Instability can't effectively address violence
Chicago needs new approaches to shootings, killings, and carjackings
It is extremely unlikely we will ever hear leaders of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) or elected officials utter this, but the city’s problems with violence will end when those doing the deeds decide to stop-not when City Hall and CPD announce some warmed over “plan.” That was the case a little more than a week ago when Mayor Brandon Johnson and Interim CPD Superintendent held a news conference to tell us there was a plan to get ahead of anticipated violence over the Memorial Day weekend.
Some Chicagoans in all parts of the city likely believed (and probably hoped) the new mayor had the answers. A couple of dozen shootings by Sunday morning dashed those hopes. We can’t blame the mayor though-he has been on the job less than a month. Add to that his background doesn’t include public safety or law enforcement and we see there is not reason to have confidence in this area.
What the mayor does have though is an opportunity to do things differently and bring about results. On this front he, along with the Chicago City Council have several options.
Adapt and refine the Richmond, CA model
Sometime in the last decade or so, the City of Richmond, California, located near San Francisco decided upon an innovative approach to address that community’s shooting and killing problem. Along with the business community and a leading anti-violence organization, Richmond developed the Office of Neighborhood Safety. It used the unique approach of establishing the Operation Peacemaker Fellowship Program.
https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/19/health/cash-for-criminals-richmond-california/index.html
What made the Peacemakers unique is that the police identified approximately 30 Richmond residents believed to be responsible for most of the shootings. They were “invited” to participate in Peacemakers. The inducement to accepting the invitation is they were paid $1,000 per month. The funding was provided by the business community. In order to collect the money, the participants were required to successfully participate in a cohort of activities that included tailored mentoring in:
Cognitive behavior therapy
Internship opportunities
Substance abuse treatment
Excursions
24-hour case management
The individuals had additional personal goals set by ONS staff in order to receive their stipends.
Homicides dropped by nearly 20 percent the first year the program was operational. A similar percentage in Chicago would result in at least 160 fewer shooting deaths.
Modifying such a program for Chicago would be an arduous task, but shouldn’t be dismissed as too difficult before at least trying it, or something extremely similar.
Don’t marry the CPD superintendent to the mayor
Instability has been the hallmark of CPD over the last three years. Johnson, Beck, Brown, Carter, Waller; and who knows who is next have all been tasked with commanding more than 11.000 sworn police officers-many who have been on the job decades and have their own approaches to policing-some good, some not so.
The litany of names tells us that the rank-and-file within the department were almost continually asked over the last several years to make countless adjustments to the crime landscape-especially the shootings and killings. For more than a year, they were being instructed to do so by individuals with little to no familiarity with city or the department.
Changing superintendents so often couldn’t be good for morale or the ability to get the job done. One possible solution is to give the superintendent an appointment that goes beyond the four-year mayoral term.
A five-year appointment means the superintendent would not be subjected to the whims of any one mayor, and would have enough time to fully develop and enact strategies that seriously impact crime and improve community relations.
Listen to Mazlow and build up the person and community
A criticism and claim we often hear is the violent troublemakers are getting younger every year. And there is empirical data to support that. However, we find that the police and community activities to address violence continue down the same road, and don’t address the changing demographic.
Many readers are likely to recall the public service announcements and commercials of the past depicting children who couldn’t concentrate at school due to hunger; or had a disruptive home life that wasn’t conducive to completing school work.
When young people can’t perform well in school and get either left behind a grade or receive a “social promotion” that ultimately catches up with them, especially when their learning doesn’t improve. They become the target of bullies and social abuse. Ultimately, they only way they know to strike back is to lash out-the start of the path to violence, and in many instances the first steps to incarceration.
A Chicago-based program incorporating Maslow’s theory would address the issues early enough to minimize the chance of the young person falling behind in school or life. In short, he or she would develop a sense or self-worth and realize accomplishments that would not be possible without the holistic approach Maslow offers.
Knowing they can be a contributing member of the community with an ability to make a difference, undoubtedly will give them a long pause, if not disabuse them of the notion of ever picking up a weapon.
Again, it needs a partnership in order to succeed. In this instance, the city, school district and the business community should share resources and ideas
It is irrefutable that what the City has done for years pertaining to violence, shootings, and killings isn’t working. We have passed the time for new strategies and approaches to the problem. After all, the offenders have changed with the times.