Prevention Works

It Takes a Neighborhood

The Washington Post recently published an article titled, "Want to Cut Crime? It Takes a Neighborhood." This article discussed how a neighborhood can become susceptible to crime depending on how people and businesses move in and out.  It made me think about a book I read in school, When Work Disappears, by William Julius Wilson. This book talks about the issues that the inner-city poor have with obtaining employment in easily accessible areas. Wilson interviewed inner-city store owners and managers and found that they didn't want to hire people from the neighborhood because they saw them as a risk, due to what Wilson termed "ghetto-related behavior."  Wilson also pointed out that unskilled jobs that still pay a livable wage have been disappearing from inner-city neighborhoods, creating a domino effect that leads to poor education, poor public transportation, and a "culture of poverty" in which neighborhoods can rapidly decline. 

With poor (if any) education, a serious lack of job opportunities, and few options for employment or personal betterment outside the immediate neighborhood, is it any wonder that some residents of these communities turn to a life of crime?  Perhaps if we follow the ideas set forth by Wilson, which include strengthening school systems and creating city-suburban partnerships, crime rates in these communities will start to fall. 

Richard Florida poses an interesting theory on how to strengthen inner cities in his book "The Rise of the Creative Class." Florida puts forth the concept that in order for urban cores to become strong, cities need to attract the young professionals who are looking for many outlets for diversion, from museums to biking trails, coffee shops to night clubs.  Also, this sector of the community is looking for what Florida dubs "plug and play," which he defines as a place where people can instantly feel a connection to the area, which will keep them from leaving. Cities can be ranked on Florida’s "Bohemian Index," which determines the strength of the creative class.

I believe that just as each person is unique, each city is unique and has its own set of problems. Therefore it would be very difficult to provide one blanket answer that would work across all communities.  What do you think?  Is the answer to strengthening poor urban centers a collaboration of the entire urban community and providing better education to all?  Or is it attracting a specific class of people to the urban center that can cause an economic upturn and a decrease in crime?

The Case Against Student Profiling

The students at Northern Illinois University have been on my mind a lot lately. I went to college just 55 miles away from NIU, so I couldn’t help thinking how much their campus looked like my own and how much the NIU students looked like the ones I went to school with. I suppose that’s why these school shootings affect us so—it makes us realize that it could have happened just as easily at our schools or our children’s schools.

As I was searching online for more information about the shootings, I happened across a series of columns by Jon Katz on slashdot.org called Voices From the Hellmouth that talked about the aftermath of the Columbine High School killings in 1999. After the shootings, schools, parents, law enforcement, the news media—everyone was looking for a way to prevent school violence. Unfortunately, it ended up being a panicked, hysterical hunt for oddballs and geeks—kids who played video games like Quake, kids who were bright but didn’t seem to fit in, kids who were loners, kids who were different.

One student wrote that his private school guidance counselor told him that he would have to give up playing Dungeons and Dragons or be suspended. During a class discussion about the Columbine shootings, another student tried to express his opinion that although he didn’t condone killing anyone, he knew what the shooters must have felt like, being hated and belittled for being smart and different. The student was sent to the principal’s office and told that if he didn’t attend five sessions of counseling, he would be expelled.

In an attempt to prevent future tragedies from occurring, “geek profiling” made these lonely kids feel even more alienated. One student was sent home for wearing a black, ankle-length raincoat to class. A Quake enthusiast from New York City wrote on slashdot, “People were actually talking to me like I could come in and kill them. It wasn't like they were really afraid of me—they just seemed to think it was okay to hate me even more? People asked me if I had guns at home. This is a whole new level of exclusion, another excuse for the preppies of the universe to put down and isolate people like me.” Another slashdot reader said that his school guidance counselor encouraged him to try to be more “mainstream.”

“The real story of Littleton [where Columbine High School is located] wasn't about violence but was about that high school [being] . . .  a nightmare for kids who are different,” Katz said in an interview with The Village Voice.

Geek profiling hasn’t eliminated violence from our schools and universities. Targeting a particular subculture doesn’t prevent violence. Actions are better clues to finding troubled kids than outfits. Supervisory Special Agent Mary Ellen O’Toole, a behavioral analyst with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shared her insights in the FBI’s Headline Archives.

First, be vigilant. “People who act out violently don’t wake up one morning and snap. There are clues,” O’Toole says. School shootings take planning and coordination. Weapons have to be purchased or collected, and some attackers will write suicide notes warning of an attack.

Second, take all threats seriously, especially those leveled by teens, and have a strategy in place to deal with them. There is no single profile for a potential mass killer, young or old. “There is no typical school shooter. They don’t fall within a set of traits and characteristics,” says O’Toole. “That’s why it is so important for schools to have a fair, rational, and standardized method of evaluating and responding to threats.”

Some of the kids who wrote in to slashdot would also add, “Instead of blocking computer games or the ‘Net, support your kids and their culture and work to make your local school more humane, creative, and responsive to the many students who choose individualism.”

Exploring the Bystander Effect

"'I didn't want to get involved,' he sheepishly told police."

That was the telling line in the New York Times front page story 44 years ago this month that depicted the brutal slaying of one Kitty Genovese in a Queens, New York neighborhood.  The young woman's death illuminated an all-too-familiar attitude in her neighbors. They didn't want to get involved.  The circumstances of her death are painful to relate. She was murdered, at random, by a psychotic killer in an attack that lasted an estimated 35-50 minutes, knifed during three separate episodes, sexually assaulted, and left to die. Original newspaper accounts reported that 38 people witnessed the attack, yet did nothing. Subsequent investigation indicates that the number 38 may be an exaggeration; no one person observed the entirety of the attack, as the victim was able to crawl away from her attacker (who left and returned) in an attempt get to her apartment nearby.  Notwithstanding, numerous people heard and saw something terribly amiss that early morning in March 1964 and did nothing to aid her or call for help.

The outcry from that event shaped a psychological phenomenon called the "Genovese Syndrome" or the "Bystander Effect."  Simply stated, the larger the group of people observing a misdeed, the lesser the chance that anyone will intervene. Numerous psychology experiments since then have confirmed and continue to confirm this reality of human nature. Unfortunately, that phenomenon has not diminished in us despite awareness, study, and other enlightenment.  After a June 2007 murder in a Wichita, KS, convenience store, a handful of people stepped over the victim’s body and one person even photographed the victim with a cell phone camera.

There were a few positive developments in the wake of the Genovese tragedy. Police telephonic response systems were improved as a forerunner to the 911 system we know today and the Neighborhood Watch movement grew as a response to this event.

Kitty Genovese's roommate and partner Mary Ann Zielonko said in an interview on the 40th anniversary of her death, "…I still have a lot of anger toward people because they could have saved her life. I mean, all those steps along the way when he attacked her three times. And then he sexually assaulted her too, when she was dying. I mean, you look out the window and you see this happening and you don't help. That's—how do you live with yourself, knowing you didn't do anything?"

The question remains for us all.

Genovese’s murderer, Winston Moseley (a 29 year-old at the time, and a husband and father of two), is serving a life sentence at Clinton Correctional Facility in New York State near the Canadian border. He will attend his 14th parole hearing this month.

Protecting Your Identity Can Be Very Taxing This Time of Year

Tax season: the most wonderful time of the year—for identity thieves. While you are at home filing forms and gathering all of your personal information, thieves are scheming to get a hold of your identity.

Tax season leaves many vulnerable to identity theft. Just think about it. Everything from your Social Security number to your employer and income information is written down for the entire world to see. Ok, well, maybe not the “world” per se, but it is important that you treat this valuable information with care. Identity thieves hope that stress, combined with that dreaded April 15th deadline, will act as their allies and cause you to be hasty and irresponsible with your important information.

Don’t give thieves the chance to steal your identity this tax season and take these precautions.

• Keep an eye on your mailbox, especially during tax season. Your mailbox can be a gold mine for  identity thieves. Don’t leave your mail sitting in your mailbox and retrieve it as close to its delivery as possible.
• When you’re out of town, have the post office hold your mail for you or have someone you trust pick it up every day.
• Don’t put outgoing mail in your mailbox. Use United States Postal Service mailboxes instead, or better yet, drop off your mail inside a post office.
• Use a locked mailbox with a slot at home, if at all possible.
• Don’t put your outgoing mail in an unguarded “outbox” at work.
• If you are filing taxes online, be sure that you are using a reputable and secure website.
• Be cautious of who helps you prepare your taxes. Make sure they are trustworthy and credible.
• Don’t fall for scams. This year the government is sending out rebate checks. The only thing you need to do in order to receive the rebate is file your taxes. They will not contact you and ask for any personal information.

Although tax season heightens the threat of identity theft, it is important to take the necessary precautions and protect your identity all year round. To find more helpful tips on how you can keep yourself safe, visit www.ncpc.org, www.usdoj.gov, and www.ftc.gov.

Not Quite a Quiet Evening Out

A few weeks ago, my husband and I went to have dinner at our local Olive Garden restaurant. Across the aisle, a husband and wife and their young son were seated at a table for eight. Apparently, it was the child’s birthday. Also apparently, the wife had done something that upset the husband. What began as snide remarks grew into a full scale argument. I could hear this man spit insults at his wife in a venomous tone, gradually getting louder and more irate. He stood up and stormed away from the table, only to return angrier than he had been before. At one point, he placed his hand on the back of the child’s chair and leaned over the child’s shoulder to yell at his wife. Meanwhile, the child sat despondently between them, intensely focused on the zipper of his coat, as if trying to block out what was happening. At one point, another adult (perhaps a nanny) slipped next to the child to offer a few words of comfort and to place a party hat on the child’s head.

At NCPC, I develop materials on teaching children how to resolve conflicts without anger and violence. I have written tip sheets to parents on how they can help their children learn how to manage their anger, articulate their feelings, and talk through problems. But perhaps the most important thing parents can do for their children is to act as positive role models. Of course, this is easier said than done. Most of us, even as adults, struggle to control our own anger and frustration. We sometimes are at a loss for words to describe how we feel and what we want in a stressful situation. It can be hard to name a specific action that will help us move beyond bitterness and toward a resolution. But just because the task is hard, doesn’t mean we can avoid our responsibility to try. Especially when children are watching.

The scene in the restaurant brought up another issue for me—what should someone do when they witness this type of behavior? What is the responsibility of the bystander? The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group (named after Dan Olweus, who in the 1960s first studied and defined bullying and its impact on children) identifies six roles that bystanders play. One role is the “disengaged onlooker.” In other words, these are people who ignore what is happening. They feel that they have no business intervening in the situation. I think that many people take on this role when they see conflicts arise among members of another family. They don’t want to become involved in a “private” matter. But what happens when a child is being hurt by that conflict? Clearly, the child shrinking against the back of his chair was being hurt by witnessing his parents’ horrible fight. I was getting sick to my stomach listening to such anger; I can only imagine what the child was feeling. I chose to report the argument to the manager of the restaurant, who promptly spoke with the couple and said that they would be asked to leave if they continued fighting. The arguing couple calmed down somewhat, and the manager stayed close to the table, ready to intervene if the fighting escalated again. As she said to me, “You’ve come out to enjoy a nice dinner. Not witness an episode of Jerry Springer.”   

I still think about the behavior of those parents in the restaurant, and I wonder how that child will look back on this birthday when he is older. I also wonder how many days he hears his parents arguing as they did that night, and if they yell at him the way I saw them yell at each other. It’s up to all of us to show young people a better way for managing anger and conflict. It’s also up to us to do what we can to help if we see or believe a child is being hurt. We won’t get it right every time, but at least we can try.

What Happened to Rehabilitation?

I've blogged about sex offenders before, as have many other NCPC staffers. And with each blog, I always find myself trapped in gray areas, playing devil's advocate to any new piece of legislation or article I read. Recently, The New York Times reported that the town of New Bedford, MA, would like to ban "high-risk sex offenders from entering or coming into numerous public places."

The call for the ban came after a sex offender raped a six-year-old boy in a public library. I am truly sorry for the boy and I am always saddened to learn that tragedies such as these happen.

I am also interested in New Bedford’s ordinance. I do believe that prisoners and sex offenders can be rehabilitated. A permanent ban doesn't strike me as a way to reintegrate someone into society. While I understand the need for a perception of safety, I wonder if the alienation of ex-offenders is a method to achieve a safe society. The article states that sex offenders on probation and parole are forbidden "to mix or interfere with children." But is walking into a public library or bus stop mixing with children? If you are a parent or if you work in this field, where is the acceptable line in the sand?

I also wonder how "high-risk sex offenders" are assigned their risk levels in New Bedford, and if they will always be defined in the same way (as the article discusses risk level appeals). Because even though the Genarlow Wilson case is finally over, I would hate to see another 17-year-old who engages in a consensual sex act with a 15-year-old be labeled as an "aggravated child molester," and be forever banned from a park.

There has to be a better way to protect our children than forever building prisons around ex-offenders.

Rights vs. Privilege

Our nation is in the midst of one of the most competitive presidential elections in years. The candidates for both political parties are spending millions of dollars to win your vote and are purposefully reaching out to all segments of society.

However, one group that will be excluded from participating in the electoral process consists of convicted felons. This exclusion, commonly referred to as the felony disenfranchisement policy, strips millions of Americans from voting in any election. While federal and state governments have allocated millions of dollars to support reentry initiatives designed to ease the transition of felons back into society and reduce the rate of recidivism, little attention has been given to restoring the right to vote for these individuals. During a casual conversation with a group of colleagues, I asked whether they believed convicted felons should have the right to vote. Three of the five believed that convicted felons should have their right to vote revoked. However, only one of the five was aware that the loss of the right to vote might be permanent.

Most states do not distinguish nonviolent offenders from violent offenders as it relates to felony disenfranchisement. That is why an 18-year-old convicted of selling or purchasing drugs (in any of the states yet to amend their felony disenfranchisement policy) could potentially never be permitted to vote in his life time. To put this into perspective, ten years from now, when that same young man is 28 years old, has settled back into his community, has married, started a family, and is paying taxes, he may never be allowed to participate in the democratic process that will affect such important issues as healthcare, education, or immigration.

In a perfect world the issue of race would not be considered relevant to this discussion. Anyone who commits a crime regardless of race should be held accountable. However, with the documented racial disparities within our criminal justice system (most notably as it relates to sentencing, law enforcement profiling, and inadequate representation) a disproportionate number of black men are affected by this law. According to the Sentencing Project, one in eight African American males is prohibited from voting. This number is as high as one in four in some states. With statistics like these, the impact on communities of color cannot be overlooked--there is an important loss of political voice there.

Many of the advocates for and against restoring voting rights to felons have articulated valid arguments. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which has pushed for legislative reform for years, argues that voting is a fundamental right and a cornerstone of our democracy and thus even formerly incarcerated individuals deserve the right to be heard. Conversely, the president of the Center for Equal Opportunity argues that criminals should not be allowed to vote, saying, “People who are not willing to follow the law should not be allowed to make the law for everyone else. When you vote, you make law, either directly or indirectly. Someone who has committed a serious crime against society--the definition of a felon--should not be given this power over the rest of us.”

As important as it is to reach a middle ground regarding this issue, I think we have to step back and address the issues that has led us to such astounding incarceration statistics. In order to prevent crime and violence in our communities we must first understand it. Clearly identifying and addressing the social issues that are known to increase criminal behavior and implementing sound prevention strategies is critical.

Imagine what might be accomplished if we could channel some of the energy and passion (and funding) expressed by both sides of this issue into creating more programs (e.g. community policing, job training, after-school programs) known to reduce crime and provide people with the skills to thrive in their communities in the first place.

An Epidemic of School Violence

After a week like this one, it’s hard to think of much else other than the series of deadly school shootings that have rocked our nation.  In the course of a week — from Thursday, February 8 to Valentine’s Day — our school systems experienced five separate incidents of violence.  A woman was shot at an elementary school in Ohio.  Three women were shot at a technical college in Louisiana.  A student was shot at a high school in Tennessee.  A student was shot at a junior high school in California.  And yesterday, students were killed in a seemingly random massacre in Illinois. 

What exactly is compelling these depressed and deranged shooters to resort to homicide and suicide?  What can we do to prevent more violence in our school systems?  It is easy to feel helpless or overwhelmed in the face of such nonsensical brutality, but something has to be done.  The outlook hasn’t always looked this bleak.  So what has changed?  How can we change in order to ensure that our nation’s school systems are safe for our youth?

These are the questions that we should all be asking.  Please review NCPC’s information on school safety and add your own comments to this blog post.

Old Stories, New Endings

I’ve heard the stories before. In fact, it should suffice to say that I’ve had firsthand knowledge as a victim of domestic violence. A boy and girl, or man and woman meet, fall in love, hope to spend the rest of their days together. Then the years go by during which one of them has been to the hospital for more broken bones than one should ever get in a lifetime, has been able to bend the truth so well that it defies nature, and can make their bruises fade away before your very eyes with the telling of every practiced story. One of them has been so severely beaten and emotionally devoured that he or she is only a shell of their former selves. Indeed, we have all heard these stories.

Such is the story of many in the United States. Between the years 2001 and 2005, 22 percent of nonfatal violent crimes against females age 12 or older were committed by their current or former spouse. So what happens, when a victim has been abused for so long? What does he or she do? Or what happens when someone claims that they have been abused and, as result, has murdered their abuser? What do we do?

In the case of Mary Winkler, she allegedly decided to shoot her husband in the back while he lay in bed. According to Mrs. Winkler she was sick of her husband’s criticisms and “just snapped.” Now, it is up to a jury to decide whether it is a case of first degree premeditated murder or the inevitable (and presumably slightly more forgivable) result of a victim who could endure no more.

I do not know whether Mary Winkler was abused or not. However, I do know that many people are and although there may not be many who choose to take the life of their abuser, there are enough. Perhaps it is necessary to approach and treat domestic abuse victims with the same zeal that other Post Traumatic Stress Disorder victims (child soldiers, war veterans, etc.) are treated. It is not enough to assume that because a victim is out of the environment in which they are abused that they will simply be happy and more importantly, able to heal. Long-term and immediate help is required, for without it the potential consequences could be irrevocable.

A Thieves’ Paradise

Where can you find a place where people leave their wallets, purses, cell phones, navigation systems, or cars unattended and ripe for theft? The answer won’t surprise you; it happens every time they pull off the road to get gas or grab their favorite drink from a convenience store and leave their keys in the ignition or their doors unlocked. More and more over the last year, gas station safety has moved to the forefront of crime prevention. The Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) reported a dramatic rise in gas station theft over the past year. In 2006, the MPD reported 89 thefts from vehicles, but it has reported 427 thefts, a 380 percent increase, for 2007. Auto thefts have also risen dramatically—by 93 percent.

Most of the time, gas station customers leave their car doors unlocked. This enables a thief to drive up next to the victim's car, open an unlocked door, and grab any valuables within reach.  Then, the thief quickly drives off.  It’s a crime of opportunity that takes only a few seconds to commit. For an example, please see this ABC News video.

Gas station thefts can be easily prevented. You can keep from becoming a victim of gas station theft by keeping the following tips in mind.

• Pick gas stations that are well-lighted and have video surveillance cameras at the pump.
• Always remove your keys, close the windows, and lock the doors while you are pumping gas.
• Keep valuables out of plain view in your vehicle and lock the doors even if you are going inside for just a moment.
• Pay attention to your surroundings.
• Don’t let your cell phone distract you.

NCPC and the MPD have worked together to put these important safety tips on a poster that can be placed on the gas pump or convenience store window. In announcing the partnership between NCPC and the MPD on gas station theft, Chief Cathy Lanier of the MPD said, “Too often residents become the victims of crimes of opportunity. We hope that through this educational effort, customers pumping gas or running to the convenience store will think twice before leaving their keys in the car or their windows down.”

Please learn how you can keep these crimes of opportunity from happening to you.