There is a way to develop a concerted plan to address crime in this city. It's called the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee of the city and county. This groups membership is made up of County Commissioners, the Mayor, the Chair of the Public Service and Regulatory Committee, City and County Attorneys office, Judges, Sheriffs, Parole and Probation officers.
Several neighborhood groups have made nicely packaged presentations to this group. The committee even clapped for them. I have made the contention for a long time that if this group really wanted to they could develop a concerted plan to deal with crime more effectively. That hasn't happened or at least it hasn't been communicated to me or the people I work with daily in the impacted neighborhoods. When I discovered this groups existence a couple years ago I thought I struck gold. At that time the group was evidently "rebuilding" as it had lost it's "focus". I think they must still be rebuilding because I haven't seen much emerge from their new focus and it's a shame. I think it might be more effective if the committee appointed some citizen representation to the membership of people who come from neighborhoods highly impacted by crime and work on these issues tirelessly every day and night. Right now I think this committees membership is made up of people who live no where near the crime they are formed to address. I also believe that neighborhood groups formed to work on crime and livability issues need to work together in a more collaboratively. Unity is power. To divide is to conquer. I see some groups attempting to do that. I see other groups unwilling to do that. Unfortunately, territory and intellectual property rights seem to be preventing that united front right now. Don Samuels has started this new PEACE initiative. I hope that this groups attempt to bring people together on these issues is more than just another media moment. It's going to be a long hot summer and criminal activity is already heating up. I am having a block meeting this weekend to talk about the "crappy corner store" and the "house from hell" on my block where just last week the neighbor kids witnessed a man with a shotgun under a blanket leaving the scene of a shooting. We also suspect our lovely corner store is selling stolen guns and I heard an unsubstantiated rumor that all those hard core gangbanging criminals that went to jail in the early 90's for terrorizing neighborhoods are getting out and looking to re-establish territory. Isn't that special? Barb Lickness Whittier ===== "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
