Originally Posted By: Chocolate Canuck

Originally Posted By: phoenixrage

yea.. listening to the ppl talk about it on the radio on the drive in.

sadly there is no one single solution to the "problem", and you'll need everyone in the community to step up to combat this, and have the government help on several fronts.

First, gotta make the sentences tougher, the justice system needs to be revamped and updated. The system is overwhelmed with the number of people waiting, so they end up being let go if the wait is too long. I say, they are held until they are done with the trial, maybe give them some credit for time spent waiting depending on the severity of the crime, and whatever criminal history is there. If they are repeat offenders, don't give them any credit. These people need to be off the streets and stay off the streets.

Second, maybe help the local churches out by funding them and letting them become some level of daycare which then can allow the parents to work their jobs? (instead of just giving them welfare). This way you can get to the kids and hopefully steer them away from the gang lifestyle. But this will only work if you have successful members of the community come in and volunteer their time to help these kids see that there's more out there.

So you want to pay more taxes to build more prisons to pay to incarcerate these people? You realize that its cheaper to fund social programs than it is to pay the approximately 120k/yr to house a federal prisoner.

Unless of course you are advocating the building of prisons run for profit (see the US model). There the coporations influence the politicians to pass 3 strikes laws so that their profits keep getting bigger.

well, IMO you need both, as there are some people who are not willing to change.

either way, I'd rather taxes be paid towards something tangible vs paying out to more welfare recipients. Since people in these communities have a hard time finding better oppertunities, yet they will still keep having more kids than they can afford to raise on their own. Our tax dollars are already being given to them to perpetuate the problem.

I know it may not be practical for a bunch of people in these communities, but would having a program that moves individual families out of the city work? i.e. move one family to a small town away from the city (i.e. up north or whatever). Idealy, a place that has job oppertunities for the parent(s), and allows them to afford to save up some money and put their kid(s) through school in a better environment?