Where are the Answers to Stop Urban Violence?
A question.
OK. Several questions. But the big question, the point of this post, is where are the answers to stop urban violence?
I ask this because we can all agree that street violence is, and has been, off the hook for some time now. That we know. Even despite the gazillion theories about why it exists, the finger pointing that never stops and much worse the countless intentional distractions that exists to keep the problem out of focus.
At the root of the issue, however, are some indisputable facts. The victims are real, as well as their families. True some are not perfect. Many may very well be living in such a way that they have increased the risk of becoming a victim of violent crime, however, they are real, and they are human. The sounds of the violence rolls out of the inner city like thunder in the mountains, making everyone that the media touches feel a little less safer, very far from the epicenter.
For police, its closer. It’s closer for those that work the beats where the problem is at it’s worst. It’s closer when the entire burden to curb the violence is laid on the shoulders of the police agency and again, on the shoulders of the officers that work those beats. It’s closer for the LEOs that end up having to use force in that battle and are ridiculed for doing so. It’s closer for the entire industry once that demonizing starts because everyone that wears the badge, wears that scrutiny and harassment.
So the question of where those answers are to bring the body count down is important to everyone. Where are those answers?
Even today we raise our hand against our brother…We have perfected our weapons, our conscience has fallen asleep, and we have sharpened our ideas to justify ourselves as if it were normal we continue to sow destruction, pain, death. Violence and war lead only to death.
Pope Francis
Does Community Oriented Policing have depth and meaning? It’s been around for years; has it progressed? What does it look like when it makes gains? Are there sacrifices that have to made by one or both sides?
Is the policing industry coming to the solution table with an open mind? And by the same token, is the community? How do we close the gap between the police and the community? Are all of the principles taking accountability for the responsibilities and consequences they own? That takes guts, for everyone.
Where are the community leaders, formal and informal? The judges; are they looking out for the public’s best interesting by giving laws teeth and definition? Or are they gambling with the safety of the community on a whim? Whim might be putting it nicely. Think about how many existing gun laws are broken every time one of the many shootings take place and how many suspects should have been in custody, where they could cause no harm.
The people in the hardest hit neighborhoods, are they at the table? Are they cooperating with the police? If not, why not? For those that want to help, are there opportunities to provide information safely? Are the police ignoring the loud negative voices and listening to them to acknowledging the fact they want a better life?
Where have all these moral compasses gone so crazy? The youngest of the violent crowd have no regard at all for life, including their own. That is an area that the police cannot impact.
This issue is not and never has been a police issue, it is a community issue. Everyone rolls up their sleeves, everyone gets dirty.
What suggestions can you offer for any of these issues?
© 2015 DAVID A. LYONS
Street violence exists because we as a society not only condone violence at almost every unresolved conflict we face, but consider the use of force an acceptable means to get what we want. We use violence to enforce our laws, intimidate our adversaries, and in many other subtle ways, threaten its use to enable a social and economic environment we consider appropriate. This is the whole meaning and understanding we pass on to those who have less, and enjoy less of the many benefits our society has to offer and unfortunately, many have learned their lessons well. That is not of course to say anyone is entitled to violent responses, or can point to inequities for authority to follow suit, but as I’ve pointed out, we all believe we are due a piece of the American pie, and characteristically, will resort to violence if hard pressed to get it. We are the richest, most powerful country in the world after all, and rarely will settle for second place, let alone last place.
Law enforcement officers then, have the responsibility to maintain and restore order when some in society resist the status quo that demand the discontent accept the station in life those in power has so subjectively ordained. Order is achievable by force, peace and harmony are not. The urban violence we witness is ultimately the result of a system that on many levels denies access to, and participation in, the many things this great country has to offer. Yes, there are thugs and misfits who just seem to prey on the weak, but is that really an urban violence issue? What meaningful rights (except to survive) do the poor and powerless have that the powerful are obliged to respect?
You are right, “many may very well be living in such a way that they have increased the risk of becoming a victim of violent crime”. If you mean breaking laws, using drugs, and forcing their will on the citizens at large, which population segment do you point the accusing finger? Every segment routinely engages in these activities with the largest portion of our responses directed at the ignorant (because they harm themselves), the weak, and eventually those who thought themselves immune.
Although a society can determine such inequities do not reduce or nullify individual responsibility, their very existence creates moral and perhaps legal obligations for those who benefit. Without the acknowledgement of at least partial blame and solutions that work for everybody, we will all suffer the visible results of violent discontent. Individuals and societies must assume responsibility for the inequities they confront, and at least one segment responds through urban violence. We need to stop turning a blind eye to a justice system that electively punishes without any effort at fixing the many problems that cause our discontent. Arrests can only prolong the problem until offender release. Our goal should be reintegrating that citizen, neighbor, father, mother back into a society where they can make amends to victims and the community from which they came. If it only works for half the current prison population, the benefits in terms of urban violence are considerable.
Anthony MUNDAY
Business Leadership Coach
Policing is either seen by the public as an appropriate and necessary response to keeping us all safe or as an imposition of State power without legitimacy. In my view every one of us can help bridge that chasm. Policing is truly a profession where, as in forensics, ‘EVERY CONTACT LEAVES A TRACE’. This is truly a two way street.
John Hagan
Corrections Officer HIP Unit at Louisville Metro Government
Most street violence here is fueled by dope trafficking and gangs moving on each other’s territory. From there, it has been retaliation strikes. This accounts for most, but not all street violence. Now, throw on top the fact that, because of the national war on law enforcement, the thugs aren’t fearing the police. When police try to enforce the law and do their jobs, the media steps in to cloud the situations and imply wrongful conduct on the cops. The thugs are then portrayed as the victims. You want to stop the violence? Start with a media that reports with honesty and integrity instead of personal and political bias, and then let the cops hit the thugs and dope dealers hard! Then, have the courts actually prosecute the offenders appropriately.
Paul Thomas
first and foremost you TALK to people then you LISTEN to them, it may suprise you to find how much can be gained by just trying those items.
Lee Hanlon, CD, BGS
it’s actually very simple. Look at the way these thugs are raised by their parents, not to mention the rejection of the Bible from the educational environment, and then what the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions teach (immorality of the worst kind!!!)…..
Martin Palmer
I am not sure it will ever be stopped, managed maybe but even that is becoming an issue given the reduced number of officers now available against the demand being placed upon them.
Loren Buddress
As a 35 year Probation Officer and of that 35 years, I was the CHIEF PROBATION officer in two locations for 20 and 1/2 years. ANYONE doing Urban Violence should get into a treatment program or DIRECTED to get into a treatment programs, because treatment has proven to reduce CRIME, VIOLENCE, and DRUG and ALCOL MISUSE. Loren Buddress
Thomas Dolan, IAAI-CFI
The key to stopping the violence is to stop the perpetual broken family syndrome and for the government to get the economy going.
Weaver Barkman
Until a means of completely rewiring the human brain is discovered, “violence” will continue. It must. The post is well taken, but stopping human violence is an unattainable goal, urban or otherwise. Our brains are hard wired to commit violent acts. We became the apex predator by committing acts of violence that ensured our survival. In some instances, police, probation, treatment, and courts can help individuals to change their behavior, but only if the individual is willing to do so.
Stuart Klearman
Humans are violent by nature. However, the welfare state is most definitely making the problem worse. Here is how: In the 1960s LBJ created a welfare state. The result was that by paying women to have babies out of wedlock, women became more of a breeder (I know that’s harsh) than a mother. Men became stripped of the maturing aspects of fatherhood and continued to act as adolescents well into late adulthood. The family unit was shattered. Now, these kids were left to their own devices on the streets, learning often-violent adaptive behaviors. Those behaviors became encoded into the genome and have been passed on with each generation, worsening over time. Today we literally have children being born with nacent anti-social personality disorder. It is little wonder that they end up roaming the streets, preying on each other and on innocents, and end up a criminal justice statistic. I would postulate that one key to reducing urban violence is to scrap welfare (yes, that includes social security, medicare, etc and returning them to the private sector) and empowering the family unit to succeed. We have thrown countless trillions since the 1960s at these issues, and have only made it worse.
Stephen Leonesio
Unfortunately, there is no easy fix. It is a societal problem. It starts in the home and continues in school, church, business and courts. If we think back, we can see the changes occurring over the years. Increase in latchkey children and less accountability/discipline in the home and schools. Not as many people involved with or living the messages of religion. And of course, the more liberal civil and criminal court systems. Until society insists and engages in change, it won’t happen.
Erik Voss
One thing that always seems to be missing from the “big national debate” regarding urban violence is who stands the most to benefit from the violence and status quo? Certainly not the people who don’t have two nickels to rub together. Certainly not the police who experience the misery and have to gut it out every day( and conveniently take the blame.) Certainly not the middle class who are told day after day how terrible they are because they just don’t donate everything they own to the “disadvantaged.”
Survey says? Race hustlers who don’t give a crap about their “community” shaking down corporations for “donations.” Politicians who talk a good game and pander for the votes in a desperate attempt to cling to power. Operatives behind the scenes scheming for their own advantage.
Criminals alone are responsible for their crimes and deserve everything they’ve got coming to them. But until there’s no longer money to be made or naked power to be achieved, the cycle will continue.
Shari Walter
The lessening of single parent homes, schools that stay open, we are down from eight to two in Flint, MI, respect for law enforcement taught by parents, Church, family values, tougher sentencing if hurting an officer. Parents being held responsible . all the above
Daniel Foglton
Hey Guys, we never had as much urban violence as we do to day. The cause is simple, we have allowed into the US an unabated flow of the scum from the Third World. We must STOP this influx of zero morals, violent prone, non-english speakers from coming to the US. Once we close our borders, the remaining animals will kill themsleves off and there will be no fresh meat to replace them. Have a sensible immigration program in which to gain entry you must demonstrate that you can contribute to our society, learn english in 2 years, and commit no crimes for 5 years. Any violation means automatic deprtment. We must also stop the “Anchor Baby” law. Why do we turn our backs on law breaking Felons, arrest all who are here illegally. When we stop a car and the driver has no DL, No Insurance and the car is not in the drivers name, impound it. Then they will have to show proof of ownership and insurance to get it out of PD Impound. This worked like a charm in my big city in Texas.
Jose J. Blanco
More restrictions on gun ownership and more brother’s keeper inspired federal legislation…
ACMA BUSINESS
I would like to know
Dave Koch
The solution is literacy. I wrote an article a couple of months ago that addresses this…
http://secure.campaigner.com/Campaigner/Public/t.show?7xo93–3vphg-ytyibv2&_v=2
With 36 years of combined public education and police work I see the problem as perpetual. We are a generation away from even making a dent in this problem. The solution lies in the education and development of proper social behavior and expectations.
Yes, I am a pessimist in this regard. I do not plan on seeing any change except for the worse. In the last 40 years it always come down to family. Quite honestly I am tired of the home life being the big problem and from my point nothing is being done. Are there lost causes? Yes. Are there teens other individuals that would ridicule young people trying to change? Yes.
The target group has to be the young. How young? Elementary school young. Society must educate the young during their formative years. Now unfortunately those years are actually before attending school but you’ve got to start where with a modicum of success. Boys and girls alike need direction in several areas that very well may Bo contrary to they have seen and heard or experienced in their formative years.
Parenting becomes the main issue. Parenting can be developed early enough to provide the young today of what life should, what respect should be, what hard work should be. Teen births are critical. Bring down drastically the number of teenage mothers. Develop curriculum that stresses what is right over what is wrong. The number 14 and 15 year olds having babies is absurd and proportionally a major stumbling block. Teach what motherhood is really like. The changes in life from a care free teenager to having your life dictated to you my one, two, or three kids.
Don’t leave the males out of this at all. You’ve probably heard that you need a license to cut hair drive a car…. Anyone can produce a baby. Boys must learn respect… Of everyone but perhaps respect of women would be a good starting point. Girls should be raised with high esteem for themselves. Demand an expect be respected.
Fatherless homes surely make things worse. Unemployment adds to the issue along with the attitude toward a work ethic. Why should people work when the state or Federal government provides phone, food, living assistance, reduced tuitions, food cards, free health care, etc. I paid $6000dollars over the years for my daughters’ braces. If you are a juvenile from a terrible home and gets in legal trouble they their braces through the state. In other words, from the taxes working people pay.
Get into the schools, the churches, the communities with a well developed plant to help the future parents or thugs the right way. Tough? You bet. So why don’t we just let it slide? Because it ie not our the United States reacts to problems. But we’re talking perhaps two years of investment. Sorry for the rant, I could go on and on with this subject including the role law enforcement as well.