By Susan Gaertner
Across the country, and here in Ramsey County, we continue to hear reassuring news about declining crime rates.
The FBI reports that overall crime in the United States has dropped for eight consecutive years. And in our community, violent crime has decreased by more than 11 percent over a five-year period.
Under the circumstances, we could easily become complacent. We could simply declare victory over crime and move on to other pressing issues, crossing our fingers against the return of soaring crime rates. In my view, however, that would be a huge mistake. I believe we need to work harder and smarter than ever to keep crime on the run.
We now have the tools and the knowledge to have a dramatic impact on the violence in our society and the crimes that plague our neighborhoods. It will not happen, however, unless those of us in the public policy arena accept the challenge.
In this election season, I am hopeful that candidates for all levels of office will commit themselves to turning the tide against crime for once and for all. I would like to share three of my own priorities for achieving this goal:
First, we must take full advantage of computerized information technology. With the extensive crime-related data now available to us, we can make the criminal justice system work better. We can pool information to solve crimes and ensure that criminals get appropriate sentences. Such data also can help us understand exactly how and why crime is occurring. By analyzing the facts, we can target our limited resources on truly effective crime-fighting initiatives. I am pleased to say that Minnesota already is making significant strides toward tapping the vast potential of such technology.
Second, we must exploit the latest scientific research to develop effective crime prevention and intervention programs. Social scientists have provided us with a treasure trove of data about the roots and impact of violence in our society. We now know, for example, that prenatal and early childhood influences, such as chronic stress or neglect, often sew the seeds of future violence. Too often, however, such information is not put to practical use in a timely manner, if at all.
Our policy-makers need to encourage anti-crime initiatives that take full advantage of our growing knowledge base. The 2000 Minnesota Legislature has given the Ramsey County Attorney's Office and the St. Paul City Attorney's Office an opportunity to do just that. The two offices received a legislative grant to create a Joint Domestic Abuse Prosecution Unit. This unit will prosecute domestic abuse cases where children are present and child abuse cases that also involve adult domestic violence. Our initiative is driven, in part, by nationally recognized research conducted at the University of Minnesota by Professors Jeffrey Edelson and Sandra Beeman. These researchers' pioneering work has created a much greater understanding of the connection between child maltreatment and spousal abuse. Their studies document the sad reality that children from violent homes often become violent adults, perpetuating a tragic cycle. Our goal is to break that cycle. I applaud Representative Sherry Broecker and Senator Randy Kelly, in particular, for their leadership in making this project a reality. This is exactly the kind of research-based initiative that policy-makers should be encouraging.
Finally, we must continue to support continuous improvement in the public safety and quality of life of our community. The decrease in the overall crime rate is a very recent phenomenon. There are still too many guns on the street, too many car thefts, too many burglaries. Yet, some policy-makers cite the dip in crime as justification for reducing criminal justice resources. In my opinion this would be the worst possible time to become lackadaisical. Now is the time to build on our proven strategies to make our community safer. The war against crime is far from over, and we need to maintain our resolve.
I hope citizens will encourage candidates and elected officials – both this fall and beyond -- to discuss their visions for a safe and healthy community.