Noise Violators Get Manilow Punishment

(Fort Lupton, Colorado) Fort Lupton Municipal Judge Paul Sacco has adopted a novel strategy for disposing of cases involving noise ordinance violations.

About four times a year, those guilty of noise ordinance violations are required to sit in a room and listen to music from the likes of Manilow, Barney the Dinosaur, and The Platters' crooning "Only You"

"These people should have to listen to music they don't like," said Judge Paul Sacco for a segment about the program that aired Friday on Denver's KUSA-TV.

Sacco began the program years ago when he noticed that many of the repeat offenders simply showed up at his courtroom to pay their fine with cash.

Cute but I question the long-term effectiveness of the policy. Now, if the violators had to spend a full, continuous 8 hours in a jail cell listening to Barney the Dinosaur or Barry Manilow while staring at concrete walls and sitting on cornflake-thin mattresses, I suggest they would more likely become true believers in complying with the law.

Tip: CN