CA - S.F. meeting over police shooting shut down by protests

[Tawny]

You expect criminals to stop behaving badly? If they did, then what would be the purpose of the police?

If you want to cut down on crime, then I would suggest spending more money on education, job training, mental health, etc., and less on law enforcement, and prisons. Give people options to a life of crime. It wouldn't solve the crime problem, but I think you would see a big improvement.

THIS.

It says a lot about our society that we're more interested in putting a ton of money into militarizing the police than helping to prevent the crime in the first place through education, vocation, mental health, etc. JMHO

 

[katydid23]

You expect criminals to stop behaving badly? If they did, then what would be the purpose of the police?

If you want to cut down on crime, then I would suggest spending more money on education, job training, mental health, etc., and less on law enforcement, and prisons. Give people options to a life of crime. It wouldn't solve the crime problem, but I think you would see a big improvement.

Do you have any idea how many government programs, charities, non-profits, church organizations that there are to do just that? I worked for one non-profit, in South Central La for almost 10 years. Our mission was to help locals graduate from HS and enter college or tech schools, often with scholarships or govt assistance. We gave the neighborhood valid options. And a very low percentage took that opportunity. We worked closely with Jefferson High, and there was a boatload of opportunities available for ANY STUDENT that wanted to put forth the effort. Very few wanted to. It was far too easy to have kids at 15 or 16 and begin collecting checks. JMO

 

[Tawny]

Deciding to have children young doesn't make someone a criminal...

 

[katydid23]

Deciding to have children young doesn't make someone a criminal...

Of course not. Did my post say that anywhere?

I was replying to a post stating that the problem is that there are no viable options for some other than crime. And I pointed out that there are many options available if one made an effort to look for them. And in my experience, working for a High School program for At Risk youth, the main distraction that many had that kept them from further education/training was having one or two kids at a very young age. I never said it made anyone a criminal.

 

[katydid23]

As a matter of fact, our large office, which doubled as a tutoring room and study space, was taken over as a nursery for students babies. The other nursery space was too small.

 

[tangelo]

You expect criminals to stop behaving badly? If they did, then what would be the purpose of the police?

If you want to cut down on crime, then I would suggest spending more money on education, job training, mental health, etc., and less on law enforcement, and prisons. Give people options to a life of crime. It wouldn't solve the crime problem, but I think you would see a big improvement.

Billions are spent on all of the above, how much more you think for that 'big improvement'?

 

[Tawny]

It takes more than just education of the specific demographics (be that the poor, the mentally ill, the ethnic groups, etc). It takes education of the rest of us to remove bigotry, bias, discrimination, and hate.

But people are SORELY resistant to that because "it's my opinion!" so the hate and bigotry continues, which feeds into the anger and resentment from those in vulnerable minorities. If you feel that everyone hates you because you're poor or uneducated or black, would you go about your life a smiling ray of sunshine? I don't think I could. JMHO.

 

[katydid23]

The need to remove bias and hatred goes both ways.

 

[Tawny]

The need to remove bias and hatred goes both ways.

I'm not sure I follow your meaning?

 

[KaaBoom]

Billions are spent on all of the above, how much more you think for that 'big improvement'?

No, we spend more money on prisoners then we do on students, and we have more prisoners then the entire rest of the world combined. The system is failing. If you want to change things, then you need to spend money on prevention, instead of locking people up after the fact.

 

[katydid23]

No, we spend more money on prisoners then we do on students, and we have more prisoners then the entire rest of the world combined. The system is failing.

You can't compare the two costs/ EDUCATION does not include the daily care , including food, housing, medical, clothing, guarding, of the inmates.

EDUCATION costs are minimal in comparison because you are comparing apples to oranges.

 

[Nana]

All this gives me heartburn grrr

 

[katydid23]

You can't compare the two costs/ EDUCATION does not include the daily care , including food, housing, medical, clothing, guarding, of the inmates.

EDUCATION costs are minimal in comparison because you are comparing apples to oranges.

all of which gives me an idea. Maybe we should compare the costs of prison to the costs spent on Education, Aid to dependent families, food stamps, media-cal, HUD, and then see what the differences in price are.

 

[KaaBoom]

all of which gives me an idea. Maybe we should compare the costs of prison to the costs spent on Education, Aid to dependent families, food stamps, media-cal, HUD, and then see what the differences in price are.

Well, I can see this is going no where. As long as you are willing to spend more money to incarcerate people, then to educate them, nothing is going to change.

 

[tangelo]

No, we spend more money on prisoners then we do on students, and we have more prisoners then the entire rest of the world combined. The system is failing. If you want to change things, then you need to spend money on prevention, instead of locking people up after the fact.

so what?
you said

If you want to cut down on crime, then I would suggest spending more money on education, job training, mental health, etc., and less on law enforcement, and prisons. Give people options to a life of crime. It wouldn't solve the crime problem, but I think you would see a big improvement.

fine, spend less on prisoners, youll find no argument here.
how much MORE will cut down crime? cause what were spending aint doing it

 

[katydid23]

Well, I can see this is going no where. As long as you are willing to spend more money to incarcerate people, then to educate them, nothing is going to change.

So I am to blame? LOL

I worked hard for a non-profit to try and help educate At Risk kids. I did so for nearly a decade. And I am coming to a different conclusion than you are. Imo, it is not about a lack of education or a lack of opportunities. IMO, it is a lack of familial support and a whacked out sense of entitlement that blames others and expects free things just because. And that conclusion came after I watched what was going on in the schools. Plenty of people and programs were present and working hard to try and offer educational opportunities. Kids refused to attend classes and refused to do school work. Many refused to learn to read or do basic math. It was NOT because of a lack of effort on the teachers or admins parts.

 

[Tawny]

I respectfully disagree. I feel it's a societal bias that breeds resentment and hate.

Again, if I lived in a society that looked at me on the surface and became immediately suspicious of me every single day of my life, I might start to consider giving them something to be suspicious of. If I heard regularly the defense of bias statements is "it's just an opinion!", I might start to grow angry and resentful of the world.

I don't know what the answer is, but it begins in the homes of every single person, not JUST the vulnerable demographics. White parents need to teach their white babies acceptance and love, instead of suspicion and hate. JMHO.

 

[katydid23]

I respectfully disagree. I feel it's a societal bias that breeds resentment and hate.

Again, if I lived in a society that looked at me on the surface and became immediately suspicious of me every single day of my life, I might start to consider giving them something to be suspicious of. If I heard regularly the defense of bias statements is "it's just an opinion!", I might start to grow angry and resentful of the world.

I don't know what the answer is, but it begins in the homes of every single person, not JUST the vulnerable demographics. White parents need to teach their white babies acceptance and love, instead of suspicion and hate. JMHO.

My kids are mixed race. They do not experience suspicion, hate and bias every day. They are both well adjusted, successful happy human beings. They got their educations and went to work and have fine lives. It was all up to them if they wanted to educate themselves or not.

 

[MyBelle]

No, we spend more money on prisoners then we do on students, and we have more prisoners then the entire rest of the world combined. The system is failing. If you want to change things, then you need to spend money on prevention, instead of locking people up after the fact.

FYI: many states EDUCATE inmates and that cost adds to the cost of incarceration. I have personally worked at a high school located inside a maximum security prison. Eight teachers were on staff, providing both high school and GED instruction. For too many of the men, prison provided the first structure they had ever experienced. Every single one of them grew up in totally dysfunctional households. I think its time to stop blaming society for the failings of individual parents.

JMO

 

[MyBelle]

I respectfully disagree. I feel it's a societal bias that breeds resentment and hate.

Again, if I lived in a society that looked at me on the surface and became immediately suspicious of me every single day of my life, I might start to consider giving them something to be suspicious of. If I heard regularly the defense of bias statements is "it's just an opinion!", I might start to grow angry and resentful of the world.

I don't know what the answer is, but it begins in the homes of every single person, not JUST the vulnerable demographics. White parents need to teach their white babies acceptance and love, instead of suspicion and hate. JMHO.

BBM. You are using incredibly twisted logic. If you knowingly give someone a reason to be suspicious of you then you shouldn't pretend surprise if your actions provoke the reaction you expect. I told my 13-year-old this many, many years ago after he complained a store security guard shadowed him and his cousin who were garbed in their "goth" attire. Duh!

If you don't want the attention, then don't call attention to yourself. It's pretty a common sense lesson that most parents do teach.

JMO