Crime In America & Our Youth
The Abandonment of our Collective Responsibility
October 6, 1998

By Antonio A. Brown

Today's world is full of complexities many people find difficult to understand completely since most people have not the time or inclination to fully immerse themselves in the information necessary to view an issue from all sides. This is the case with many issues facing the nation today, but we cannot afford to listen to the biased rhetoric which so skews the facts that there appears no light at the end of the tunnel.

Crime is, regardless of the statistics that either side of the isle puts before you, rampant in the streets of this nation and will get worst over the next 5-10 years. A short time ago I was asked to be a panelist at a forum on " Public Safety " where public officials and law enforcement alike spoke of all the progress that was being made. Most quoted statistics in the most misleading language. Being able to read between the lines, I quickly noted that the statistics they spoke of were mere indicators of the criminal acts reported that they responded too! I then proceeded to ask how many crimes were not reported? And then, I stated that the percentage of murders in many inner-cities remain unsolved thus meaning that as we spoke murderers were canvassing the sidewalks of many communities throughout the country, with a disproportionate number in African American communities as a result of the open-air drug markets. Before the session concluded most had stopped the semantics and real dialog begun to surface, and the message that more needs to be accomplished was clear.

Prisons in America are overcrowded and the nation is engaged in the construction of even more institutions as many criminals are released because there simply is not enough space. Many more remain on the streets awaiting apprehension, a trial, and a final resting place in one of our rehabilitative prison systems.

Since the early 80's criminal activity among the America's young people has claimed better than 21,000 lives. This nation has lost more children on the streets of this great country than all the brave soldiers killed in action during the Vietnam War. The violence perpetrated by these youthful offenders most often involve drugs, guns, robbery, strong armed assaults or territorial disputes often related to the turf and drug culture.

Drug related shootings in the inner-cities most often result in the murder or wounding of some innocent bystander or child and can erupt at any given moment. Many people in the various neighborhoods plagued by crime are aware of who the individuals are that could be held responsible for the events which disrupt the safety and quality of life in the community; refusal to assist law enforcement agencies remains a constant problem. In the case of African American and Latin communities many of the residents are literally captive in their own homes because of the open-air criminal atmosphere.

The information and science that could have helped us prevent the formation of such a pervasive criminal culture and avert such tragedies have been staring at us for at least a decade, or more! Evidence demonstrated that at about 15 years ago the nation's adult population having children was on the increase, and the level of care given to the children was on the decrease. Culturally the nation became less nurturing of its young and more self-centered. Parents often utilized material means as a way of addressing childhood behaviors. Recreational opportunities began to decline as budgets were stripped of necessary resources and could no longer provide activities to at risk populations, turning the street and the corner into home for too many young. Children began to find the sense of belonging and family amongst their peers and not so well meaning adults, who themselves utilized opportunities to victimize people as a primary means of support.

The criminal atmosphere which exists today is the result of gradual deterioration of the traditional family structure, and constant erosion of America's moral fabric. The breakdown of human understanding concerning family, community, civic and civil responsibility collectively as a people has contributed more than we realize. The lack of competent leadership in all of the areas mentioned has further complicated the issues for young people and has created an atmosphere of hypocrisy by which the youth of today have learned to disregard the advice of adults or others in positions of authority. In short the youth of this nation have not benefited from the poor examples that we have set for them; nor have they benefited from the " do as I say, not as I do " approaches which many adults used to excuse their poor behavior, expecting that their children and others follow the rules.

Constant redefining of the family structure, as well as family dysfunction coupled with poverty and decreased spending or concern for the nation's social issues and programs have, for the children at risk today, so desensitized them creating the most unstable generation the nation has ever dealt with. This of course will translate into more crime, especially homicides, assaults, and property crimes. The inability of the leaders and the families of these children to effectively rid the developmental atmospheres children require in which to grow of the drugs and other negative influences will be the catalyst which fuels a new era of violent, mostly drug and abuse related criminal activity. In the African American community the situation is already critical and will continue to get worst since many black leaders are no longer truly leading. It would appear that the issues have become mere platforms for too many black leaders who simply desire recognition, profit and prestige.

The plain truth is the youth of today are but a mirror image of ourselves and the environments which we have created. We must challenge our young people but to challenge our children is to challenge ourselves as well. At family gatherings we must watch our tongues, and later we may not hear our children, using inappropriate language. If adults begin to take seriously the behaviors they have exhibited in the creation of our environment, and its consequence in shaping a community there exists a chance. Aside from any psychological illness that could account for antisocial deviant behavior which becomes criminal behavior once it is utilized to victimize others, criminal tendencies are learned! They have been taught and enticed into the behaviors we find degrading and destructive! Who have the teachers been? Obviously, there are many people who could use communication training, conflict resolution, understanding and compassion, but these virtues are not being passed on. The reason has to be that too many adults lack these valuable skills and traits! And if you don't have an asset it cannot be transferred to your child.

The solution is simple. It merely requires each of us as individuals to take responsibility for ourselves, and our families. Within most families there really are few secrets! Much denial, selfishness and less than perfect relationships, but few secrets. If every family would take responsibility for its members and be the police and correctional institution, more progress would be made overnight than in the last 5 years. I know that GOD does not expect us to sit around on the sidelines comfortably wearing our blinders of denial while our sons, daughters, cousins, mothers and fathers act in ways that will eventually cause them harm as well as others. In fact, I am also as certain GOD would consider a person who does do nothing an accomplice! For we all are bearing witness to the rape and destruction of the world by our own hand. And, now at the hands of our children also having given them destructive knowledge and tools of our design thinking that because we were grown " the right " was ours to build weapons and use chemistry to create powerful drugs for social use and profit! The human spirit and mind are fragile in nature and must be developed with the greatest of care. Nurture them improperly, and the damage will always result in great human consequence; for all of us.....

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