CITY FINE INCREASE MORE THAN A MATTER OF MONEY

Crime doesn't pay in Cape Girardeau. In fact, municipal court violators will find the price of crime has climbed here.

About 75 percent of the city fees were increased in early January by Municipal Court Judge Ed Calvin.

To say that the city fines were increased merely to generate more revenues is shortsighted. Judge Calvin's actions came not at the urging of the city for increased earnings, but by his own judgment to deter crime.

He is hoping to attract the attention of violators with the purpose of curbing the growing number of municipal court cases. If the cost of crime becomes too high - in terms of a fine or jail time - that might just deter those from breaking city laws. For example, a speeder may think twice if he can't easily pay the price.

It marks the first time fines have been increased since Calvin took over as city judge eight years ago.

It's hard to blame Calvin for trying to get a handle on the explosion of cases. In the last six years, the municipal court case load increase has been astonishing. It has grown from 8,833 in 1984-85 to 13,038 in 1989-90.

About 75 percent of the city fines were affected by Judge Calvin's actions with repeat offenses often carrying the largest increases. Many jail terms were also increased.

It's true the fine increases will probably generate more income for the city; that is, unless Judge Calvin's goal of deterring crime comes to pass in a big way. But unless the drop is dramatic, the new fines add dollars to the city coffers.

There's nothing deceitful about it. Look on it as a sin tax of sorts: those who break the law must pay for the system that handles the offenses. As the case load has grown, added personnel and supplies have been needed to address the numbers, and that costs money. Court revenue is not sheer "profit" for the city.

In 1989-90, the Cape municipal court levied $459,665 in fines, forfeitures and court costs. That compares to $435,094 in 1988-89.

The real growth in income came in 1986-87, when court costs were added to the fines and forfeitures already levied by the court. Those court costs were added right after a real spurt in growth for court cases. The number of cases grew from 8,833 in 1984-85 to 11,201 in 1986-86.

No city approval was needed for Judge Calvin to raise the fines. Missouri law allows most municipal offenses to go as high as $500 or 90 days in jail. By law, municipal court judges have the discretion to assess from $1 to $500 in any case, although Judge Calvin said he tries to follow the fine schedule as a matter of equity.

Raising fines to deter crime is certainly not a new concept. The growing numbers provide a compelling reason for Judge Calvin's aim to curb city crime. Only time will be the judge on just how successful this endeavor will be.