Indiana

This Is Why We Have a Crime Problem

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

This week marked the first week of school for students at IPS’ John Marshall Middle School on the city’s east side. Unfortunately some parents forgot; about half of them. Out of about 800 students, nearly half of them have not shown up for class. 

Lawrence Township Trustee Mike Hobbes is announcing today that his office will withhold poor relief for any family whose children have not attended school.   I like the idea, why should the taxpayers fork over their hard earned money so a bunch of people can sit around and watch television all day?

But the fact that these children are missing school is symptomatic of a bigger problem.

Part of the reason we have a crime problem is because the only people who don’t seem to think it’s a problem are the people most impacted by it.  They don’t cooperate with the police, they don’t send their kids to school, but somehow a good chunk of them have found the route to the public troth.

I?m not saying build a fence and leave them to their own devices, but until the people in these crime-ridden communities decide that they?ve had enough, crime will never get under control.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on July 23, 2008 (boomark / email).