the idea of teenage curfews in a California speech, President
# Clinton took the same line in New Orleans on Thursday.
#
# President Clinton recommended to state and city officials a recently
# released Justice Department report on how these programs can be set up
# to pass court review and work effectively.
#
# The risk of selective enforcement is high, and it's not hard to predict
# which neighborhoods will be the focus of police attention, and which
# will be ignored.
Get a load of this:
* "Police Applaud Ruling to Allow Restrictions on Gang Suspects"
* By Tim Golden, The New York Times, February 1, 1997
*
* Law enforcement officials in California today praised a State Supreme
* Court decision that allows cities to prohibit SUSPECTED gang members
* from standing together on street corners, climbing trees, wearing beepers
* and doing any number of other things that are legal for ordinary citizens.
*
* The ruling was in a case for the city of San Jose to prevent 38 Hispanic
* men and women suspected of membership in a street gang from frequenting
* a four-block neighborhood that the police said the gang had terrorized.
*
* "We're thrilled," said Los Angelos County Attorney Gil Garcetti.
*
* State and local law enforcement officials predicted that the court ruling
* would prompt a wave of similar legislation across California.
*
* Because the San Jose City Attorney's office brought action against the
* defendants under a civil procedure, the defendants were not guaranteed
* the standard protections of criminal law.
*
* "Liberty unrestrained is an invitation to anarchy," Justice Brown wrote.
*
* The defendants may not engage in any form of public association: "standing,
* sitting, walking, driving, gathering or appearing anywhere in public view"
* in the neighborhood, or face 6 months in jail.
*
* They further may not: "climb trees or fences, make loud noises, possess
* w