Haduken

Reducing crime in Richmond’s neighborhoods

by: Ross

CHPN has a great on going dialogue about how to do something about the crime that plagues Church Hill (for more: RichmondCrime.org).

On thing I think might be successful is The Boston Strategy — where you pool information between local police, parole officers, and clergy. Basically local faith-based community leaders feed parole and police officers information about the goings on in their neighborhoods. The increase in information allows both parole officers and cops to do their job more effectively and keep — mainly — kids off the street. Either by putting them back in jail with stiffer parole violation penalties or out keeping them out of crime all together (?).

What are some new and innovative (or perhaps time proven) ways to combat crime. One thing to keep in mind are Richmond’s tendencies towards racial schisms and distrust in neighborhoods.

Ready? Go!

Comments.

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  1. I used to work for RISC, Richmonders Involved to Strengthen Communities, an affiliate of DART, http://www.thedartcenter.org/network-directory/index.htm. They pushed for stricter truancy policies at high schools, which seemed to make a lot of since.

    ps - someone tell me how to make a word a link
    THANKS!

    — stephanie anne | @

  2. KILL ‘EM ALL

    — Jeremiah to the E | @

  3. Haha can you *say* that?

    — MaxPower | @

  4. NUKE THE WHALES!

    — midas | @

  5. for more (*ahem* )

    : :

    here is how to make a link:

    <a href=’http://www.whatever.com’>display text</a>

    (I’m trying this without a preview…)

    — john | @

  6. pwn?

    — RMSzero | @

  7. Haha peace and love john, peace and love! Hey moderate my comment over at chpn while you are at it. FO’ REAL.

    — MaxPower | @

  8. Here’s some things. Some are considered crazy- particularly by criminals.

    1. Carver has an awesome relationship with VCU and as a result we get the use of the VCU police. this is sort of like richmond tapping state funds for police? there are a lot of patrolling officers in my hood, which i’m fine with- the more the better. i don’t know what kind of options other communities have for something like this, but maybe??
    2. tougher penalties. i’m sure someone will pull out some stat about this not working, but if you’re going to have your hand cut off for stealing, you’re going to think twice. of course that’s absurd, but you get the point.
    3. keep people out of jail in the first place. people need opportunities. i’m not justifying it, but a lot of dealers start bc that’s the best way to provide for themselves or their families. if they could do something else they probably would.
    4. birth control thru education- what brings about desperation more than being poor and then being poor with a baby???
    5. community education. there was a spree of car “break-ins” in my area a couple months ago (ish?) and most of the vehicles were unlocked. i mean, just lock your doors people!! but seriously- people need to know when to report what/who to the police and not be afraid to do so. also, simple things like motion lights, dogs, and alarm systems, etc. insurance companies give you discounts on stuff like that bc they are effective.
    6. Richmond is a major stop on the drug run from Miami/other to NY and back. can we work with the feds to break that up??
    7. be friendly. awaa??! we’re good friends with the lady behind us- if either of us saw something sketchy at the other’s place we’d call each other or the po-po. i wish we were better about this. but seriously, knowing the people around you is good for a ton of reasons. if for nothing else, we are breaking racial barriers.
    8. cameras. maybe, maybe not? i know- crazy and the man will know everything, but seriously. i’m not talking cameras that recognize things or anything- just unmanned cameras that record. i’m ok with that i think. you could put them in high-crime problem areas. eh?

    — Wolf | @

  9. so… think about why people commit crimes in the first place and remove those reasons; protect ourselves from criminals; create ways to make arrests when crimes are committed; and punish the mess out of criminals.

    what else??

    — Wolf | @

  10. I’m pretty down with everything Wolf said.

    — RMSzero | @

  11. I think truancy is a big problem. Get the kids off of the street and back in school. Also tougher punishments for parole violations would be good. Tougher as in, if you are caught hanging out after curfew, you go back to jail. That way you separate people that want to do better, from people that don’t.

    At the same time you need to help those people who honestly do want to change. I’m not sure how you do that but I know it is important. Maybe help them find jobs or something?

    Also, fixing the I95 drug corridor thing would be huge.

    — MaxPower | @

  12. I mean, they built 295 *and* 288. So you can go around Richmond!

    Maybe there should be random drug sniffs at the VA-NC border. OR MAYBE A WALL.

    — RMSzero | @

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