ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, December 27, 1994                   TAG: 9412270133
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

LYNCHBURG TO AIR NAMES OF DRUG, ALCOHOL ABUSERS

If tougher laws fail to deter people from drinking and driving or buying illegal drugs, perhaps public humiliation will do the trick, a Lynchburg politician suggests.

Beginning in January, the city plans to broadcast on its cable television community-access channel the names of everyone arrested on drunken driving and drug charges.

City Councilman Preston Bryant said Monday he hopes the publicity will make more residents aware that the drug trade is a problem.

``Many people consider this a sleepy little town and aren't aware of the drug activity that goes on. Lynchburg now ranks No. 10 in the state in violent crime.''

Bryant said he got the idea when he was watching television during a visit to Fredericksburg.

``I just started thumbing through the channels,'' he said, ``and I came across this one with a list of names scrolling across it. I said, `What is this?'''

It was Fredericksburg's government-access channel, which, for more than a year, has been listing the names of those charged with driving under the influence or drug activities.

Jim Shellhorse, community relations director for the Fredericksburg Police Department, said there is no way to gauge whether the list has caused a decrease in DUI rates or the drug trade.

``In the past,'' Shellhorse said, ``I have had people call me and say, `This has affected my job. Is there any way to get my name off the TV? I've learned my lesson. I made a mistake.'''

The exposure and associated embarrassment from listing names on TV could be the best deterrent there is, said Lynchburg Police Chief Charles Bennett. ``Hopefully, these people will know they'll get their 15 minutes of fame and be embarrassed in front of all their family and friends,'' Bryant said.

The director of programming for the community-access channel that the City Council oversees said he was concerned about the proposal.

Phil Spinner said City Council should to create a separate government-access channel, as Fredericksburg did, instead of using the community-access channel.

``We would have a real problem with that. ... We just feel there are more positive things to put in the channel time.''

Told of Spinner's concerns, Bryant said, ``Well, that's too bad.'' 


 by CNB