No One Cares… Until its’ too late!
Judge William L. Dawson, Cycle Breaker
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), I find that 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 futures. How will I fight? By educating people on the principles of “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. This past weekend 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!
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