Published by the Capital City Hues - Sept 20, 2024
The county is only 6 percent African Americans, but Black jail residents make up over half the jail population. The refusal of law enforcement officials to tell the truth and correct its problems is one of the many reasons the profession has a smeared reputation.
There are multiple reasons for the overall crisis plaguing law enforcement. The Marshall Project tackled the thorny issue last year and pointed out a suspect. The Project reminds us that COVID-19 was the leading cause of deaths of first responders at the height of the pandemic. It revealed that 2021 was “the most dangerous year to be a police officer since 1930.” No surprise, the pandemic spurred a mass exodus of retirements as well as people being lured to the private sector which offers more money and more flexibility.
The Project discovered that public servants don’t like the public. Government jobs are continuing to see a drop in employees at a much higher rate than the overall workforce. From jails to school districts to prisons to city halls, the understaffing is leading to burnout and health issues.
While some are scratching their heads trying to figure out some alternatives and others are responding to quick-fix solutions, allow me to offer a more humane and logical viewpoint.
First, we must work at becoming civilized and compassionate beings. Again. This is not coming from some idealistic dreamer. I know how people are treated in jails, in prisons, in the welfare system, in public schools and in public hospitals. The culture inside these bureaucracies are toxic. That’s why you have the good, sane folks leaving and the negative ones feeding off the negativity.
The cycle of dehumanization creates self-fulfilling, overlapping circles of despair and pain that radiates throughout our society. When there has been trauma exacerbated by poverty and violence, there needs to be fully funded and accessible support for those in need. Punishment has no place in remediating this kind of human damage. We’ve seen more than enough evidence that more police and more jails don’t solve crime. Instead, it moves us away from humane spaces and whole human beings.
Lastly, there needs to be a dramatic reduction of guns in our civilized society. We have replicated volatile situations where people are angry, mentally ill or desperate. Their first choice at resolving conflict cannot be to pick up an automatic weapon. Yet, some of the same people who are frustrated at the level of hate and violence in our communities are opposed to common sense gun reform.
The answers are in front of us. They will take time and commitment. They will require an overhaul of traditional city, state and federal budgets to address the myriad of issues this country faces as we pour billions of dollars into militarized responses.
If I should end up in jail or in the hospital, I want to see a caring and comforting face that will aid in my recovery. Don’t you?
Recent Posts
How Republicans lost the map battle
You may know that the 2022 Missouri map will be used for the Nov. 3 election. What you should also know is how the state’s top Republican lawmakers conspired against the voters’ wishes and their constitutional rights. Since the last federal election, nine states have redrawn their congressional maps. Trump and his MAGA cronies had hoped Missouri would be the tenth in a perverted effort to reshape congressional districts to rig the midterm election.
De-Flocking Must be Debunked
De-Flocking the campus was a small step. Back in the summer, the Police Department of the UW-Madison announced it would not be renewing the Flock Safety contract. By now, all Flock equipment should be deactivated and removed. But the university remains committed to campus surveillance — just not necessarily to Flock.
Play it safe, Lose, Then repeat – The Democratic Party elites need a course correction
The Democratic elites have ignored criticism of their racial and gender preferences, and now it’s coming to a head.
Get Updates
