At midyear, I want to take this opportunity to thank you, our members, for your support of bar activities and for your suggestions for improvement. Many of you have been very supportive of my plea for volunteerism, community outreach and dialogue. We have started along that path, but we have a long way to go.

Even as venue is being determined for the trial of two brothers accused of murdering a gay couple, other forms of hate-based violence and speech abound in and around Sacramento. Law enforcement officers, yes, even in 2001, even after Rodney King, have shot unarmed citizens because they appeared to be a threat and have beaten a youth, stopped because he was driving a new and expensive automobile. Our neighbors in Davis are struggling with racial tension in student elections.

As lawyers, we have a stake in these events, not just as prosecutors and defense attorneys, not just as plaintiff and defense lawyers, but as residents of Sacramento County. Our quality of life and peace of mind are at stake. We cannot stand by and allow these events to occur without having some concern about the future of our community, our State, our nation.

Our youth can be both perpetrators and victims of violence and hate crimes. A youngster of color becomes a victim when he or she does not respond "properly" and is hurt by a police officer. Or, when he or she is forced to witness a parent's violence against another family member, a neighbor or someone with whom he shares the highway. Indifference makes all of us responsible. We need to commit to community approaches to protecting the best interests of our youth. On May 21, Capital Unity Council invited people to a public meeting to discuss these issues. I commend Capital Unity Council for its quick response to the need for
public dialogue.

Early this year, I announced that along with Sacramento County Superior Court, we would co-sponsor a judicial forum in May. We have a new date, October 11. We have added co-sponsors, in particular Capital Unity Council. The forum, "Unity and Justice for All," will focus on youth and provide an opportunity to participants to talk to, and hear from, our judges. The forum will give judges the chance to see and hear from people outside the courtroom and understand more about the day to day issues that face them. I hope SCBA members will help ensure that our youth are present at this forum and will take a leadership role in creating similar events at community centers throughout Sacramento County.

Meanwhile, let's not forget to celebrate the positive acts that improve the lives of our youth and to begin to replicate or collaborate to increase their effect.

This year's Law Day, Liberty Bell Award went to John Barris, a teacher who, almost single-handedly, runs the Sacramento Youth Peer Court. I had the privilege of observing that process early in May and was quite impressed. Also impressed and impressive, were three judges from Japan who are here to observe some of our processes in California. I understand that they were just one of many contingents from other jurisdictions that use our local Youth Peer Court as a model. Hopefully, our local school boards and county officials soon will recognize the benefit of this program to our entire county. It relieves school districts and law enforcement officials of much of the increasing burden of dealing with youthful offenders. More importantly, it provides an intervention that has changed lives.

Further on the theme of youth, thanks to our first vice president, Mark Shusted, on April 12, I attended a breakfast and lecture at which Cornell University Professor James Garbarino spoke on the topic of, "Lost Boys: Understanding Why Our Sons Turn Violent and How We Can Save Them." This subject has been the focus of Professor Garbarino's scholarship. Justice George Nicholson, who arranged the breakfast meeting, stated that, Garbarino "is one of but a few scholars of national standing who have undertaken some novel, but important research." The professor spoke eloquently and knowledgeably. The program was part of the UC Davis Health System 20th Annual Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect. It was because the lecture and Garbarino's work bear directly on the criminal justice system, that bar leaders, judges and other community leaders were invited to attend.

"Lost Boys"also is the title of Professor Garbarino's latest book, a copy of which I will lend to anyone who wants to read it.