How cities can tackle violent crime without relying on police
https://www.vox.com/21351442/patrick-sharkey-uneasy-peace-abolish-defund-the-police-violence-citiesOne of the most robust findings in criminology is that putting more police officers on the streets leads to less violent crime. Yet, as recent police killings and violence against protesters have reminded us, policing also produces staggering costs that many communities are no longer willing to bear. These seemingly incongruous views represent a tension at the core of any efforts to reform, defund, or abolish policing.
Few scholars have wrestled with this tension as rigorously as Princeton University sociologist Patrick Sharkey. In his 2018 book, Uneasy Peace: The Great Crime Decline, the Renewal of City Life, and the Next War on Violence, Sharkey makes the case that the decline in violent crime in America over the past three decades is one of the most important social transformations of our time. At the same time, he argues the US’s chosen methods for responding to violence have become far too destructive, and offers an alternative vision for public safety that relies primarily on communities and residents, not law enforcement.
We are currently being forced to confront a question that has animated Sharkey’s work for years: How can we continue to reduce violence, but do so using a model that relies far less on police and prisons? That’s a much harder question than simply asking whether some of the jobs police currently perform can be replaced — and it demands an even more rigorous answer, especially considering the extent to which high levels of violence can devastate disadvantaged communities.
I recently spoke to Sharkey about what’s causing the uptick in gun violence in big US cities, whether there is an inevitable trade-off between reducing police presence and reducing violence, his vision for a community-driven approach to public safety (and the evidence base behind that vision), what he thinks the “defund the police” campaign gets right (and wrong), and more.
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Tough questions for sure.
I think police are necessary to deal with violent crime, sadly.
Here in the Memphis area, there are numerous shootings / deaths on a daily basis, hit & runs, leaving the victim for dead in the street, facebook / craigs list scams resulting in deaths, violent & horrific child abuse (rapes etc.), people being stalked coming out of grocery & other stores, then mugged / beaten severely / shot, many spontaneous shootings on interstates in this region ... all the time. Constantly. To the perpetrators, I suppose this is "having fun."
Several months ago, the head of the Chamber of Commerce was shot leaving an event downtown. The perps were teens who said they hadn't targeted the man. They were "just looking for someone to stick up to have some fun."
How do you rehabilutate people like this? And how could a non-police-type agency deal with this type of behavior?
So much so that the police cannot even hire enough officers. I think I read recenty that they need 700 more officers, but nobody wants the jobs., understandably. This has been an ongoing problem.
Vetting of officers is a problem as well. They are so desperate to hire people and favor military veterans that perhaps they are getting some folks who joined the military because they wanted to kill people. (Not saying all military folks are that way by any means, but it is a well known fact that there is a percentage who are this way.)
I know these are extreme examples, but many people here are relieved when they learn the Feds are sending in agents to deal with gangs & violent / gun crime. There is an unbelieveable attitude of entitlement in this region that is completely uncontrollable. And the courts keep letting them back out on the street to repeat offend. 
I've lived here for 3 miserable years now & covid isolation is not much different than pre-covid because of the crime. I'd never even imagined such a place existed in our country, to be honest.
When I first moved here, I was shocked to learn that there had been 7 violent attacks at the only grocery store within a reasonable distance (in a very nice area!) in one weekend. People being mugged / severely beaten, robbed , and shot -- all in broad daylight. I learned quickly not to leave the house except for essential activities.
I do not see social worker types being able to deal with the sort of brazen, violent criminal elements here to be quite honest.
Undoubtedly, some of the above is due to systemic racism, but not all perps are people of color by any means. So, good paying jobs, education/ training might help in some instances, but many people here appear to favor crime as an easy & fun lifestyle.
One thing that might help would be to somehow instill the concept of boundaries in the police officers. People largely do not "get involved" because the police will blurt your name out to the accused which nearly always initiates waves of intense vandalism to cars, homes, etc. But, generally, boundaries I think are a cultural thing. I've chatted with officers in a few southern states about this and they always chuckle and say something like, "well, yeah, it's the south. People are all going to talk." 😳
Heck, shortly after moving here, I approached a group of officers in a restaurant asking about resources. The one said, "well you can call (name) & wrote down a phone number. Then he continued with, "call anytime except (days / times) because he works at (business name). "
I was shocked & asked if he was serious.
"Oh, yes ma'am, he is doing under cover drug work there." My head just about exploded that he had just potentially put another officer's life in danger! 🤯
So, while I very much favor proactive mental health, community involvement, and social work solutions, I think many problems are systemic and run much deeper.
A short-term solution, in my opinion, would be to not release violent criminals back onto the streets. I know that's harsh but what about the rights of law abiding citizens? 😏
