Description: Marcus Jones reports that drug addicts and community leaders held a demonstration in front of the Massachusetts State House, lobbying for more funding for drug treatment centers in Massachusetts. There are not enough publicly funded treatment programs to meet demand. Demonstrators hold signs and chant. Reverend Graylan Hagler and others address the demonstrators. Hagler says that access to drug treatment is a class issue. State Rep. Gloria Fox tells demonstrators to let state legislators know that drug treatment centers are needed. Interview with recovering addict David Watson about the need for treatment centers. Interview with another recovering drug addict who says that she intends to register to vote. Jones reports that the demonstrators went into the State House to register to vote after the rally, and they intend to vote against legislators who do not support their cause.
1:00:15: Visual: Footage of a demonstration in front of the Massachusetts State House. Supporters of treatment facilities for drug addiction are gathered. A man leads the demonstrators in a cheer. Shot of a sign reading, "Don't treat addiction as a crime. Treat it as a disease." Marcus Jones reports that hundreds of people were expected to attend today's demonstration outside of the State House; that rainy weather may have kept some demonstrators away. Jones notes that the demonstration went on as planned; that the demonstrators are committed to their cause. V: Shots of speakers and attendees at the demonstration. Footage of Nathaniel Askia (drug treatment provider) addressing the crowd. Askia tells the demonstrator to remain committed to the cause. Askia predicts that the movement will be successful. Shot of a button pinned to the shirt of a demonstrator. The button reads, "Treatment on demand." Jones reports that the demonstrators support drug treatment on demand; that the demand for drug treatment in Massachusetts is growing. Jones notes that over 1,000 drug addicts are turned away from treatment facilities each day in Massachusetts; that there are not enough publicly funded treatment programs to meet the demand. V: Shots of the demonstrators. The demonstrators carry umbrellas and wear hats to protect themselves from rain. Footage of Reverend Graylan Ellis-Hagler (Church of the United Community) addressing the crowd. Ellis-Hagler says that access to drug treatment is a class issue. Ellis-Hagler says that Kitty Dukakis (wife of Governor Michael Dukakis) has access to treatment because she belongs to the upper class. Ellis-Hagler says that class, race, gender, and sexual preference may bar some from treatment for their addictions. Jones reports that David Watson (recovering drug addict) was recently admitted to a treatment program; that Watson is recovering from 24 years of substance abuse. V: Footage of Watson being interviewed by Jones. Watson says that citizens will end up paying the price if more treatment centers are not built. Watson says that addicts are likely to steal and commit crime in order to pay for their habits. Watson says that he began stealing to support his habit at one point in the past. Footage of the supporters cheering at the demonstration. A leader leads the supporters in chanting, "What do we want? Treatment. When do we want it? Now." Footage of Gloria Fox (State Representative) addressing the crowd. Fox says that the demonstrators must let the legislators know that drug treatment centers are needed; that the legislators will soon begin work on the state budget. Footage of Brenda (recovering drug addict) being interviewed by Jones. Jones asks Brenda if she has registered to vote. Brenda says that she is going to register to vote today. Brenda says that she intends to vote; that she thinks her vote will make a difference. Jones stands outside of the State House. Traffic passes on the street behind him. Jones reports that demonstrators went into the State House to register to vote after the rally. Jones reports that the demonstrators will vote against legislators who do not support an increase in the present drug treatment program.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 05/17/1990
Description: Deborah Wang reports that the Boston Police Department and the District Attorney's Office keep the money confiscated from drug arrests. Neighborhood groups want the money to go back into the community to fund drug education, drug treatment, and crime watch efforts. Interview with Bill Good of the Boston Police Department. Good says that the Police Department needs the money to keep its "operational edge" over drug traffickers. Interview with City Councilor Charles Yancey, who says that community residents are the most valuable asset in the war against drugs. Press conference at City Hall, where Yancey, Ben Haith (Roxbury Multi-Service Center) and Louis Elisa (NAACP) talk about the need to return confiscated drug money to the community. City Councilor Dapper O'Neil arrives at the press conference. O'Neil and State Rep. Byron Rushing confront each other on the issue. Wang reports that the city budget is tight and various groups are fighting over small amounts of money. Wang's report is accompanied by footage of police officers making a drug arrest.
1:00:01: Visual: Footage of a police cruiser stopped behind a red sports car. A white police officer searches an African American man. Shot of a plastic bag containing drugs. Deborah Wang reports that 7,500 people were arrested by police on drug-related charges last year; that police have confiscated weapons, drugs, and money from drug arrests. V: Footage of Bill Good (Boston Police Department) saying that approximately $990,000 has been forfeited to the Police Department through drug arrests. Shots of police officers searching the trunk of a red sports car. Shot of a police officer searching a handbag. Wang reports that the Boston Police Department has gone to court to obtain the money; that the Police Department has split the money with the District Attorney's office. Wang reports that the Police Department uses the money to pay informants, to buy drugs for deals, and to conduct police investigations. V: Footage of Good saying that the money is essential to the Police Department; that the money represents an "operational edge" for drug investigators. Good says that the money can be used at the discretion of drug investigators. Wang reports that some city officials see other uses for the money. V: Footage of Charles Yancey (Boston City Council) being interviewed by Wang. Yancey says that the city needs to fight an effective war against drugs. Yancey says that community residents are the city's most valuable allies in the war against drugs. Wang reports that neighborhood groups want the money to go back into the community; that the groups want the money to fund drug education, drug treatment, and crime watch efforts. V: Footage of Yancey at a press conference at City Hall. A group of neighborhood activists including Byron Rushing (State Representative) are with Yancey at the press conference. Shot of Ben Haith (Roxbury Multi-Service Center) speaking at the press conference. Footage of Louis Elisa (NAACP) speaking at the press conference. Elisa says that funding is needing to fight the war on drugs; that the confiscated money belongs to the community. Elisa says that the confiscated money comes from Charlestown, South Boston, Roxbury and Dorchester; that the confiscated money should go back to the communities to fund anti-drug initiatives. Footage of Good being interviewed by Wang. Good says that the neighborhood groups have good intentions. Good says that it is a mistake to take the money from the Police Department. Good says that the confiscated money funds the day-to-day operations of the Police Department's anti-drug effort. Shots of three police officers conferring near a police cruiser; of a police officer searching a handbag. Wang reports that the Boston City Council has the support to pass a bill requiring the confiscated money go back to the neighborhoods. Wang notes that Dapper O'Neil (Boston City Council) is opposed to the initiative; that O'Neil "crashed" the press conference at City Hall today. V: Footage of Rushing and O'Neil confronting one another over the issue. O'Neil says that Rushing is trying "to shake people down" for money. Rushing walks away from O'Neil. Yancey and David Scondras (Boston City Council) look on. O'Neil has an exchange with another neighborhood activist. Yancey addresses the media from a microphone. Wang reports that the dispute revolves around a relatively small amount of money; that the money represents less than one percent of the police budget. Wang notes that the city budget is tight; that money is hard to come by.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 08/01/1989