Jackson Free Press

Last night on Facebook, I saw some folks posting about the awful crimes we've seen in Jackson of late, including the Lanier High School student, may he rest in peace. Some of the comments seem to be headed the direction we often see a year or so before mayoral elections kick in: blaming the chief and mayor for not speaking out more. Having covered—or been mired in—the Frank Melton campaign and then mayoral tenure, that kind of language makes me nervous, and just sounds political even if it's not meant to. We're gearing up to do a special issue here on big ideas about crime: how to prevent it, respond to it, talk about it, debate it in a more intelligent, proactive way that doesn't devolve into fingerpointing and the kind of sensationalism that makes it harder to actually prevent crime. As we shape that issue, I want to hear your thoughts and big ideas, as well as see any links to best practices and such that we should incorporate into our issue, and the city's approach.

Thoughts?

Previous Comments

ID

164275

Comment

Come on, all. People love to talk about crime in Jackson. Let's talk about ways to prevent it. Or, alternatively, issues that you'd like us to do more research on and then present solutions.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-08-04T13:04:38-06:00

ID

164276

Comment

I think to get at the crime issue you have to look at providing opportunities. But you must also have disincentives. Committing a crime is a choice influenced by both. Now how to do both well is the big question.

Author

Krystal

Date

2011-08-04T15:04:31-06:00

ID

164277

Comment

Agreed, Krystal. And we know that disincentives alone don't work -- not for people who feel hopeless (without opportunities, they think). Many people are raised or told by society that they have no opportunities. How do we reverse that cycle, all? Anyone aware of good case studies, practices, etc.? I know of some but I want this to be about what y'all think. Don't be shy. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-08-04T15:15:48-06:00

ID

164278

Comment

I have a kid here now that's extremely intelligent. He does not have a stable home life, nor does he currently have a family member willing to take him into their home. His first group therapy session he said he had two plans for his future 1) gynecologist (har, har, har) 2) Drug Dealer. And, when I say "drug dealer", he had a BUSINESS PLAN. A GOOD business plan. We went through a decision-making exercise with him that is evidenced-based for use with kids who lack coping skills that come from chaotic/stressful environments. When we worked the task, you know what the decision that THE THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION pinpointed as most realistic for him? Drug dealer. You have to stop THAT. And that starts with the kids.

Author

Lori G

Date

2011-08-04T15:22:46-06:00

ID

164279

Comment

Right, Lori. Peter Block's book, "Community," tells a cautionary tale about the fact that many young drug dealers are using their business prowess the only way they think they are able to. What can we do about this? I was just reading somewhere about a successful project for young people that was launching a new version -- with business mentoring at its core. I'm going to have to think about what that was. I love the idea of having some sort of youth incubator in our city. And why not open it up to young people who are willing to stop dealing drugs if they can get mentoring in business skills. This is a good one to research and see if anyone has done something like this. On the list. Thanks! BTW, you know we provide internships and workshops here in all aspects of our business, including workshops on professionalism, etc. I wish we could ratchet it to another level and get some sort of funding to provide the young people stipends. We are working on relaunching the Youth Media Project in a bigger way. Anybody out there with a few dollars to kick in, let us know. We'll even write you a proposal! Some pretty remarkable things happen inside these walls with young people. I challenge everyone reading this to figure out how you can teach a young person who needs it the skills you know and help open up opportunities for them. It's life-changing.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-08-04T15:44:20-06:00

ID

164280

Comment

BTW, Peter Blocks' book warns about the "marketing of fear" (which is truly the domain of sensationalistic media and politicians) -- I just Googled and found these bullet points of what's int he book. I really encourage people to get hold of this book. I have one here if anyone wants to come sit in the classroom and go through it! http://www.progressivewomensalliance.org/images/2009_04.pdf

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-08-04T15:46:22-06:00

ID

164281

Comment

Lori- Surely that didn't surprise you, 30 yrs ago when my youngest sister started teaching she said when she asked kids what they wanted to do when they grew up the top 2 answers was "I'm not gonna work, I'm gonna get a check" and "I'm gonna be a drug dealer". So now you have a couple of generations with that attitude, and it's not getting any better. Going to take some serious work to change that.

Author

BubbaT

Date

2011-08-04T16:25:16-06:00

ID

164284

Comment

There needs to be more economic development. As the case with many major cities, many new jobs are on the outskirts and suburban areas. These are places where those who don't access to reliable transportation can't get to. We need to have more mass transit to facilitate better job prospects for poorer people. While economic development itself doesn't stop all crime, the more affluent one is, the less likely to commit a crime. We also need more community patrolling and other methods police can use to be proactive on crime rather than be proactive. I also agree about the mentoring programs as well.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2011-08-04T19:56:40-06:00

ID

164285

Comment

Donna, There are two excellent off-the-shelf programs that provide resources to local communities to teach entrepreneurship and provide mentoring. Both provide the how to, teaching materials, and train the teacher mentors to provide the education and skills you want. Both operate at the high school level. National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship is targeted at risk youth. www.nfte.com Check out the web site, especially “24 Concepts Every Young Person Should Know About Business”; as someone who runs a business you will find it brilliantly written. Brent Hales at University of Southern Mississippi has a similar program which is home grown and probably better adapted to Mississippi; it is adaptable to all socio-economic environments. http://www.thesep.org/ In both cases, the community has to provide the teacher/mentors, so someone will need to organize a volunteer group based in a school or community organization. Ideally, you have these programs in high schools, college, MBA programs and working adults and have the organization coordinated and working together so the kids at the high school level can see the support system al the way up into the real world. Hales’ program graduates students with workable businesses at each education level, including high school. Successful graduates of his programs often come out of high school or community college with operating businesses or viable plans for them. The tools are there. We just need enough people in the community to come together and make it happen. Since I am new to Jackson within the last several years, I don’t know whether there may already be some of these programs operating in the metro Jackson area at the high school level. The colleges and Mississippi Technology Alliances already have programs for the older entrepreneurs. But you have nailed it—this is where jobs come from. The grass roots do the work; the governments (Federal, state and local) often, but not always, provide an assist. Richard A. Sun, CFA

Author

RichardASun

Date

2011-08-04T21:12:10-06:00

ID

164289

Comment

"We need to have more mass transit to facilitate better job prospects for poorer people." I think thats a solid point, but when you speak of infrastructure improvements people down here equate that to socialism and communisim.

Author

Duan C.

Date

2011-08-05T07:56:00-06:00

ID

164290

Comment

Bubba-No, it doesn't surprise me. But, what DOES surprise me is how different your concept of that interaction was than mine. You assumed he doesn't want to work. Last I checked, drug dealing was a JOB. Its a job afforded kids in low income neighborhoods who have/see no hope of something better which requires an education they cannot afford. Do you REALLY think that he WANTS to be a drug dealer (one of his negative points was prison time or getting shot) knowing the things that come with that occupation? If he didn't see it as a job at which he can make a liveable wage without an education? I mean, I work with these kids. NONE of them "wants" to be a drug dealer. They only see it as the one thing they are capable of doing that will allow them to feed a family and doesn't require an education. That is due to institutional racism and generational poverty. This same kid, two weeks later, was taken into DHS custody. He came into my office after talking to a few other kids at my facility that were also in custody and asked "Ms. Lori, even if DHS puts me back with my mom, will they keep custody of me and leave me in her house?" I told him that can happen at times but probably not long term. I inquired why he wanted to know. He said, "Well, these other kids told me if I stayed in their custody they would pay for my school (college)." I told him that was true. A kid in DHS custody that graduates high school can go to Hinds or a State College for free and the Deparment of Human Services will pay for it. And, right THERE, with the knowledge that school all of a sudden BECAME an option he stopped wanting to be a drug dealer and started wanting to be something MORE. A doctor, I really think. Not a gynecologist (which is just something he said to show how ridiculous he thought his dreams of being a doctor were). And, the thing is, this kid is smart enough to be a doctor-once you got through the exterior. So, Bubba, I think that maybe you need to change the paradigm through which you see "these kids". You may be part of the problem.

Author

Lori G

Date

2011-08-05T08:14:19-06:00

ID

164291

Comment

Lori- No assuming anything, someone that says "I not going to work, I going to get a check" pretty much says it all, he is expecting a check from the govt. and not having to work it, dosen't it? The sad thing is he has been taught that by some adults.

Author

BubbaT

Date

2011-08-05T08:55:55-06:00

ID

164292

Comment

I would really just like to know more about what Lori G does. I am an LCSW who lives in Fondren and am trying to find a new job. Besides that I agree with her. I think it takes people like Lori doing what she does to encourge change in the young people who have the odds stacked against them. As far as prevention I think, on a law enforcement level, there needs to be major changes within the JPD. I know alot of people do not like it when people speak negatively of the police, but my husband and I recently caught one sleeping in their car in the parking lot next to our house(yes, I informed the Commander). I know this is likely just one bad egg, but come on. Officers HAVE to learn to be proactive instead of reactive. I also think they should be paid much, much more and they should be better educated/trained. As far as responding to it, I think non-violent criminals should not be incarcerated and instead there should be some other kind of punishment/payment for their crimes. There has to be a better deterrant. However, with that said, some people are going to commit crimes no matter what. Either becasue they have anti-social personality disorder or some other mental illness and simply do not care, or because they are desperate or on drugs.

Author

MGN

Date

2011-08-05T09:00:57-06:00

ID

164293

Comment

Psssshhh...Lori, just because Bubba has a warped view of crime, doesn't mean he "may be part of the problem." My grandmother may need to change the "paradigm through which she sees crime," but trust me, she is miles and miles away from the problem.

Author

jbreland

Date

2011-08-05T09:08:58-06:00

ID

164294

Comment

MGN--I am the same. We probably know each other or have common aquaintances. The social work world isn't horribly large around here!(Surprisingly enough) I run a crisis residential facility for Catholic Charities called Hope Haven that serves kids who are designated SED. Our services are free, and we take kids in custody, so we often serve families who are low income with multiple family system issues that contribute to their "mental illness". They are between the ages of 12-18 and stay with us from 14-21 days (can be extended slightly based upon need)We do intensive assessments, evaluations (psychological/psychiatric), provide free individual, group, and family therapy and then discharge the family into home-based services and connect them to other community resources that meet their needs. I know, at this point, we are the only facility licensed in this designation by the Department of Mental Health in the state. I love that! We get to do creative, innovative stuff that other people aren't doing. (In fact, that was sort of why we were created) I'm also in Fondren.

Author

Lori G

Date

2011-08-05T09:12:53-06:00

ID

164295

Comment

Thank you, Richard, that is a great post with good ideas. We will definitely use your information. I love the idea of some sort of deliberate drugs-to-business program. Let's change the dynamic. If you're an accomplished business person, we need you on this bandwagon. Believe in our kids! Y'all keep bringing the ideas. Help us find them, get them out there and urge people to put them into action. If we want to stop crime, we've got to stop expecting elected officials to do it for us, and make it happen, especially in this possibly-worsening economy.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-08-05T09:38:43-06:00

ID

164296

Comment

All, be sure to read through our last GOOD issue if you haven't. It focused on recent neuroscience discoveries that show that nurture is way more important than nature -- and gives ways that we can help kids be who they can be. This is a good launch point for a bigger conversation about helping kids have opportunities other than crime and helping steer them that direction. We'll build on it in the CRIME issue, with your help: http://www.issuu.com/jacksonfreepress/docs/v9n35 We have the power, folks. Don't forget it. We've learned in the past that rhetoric -- whether from media or politicians -- that pretends that we are stymied unless we have politicians stomping around ranting about crime is just plain wrong. Let's do this differently.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-08-05T09:43:29-06:00

ID

164298

Comment

I posted part of this on Facebook, but I'll share here too. One thing that will dramatically reduce crime is to legalize drugs. Look at Portugal's example. (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893946,00.html) Doing so will provide more jobs, new businesses, decrease in drug use, decrease in crime, decrease in enforcement and incarceration costs and - a personal desire here - an easily made cure for Cancer. (search "Running from the Cure") Suddenly "Drug Dealer" becomes a legit business with regulations (no sales to minors, etc) and it pays taxes and employs people. Farmers have new crops : Hemp for industrial, clothing, medicinal and other purposes; Marijuana for Medical and recreational purposes. We stop treating Drug Addiction as a crime and treat it as the health concern it is. DUI expands to cover being under the influence of drugs, mobile instant-result testing equipment is developed (new business). DUI also becomes an add-on for sentencing of actual crimes. Also see http://www.leap.cc/ The one reality-based down-side is that law enforcement will not get to legally steal as many suspects' cash, vehicles, homes, etc. - if you can call that a downside. Another, less controversial, method is a public pre-school program. Education is the key to many of our issues, but we need to teach critical thinking. We also need to teach job and job-finding skills, financial management skills and conflict resolution in High School.

Author

BobbyKearan

Date

2011-08-05T11:23:30-06:00

ID

164299

Comment

BobbyKearan is a candidate after my own heart, even down to the reformation of the public school system.

Author

jbreland

Date

2011-08-05T12:01:32-06:00

ID

164300

Comment

Wow, I didn't know so many of ya'll were mind readers to know my view on crime or if it's warped or not. I was just commenting on Lori's post and that it shouldn't have suprised her that the kid said he wanted to be a drug dealer.

Author

BubbaT

Date

2011-08-05T14:32:42-06:00

ID

164306

Comment

Also, it would be nice/helpful to know about all the crime as it happens so we can be aware/on the look out. When our cars were broken into in our carport while we slept(in Fondren) I typed up a letter and gave it to everyone on our street. So they would know. So they would be more mindful of what they left in their cars/carports and remembered to lock and alarm their cars. We found out that a couple of houses on galloway had the doors kicked in and things stolen during the day while the owners were at work(just last week). We only knew this because my husband overheard our neighbor's conversation in the liquor store. It's sad that the crime is almost kept secret for the sake of keeping a positive light on fondren. Knowing about the crime is not going to hurt. It will only help. There should be daily announcements about the crime in precinct 4.

Author

MGN

Date

2011-08-08T09:48:53-06:00

ID

165205

Comment

From SmartPlanet.com How one city stops crime before it happens

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2011-10-18T11:44:33-06:00