Exploiting Vulnerable Persons

Exploiting Vulnerable Persons

It is better late than never to expose the exploitation of persons with
disabilities by able-bodied persons. (Andrea Estes, "Tough laws eyed against
handicap permit abuse," Boston Globe, August 14, 2007; "Many use handicap
permits illegally," August 13, 2007) When will the courts address the misuse of
discrimination laws by attorneys for millionaire thug athletes and drug addicts
to avoid criminal liability? When will the legislature stop writing laws for the
benefit of human services corporations, which permit further exploitation of
persons with disabilities?
The comment by the private attorney for disbility rights indicates how
accommodating these taxpayer funded alleged "advocates" for persons with
disabilities are. When the Inspector General of the state exhibits more outrage
than an attorney for the Disability Law Center you know there is
institutionalized exploitation. Where were all of these attorneys all of these
years?

--
Roy Bercaw, Editor ENOUGH ROOM

Tough laws eyed against handicap permit abuse
By Andrea Estes,
Boston Globe Staff
August 14, 2007

State and city officials vowed a crackdown on the illegal use of handicap
parking permits yesterday after a year-long state investigation revealed
widespread fraud by drivers using other people's placards to park all day at
meters or in specially designated spaces.

The Registry of Motor Vehicles, which conducted the investigation with the
Inspector General's office, said it would begin cross-checking permits with the
Social Security Administration to ensure that the placards are taken out of
circulation when the driver dies.

The Patrick administration said it will soon file legislation making it a
felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, to use a counterfeit or
altered placard.

State Representative Lewis Evangelidis filed a bill that would double the
existing fines for fraudulent use of a placard from $500 for the first offense
to $1,000. Under the bill, a violator's driver's license would be suspended for
a year, up from the current suspension of 30 days.

"I find it unconscionable that anyone would take advantage of a system that is
designed to help those in need," said Evangelidis, Republican of Holden. "You
are either deemed handicapped and in need of the plate, or you are committing
fraud by using it."
[...]
Andrea Estes can be reached at estes@globe.com.


Many use handicap permits illegally
Registry probe finds violations widespread
By Andrea Estes,
Boston Globe Staff
August 13, 2007

A yearlong investigation by the state inspector general and the Registry of
Motor Vehicles has turned up widespread abuse of the placards that allow people
with disabilities to park all day in designated spots and free of charge at
meters across the state.

Investigators focusing on three Boston commercial districts where parking is
particularly scarce -- North Station, Newbury Street, and the Financial District
-- found nearly a third of the roughly 1,000 placards they saw on vehicles were
being used by people who were not disabled and had been issued to someone else.

Forty-nine placards were used repeatedly even though the registered holder of
the permit had died -- in some cases several years ago. Nine placards had been
renewed since the person's death.

At a time when an aging population has an ever-increasing need for the permits,
the misuse of spots and placards for the disabled is "an unconscionable insult
and a fraud," said Inspector General Gregory Sullivan.

Registry officials, who will announce the findings at a news conference today,
said abuse of the placards is a rampant problem that is getting worse.
[...]

Andrea Estes can be reached at estes@globe.com.