legal system is getting harder but if you aim to do the right thing you’ll be on the right track.

2.  Finish First - Finish First is my favorite theory.  In fact, you’ll be hearing a lot about “Finish First” in future columns.  The bottom line is that you must “Begin with the End in Mind”!  That means, think about the future outcome or result of your actions before you begin.

3.  Know Who Holds The Ball - In every sport the person holding the ball is the person in control.  The other team is forced to play defense or try to take the ball.  In the science of jail avoidance the same holds true.  The people with the ball are in control.  So who’s holding the ball?  The police officers (who have the power to charge and arrest you), the prosecutor (who prosecutes you for the offense) and the Judge (who can put you in jail).  It doesn’t matter how much you want to control your legal situations, you don’t.  Understanding that you don’t control the ball will keep you from unnecessary negative results. 

4.  Comply, comply, comply - When an officer or the Court tells you to do something, it is always in your best interest to do it.  Now of course we all have rights, but the key is to know when to assert those rights or, in other words, when to fight the “I have rights” battle.  When an officer or the Court tells you to do something, just do it and fight it later.

Judge William L. Dawson

judgewilliamdawson@gmail.com

www.Judgedawson.com

Do People Really Get Second Chances?

Real Talk with Judge Dawson

So you’ve been in trouble.  You’ve paid your debt to society and even repented to God.  Now you’re ready to re-join the community, but everywhere you turn the doors are closed in your face.  You listen to the advise of people who tell you to try a few of the options available to you, so instead of getting discouraged you try, what I call, the non-option options:

Non Option #1 Expungement: Expungements are available for some people, but not the masses.  The expungement law has requirements that many people are unable to meet. (Future articles will focus on the pros and cons of the new expungement laws).

Non Option #2 Jobs who hire felons: There are some jobs that hire felons, but when you think of the fact that 1 in 30 American’s are under some form of correctional supervision the competition for these few jobs is getting very stiff.

Non Option #3 Back to the Streets: This is the “granddaddy of all non-option’s).  The fact is that returning to hustling will lead right back to the dead end of death or prison.

The sad fact is that, many of the doors that claim to be open are really closed. 

So with all of the “non-options” what’s left for a person seeking redemption to to?  Unfortunately there is no easy way to restore the trust and employability in today’s job market.  In fact, the one way to get back to your rightful place in society is to aggressively forge your on path. 

As for me, I’m a Cycle Breaker.  I ran my campaign for Judge on the platform of “second chances.”  I know first hand what it’s like to be stripped of everything that you thought was important, to be forced to re-connect with your basic self.  So after I was elected as Judge I’ve kept two campaign promises:

1.                 I am extremely committed to helping people realize their greatness and to become the best that they can be.  I do this through my training, disposition of cases and outreach.

2.                 I am committed to giving people second chances.  I promise not to judge a person based on their past record.  I make sure that the person’s past alone does not determine their future with the East Cleveland Court.  In keeping that promise, I hired two young men who have records.  Why would I take the political risk of hiring people with a criminal history?  First, because I don’t consider myself a politician, I am a servant of God and as Judge I am here to do God’s will. Second, I’ve made my fair share of mistakes.  Growing up in East Cleveland I experienced and dealt with the same temptations that our youth are experiencing today.  It would be hypercritical of me to become Judge and then turn my back on those who have paid their debt to society.  I was given a change at redemption and I will continue to give those opportunities. 

Story after story I hear of people with past criminal records being promised all types of jobs and opportunities.  This especially occurs with elected officials who need immediate help on a campaign.  I could not be that type of person.  I have been told, advised and counseled against hiring a person with a past record.  I choose to reject the normal tendency to stereotype and discriminate against people who have made mistakes.  Instead, I take the opportunity to get to know the person behind the record.  If the person has proven himself trustworthy and dependable, I will give them a second chance, even if that decision is not popular.

So If you have a criminal record and you are trying to get back into society, what should you do?

1.  Be an entrepreneur.  Find a niche and fill it.  In other words, start your own enterprise.  Don’t let the mistakes of your past determine your future.  In doing this, make sure you keep your positive attitude and motivation when the doors are closed in your face, believe me it’s going to happen.  The critics will come.  I’m still dealing with those who criticize my hiring decisions, but staying the course will change the community.

2.  Go back to school and load up on so many certifications and degrees that you can not be denied.

3.  Find an employer who is serious about second chances.  Be honest about what you experienced in the past, and make sure to highlight how those experiences will make you the perfect match for that particular company. 

When working either option, be sure to plan and execute on that plan.  Remember Cycle Breakers Finish First. 

Drunk Driving!

DRUNK DRIVING!

Drunk driving is no new to our community.  Drunk driving has been negatively affecting lives for many years.  In my Court we have several DUI/OVI charges every week.  To my disappointment, I’m finding that the offenders are getting younger and younger.  I don’t know if it’s the music, the media or lack of education but more and more people are drinking to the point of intoxication and deciding to drive a vehicle. 

FACTS ABOUT DUI/OVI’s:

·      Punishment for your first offense includes a minimal term in jail of three days to a maximum of 180 days, six-month suspension of your driver’s license and up to a $1,075 fine. 

·      Every subsequent DUI increases the monetary fine, license suspension and jail time.

·      Refusing to blow during the intoxication test will result in an immediate suspension of your driver’s license. 

THE WHY BEHIND THE DUI/OVI:

I’m not going to suggest that I know all the reasons that a person would choose to drive a vehicle while intoxicated but here are a few:

·      DENIAL – Many people think that they can drink and then handle a vehicle.  In other words “I’m not too drunk to drive.”  The problem with this thought is that if your reason to drink is to “relieve some stress” or “take you to another state of mind” It is only smart to know that the effect of a drink “easing your mind” will result in an “easing” of your ability to operate a vehicle.  When you are not in your fully functioning state of mind, controlling a vehicle is dangerous and illegal.

·      FOLLOWING THE CROWD – This happens to both teens and adults.  When someone asks you to drink or offers you a drink “No thank you” is not the normal response.  Though “no thank you” should be the response when you have to drive, for some reason we feel that its’ not socially accepted when we chose not to drink.  Take it from me, when you are the person driving a car, the strong person is the one willing to refuse a drink.  Refusing to put your life and the life of others at risk shows that you are responsible and careful about your business.  In fact, we should begin to question the social acceptance of a person willing to drink and drive.  Should that person be my friend?  Should I even be around that person?  Those are the questions that will change attitudes and behaviors in regard to drinking and driving.

·      ADDICTION TO ALCOHOL – Addiction is a serious problem in our community. There are several reasons that a person becomes addicted to alcohol. It could be the exposure that they have from family and friends.  It could be a fight with depression.  Regardless the reason, alcohol addiction should be taken seriously.  If you are addicted to alcohol you have to get help.  If someone you know is addicted to alcohol, you have to get him or her help.  Failure to get help or to bring this to the addicted person’s attention can result in harm to that person, someone else or even you.  It’s not enough to model the appropriate behavior when it comes to drinking; we also have to be bold enough to call our loved ones out about their problem.  It is truly a matter of life or death.

THE NEW DUI/OVI LAW:

         On April 17, 2013 the United States Supreme Court made a decision that will impact DUI’s across this country.  In the case of Missouri v. McNeely, The Supreme Court held that when officers in drunk-driving investigations can reasonably obtain a warrant before having a blood sample drawn without significantly undermining the immediate necessity of the search, the Fourth Amendment mandates that they do so.  In that case McNeely was stopped by a Missouri police officer for speeding and crossing the centerline. After declining to take a breath test to measure his blood alcohol concentration (BAC), he was arrested and taken to a nearby hospital for blood testing. The officer never attempted to secure a search warrant. McNeely refused to consent to the blood test, but the officer directed a lab technician to take a sample. McNeely’s BAC tested well above the legal limit, and he was charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI).  The Supreme Court ruled that this action was a violation of McNeely’s rights.

         In your everyday life, this decision by the Supreme Court does not change much.  You will still be stopped if there is suspicion of drunk driving, you will still have a license suspension if you refuse to blow for the test and officers can still get a warrant to test your blood.  The bottom line is that we need to stop drinking and driving.  Too many innocent lives are put at risk based on the selfish decision to drink and drive.  Be a cycle breaker, before you drink and drive, think about the end result or, as I always say, Finish First! 

Judge William L. Dawson
East Cleveland Municipal Court

judgewilliamdawson@gmail.com

www.Judgedawson.com