Archived: Apr 06, 2008

> Editorial

Criminal negligence

Drastic changes necessary to reduce crime

By Johanan Raatz

Milwaukee is now ranked as the 36th most dangerous city in America.

Milwaukee has a cancer. That cancer is crime. Milwaukee is now ranked as the 36th most dangerous city in America. In regards to murder we are doing even worse.

As of late 2007, Milwaukee now ranks 16th worst city in the nation where murders are concerned. It turns out that our murder rate is now two-and-a-half times that of New York City.

It seems that now you can’t go a few days without hearing about another mugging or murder committed somewhere in Milwaukee. In previous years the number of murders committed was around 100 or so. Last year I remember reading that we had once again topped the hundred-marker for murders committed in Milwaukee.

The only problem was that this time I read this early in the summer, only halfway into the year. It appears that this problem is only getting progressively worse as time goes on. We clearly need to address crime as a serious issue.

There are usually two arguments presented on how to deal with crime. The first stresses enforcement and the second stresses environment. The first position argues that human nature causes crime, and that therefore crime will exist regardless of surroundings. Thus increased enforcement is the best way to deal with crime.

The latter says that social factors and conditions in a person’s environment will cause that person to be more likely to commit crime. Thus the way to reduce crime is to better the social and economic conditions of the society in which crime exists.

As I am somewhat cynical about human nature I tend to agree more with the former argument. To the credit of the latter argument I do think that social conditions play a part in increasing one’s likelihood of committing a crime.

However, at some point criminal behavior starts to affect the very social conditions that help to encourage it. This seems to have happened in Milwaukee. One can see an example of this in the “Stop Snitching” T-shirts popular in some areas of Milwaukee that encourage citizens to not report crimes that they see.

We have been so criminally negligent in addressing crime that it now appears we have gone past this point. In cases like this the only sensible thing to do is drastically step up law enforcement efforts. Even if you subscribe to the latter position in dealing with crime this makes sense. It seems that now crime itself has become one of the social conditions responsible for encouraging crime. As such we seem to have a runaway problem now. Thus to remove the social factors responsible one must also step up law enforcement.

It seems that the Milwaukee Police Department is no longer sufficient to address this problem. Police in Milwaukee do their job well; however, it seems that there are simply not enough of them anymore to protect the innocent and uphold the law. There is only so much they can do to address the problem.

We need to augment law enforcement somehow. Perhaps we should turn to the private sector for help with this. Companies like Blackwater and Executive Decisions are often employed by the government to mop up areas of the world where there is severe political and civil unrest.

Considering that contractors like these are exceptionally effective in doing this, it may be a good idea to employ them in this area as well. After all, if they can efficiently restore order to a war zone in the third world just imagine how effective they could be at reducing crime in a place like Milwaukee.

Employing companies like these for domestic security is not entirely without precedent either. For example, Blackwater was already employed to maintain law and order in New Orleans after the Katrina disaster. Furthermore, last I heard they were looking to expand their activities to include more domestic security. Maybe it would be a good idea if our city gave companies like these a call.

> Comments

UWM Student on Apr 10, 2008 at 06:06 PM:

Blackwater? Are you fucking kidding me? Hooray for war criminals. I don't want any of them patrolling the streets with guns within 20 miles of me. What happens when they shoot first and ask questions later? You want to step up law enforcement? Hire more competent police officers. We don't need bands of mercenaries roaming the city streets.

I've seen you write some stupid shit, but advocating hiring a company that employs mercenary war criminals, and then putting them on our streets is one of your greatest dumbshit ideas.

We need to provide more economic opportunities so people have a chance to break out of this cycle and make a decent life without having to turn to crime. I know it would break your neocon heart to actually help anyone that needs it. Just lock them up eh?

Where would these mercenary war criminals be deployed anyway? Will they be rolling around the campus in Humvees? What areas of Milwaukee are these stop snitching T-shirt popular? Tell me that. Are they predominately African American neighborhoods? I bet that would you feel good huh? Let those mercenaries lock up some more African Americans. Maybe if some of these kids had more help while they were growing up crime wouldn't be such a problem. I forgot though, as George Carlin would say about your Republicans, "If you're pre-born you're fine, if you're pre-school, you're fucked." I'm well aware of your opinion of women who get abortions, they're "dirty little skanks". Maybe that's the only option they have when the father leaves and doesn't help and they can't take care of a child because you neocons have tried to strip away any safety net they may have. They're broodmares for the state in your eyes, they better not have an abortion, but after they have the kid they're on their own. I hope your lose everything at some point in your life and try to have to live in some of the circumstances these people you despise do. Maybe you'd learn some compassion for your fellow man, instead of just wanting to lock him up. Fuck you.

Johanan Raatz on Apr 11, 2008 at 11:39 AM:

Dear Anonymous;

"I've seen you write some stupid shit, but advocating hiring a company that employs mercenary"

Well it's not without precedent. They have been looking to expand into the private sector for sometime and they have already served well during Katrina were the government already employed them in a domestic setting.

"Will they be rolling around the campus in Humvees?"

Well I was personally thinking tanks and helicopter gunships but Humvees will do. :)

"We need to provide more economic opportunities so people have a chance to break out of this cycle and make a decent life without having to turn to crime."

If you had read my article I pointed out that the conditions that lead to crime are no longer just economic. Crime is now stuck in a feedback loop. Remember the little 11 year old girl that was gang raped by some scum last year? The forty-year old in the group had just come home from work. He had a job. His economic competence was not enough to prevent him from raping that little girl. He needed to be cracked down on as his economic status apparently had nothing to do with his crime.

"What areas of Milwaukee are these stop snitching T-shirt popular? Tell me that. Are they predominately African American neighborhoods? I bet that would you feel good huh?"

Stop race-baiting. I don't care if they are black, white, hispanic or martian. Telling people to "stop snitching" blatantly disrespects authority. That can't be tolerated.

"I'm well aware of your opinion of women who get abortions, they're "dirty little skanks"."

Who are you? I believe I had an article in the past mentioning fetal ageism in society but the focus of my articles on abortion have largely been directed towards the practice of abortion and not on those who get them.

"Maybe that's the only option they have when the father leaves"

The fact that that is allowed to happen in the first place demonstrates that the system is broken. In my opinion the fathers are just as responsible for the abortions as the mothers who get them. Both problems must be addressed.

"and doesn't help and they can't take care of a child because you neocons have tried to strip away any safety net they may have."

If you've read my articles you would realize that my stated position on safety nets is that I support them.

"but after they have the kid they're on their own."

I actually favor giving crises pregnancy centers and faith-based initiaves federal funding to address this issue. So no I would not put them on their own. You assume too much I think.

"I hope your lose everything at some point in your life and try to have to live in some of the circumstances these people you despise do."

Again you assume to much. I frequently give money to people who ask for it who are in positions like this. They aren't criminals though. And you apparently don't know me very well.

"Fuck you."

Yes, yes you too. Have a nice day.

Johanan Raatz on Apr 12, 2008 at 11:55 AM:

sniffs butts

Johanan on Apr 12, 2008 at 12:16 PM:

Stop impersonating me please.