To the Editor:

Both the House of Representatives and the State Senate have passed significant bills dealing with witness intimidation and setting up a witness protection program. The final differences between the two bills are being negotiated by House Speaker DiMasi and Senate President Travaglini, who both deserve thanks for responding to this big problem.

Witness intimidation is a huge problem that enables criminals to believe there will be no consequences for their actions. It uses organized threats to initimidate people from testifying. It plays upon people's grievances with our economic system to argue for "no snitchin" to the police and prosecutors though that only benefits the criminals and not the community.

The case where gang members pasted Grand Jury minutes of a witness's testimony on his door and that of his neighbors in Dorchester is a frightening example of what witness intimidation is all about. Just last week at a meeting on this issue in Dorchester, a woman testified that her son was murdered four years ago and one of his friends knew who did it but was to afraid to testify. Imagine living with that if that happened to someone you cared about?

Justice won't bring back her son, but justice denied makes the loss more bitter and just leads to other criminals getting away with other crimes because of this climate of witness intimidation. The legislation that soon should become law includes:

•Penalties for witness intimidation by a defendent and/or their associates

• limits on distribution of Grand Jury minutes that include names and testimony of witnesses

• a funded witness protection program that would enable prosecutors to offer more protections to witnesses

The two bills do have some significant differences on how standards of perjury are defined and how distribution of Grand Jury minutes is restricted. However, overall the legislation does give prosecutors and police more tools to deal with witness intimidation. A coalition including the Black Ministerial Alliance, Dorchester Youth Collaborative, Boston Ten Point Coalition, and the Massachusetts Communities Action Network on the community side working with Suffolk County District Attorney

Dan Conley, Mayor Menino, Senator Barrios, and Representative Canessa, worked hard for the passage of this legislation.

Last month, another part of the legislation authorizing $11 million for teen violence prevention programs was passed and signed by the Governor. This funding will go out by June to proposals made by city governments partnering with various non-profit and faith based organizations.

We need this combination of strengthening law enforcement and opportunities for youth if we are to reverse the tide on this problem. That means also improving our schools, providing jobs and job training for teens and out of school youth, and also for their parents.

We want ex-offenders to go straight, but then we severely limit the jobs they are eligible for with the CORI law. Some prisoners are choosing to serve their whole sentences rather than get out a little early on parole and have to report to a parole officer. Wouldn't it be common sense to require parole for some categories of ex-offenders for a year but combine that with reforming CORI so they can get jobs and have more of a chance to build a new life?

We should recognize that this legislation on witness intimidation and the funding for teen violence prevention and witness protection will help. We know there is lots more to keep working for too if we want safe communities and real opportunties for all people.

Lew Finfer

Massachusetts Communities

Action Network, Dorchester Avenue