Lovely Speaks on Crme
We just cannot say “this is the place where crime is happening and we need to add more police patrols to that area.” Such a ‘solution’ is far too simple to address the underlying and more complex problem. We have to focus on the factors that lead to crime: i.e., poverty, poor parenting, personal choices, unemployment, and lack of education. We will never be able to solve the crime problem without first focusing on and fixing these core factors.

Currently, I have been working with Monroe County Legal Assistance Center and the Re-entry Task force to assist individuals who are entering (or re-entering) society, particularly those who have limited or no resources and minimal or no job skills. We have been focused on the fact that many of these individuals want to work and provide a safe environment for their families but don’t know how. High priority has been given to providing individuals with a “Certificate of Release of Disabilities,” which is a signed release from the judge who sentenced the individual that this person is reformed and deserves a chance. In a similar vein, we have found that criminal records which were supposed to sealed as a result of “ACD” or “Youthful Offender” status were not, in fact, being kept confidential. Our program has worked to correct this problem. This program’s concentrated efforts have enabled over 300 people to successfully reenter society.

It is indeed a shame when the community believes that the very people who are paid to “protect and serve” them are the very same ones who are hurting them. In order to curb this misperception several changes must occur. We need better police protocols and community relations, better police response times and greater coordination between the community and the police officers.

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