Those who suggest that the concentration of offenders is because the offenders return to their homes in those same bad neighborhoods are insulting the good people from those neighborhoods. To even suggest such a thing shows an ignorance that is both class'ist and racist and indicate the "Institutional" nature of this social problem. Sex offenders and drug addicted individuals come from all classes and races on a pretty much equal basis. The endemic attitudes of better of individuals, from better off "white" communities, is why the offenders and criminals are concentrated in poor communities of color. It is why social workers and case workers from across the State of Minnesota send sex offenders and other criminals to live in these neighborhoods. They expect the presence of such people to be welcome and accepted in our communities. This is, by the way, NOT idle speculation on my part it has been stated by criminal justice system employees. At a public hearing arranged by Linda Berglin, Karen Clark and Joe Mullory some of those case workers admitted as much. They stated that such referrals were made because these neighborhoods were more tolerant and accepting of such criminals. I have news for such bigots, NO WE ARE NOT! We care just as much as rich white folks in Minnetonka about our children! We want our children protected, and care just as much as Edina parents about drug dealers selling drugs in front of and to our children. We care just as much as Woodbury parents about our children being sexually abused. The real "social problem" is not just the crime, it is the racism and classism that is exhibited on an institutional level against these poor communities. Institutionally committed by the City, County, and State because of their creation of and tolerance of our "Concentration Areas".
There probably is a slightly higher incidence of children being victimized by drug addiction because of the prevalence and availability of so much drugs in the concentration areas, but that is the result the concentrations of such activity by government agencies and elected officials. It is well documented that sex offenders were very often victims of sex abuse themselves, that often girls go into prostitution because of previous sex abuse against them. So it would be expected that with the concentration of sex abusers you might get a slightly higher incidence of these "victims" becoming violators themselves, but even that accounts for a miniscule proportion of the numbers of sex abusers housed in those few neighborhoods.
The authorities using these neighborhoods for "Criminal Concentration" areas does account for another statistic. The incidence of forcible rape, and sexual related assault is also concentrated in those areas. The reported incidences are many, many times the number from any other communities. This statistic is even more alarming when the rates of reports are considered. Women and girls from these communities are far less likely to report such a assault or rape to authorities than is a comparable person in one of the "better off" white communities. Women from such communities very often feel that the "authorities" simply do not care about them. (And possibly those women and girls are correct) Women and girls from such communities are perhaps fifty times as likely to be a victim of such a sexual assault as those in the "better" communities. I invite or challenge one of the "statistical" inclined defenders to refute this statistic. If you disagree with this number give us real supportable numbers for Phillips, Ventura Village, Jordan, and Hawthorne.
Police officers indeed realize this sad situation. It is not the police-person's fault, it is the fault of the politicians and policy makers. Police officers care, there just is not enough of them and they are directed otherwise. One of the most truthful police officers I know (Captain Mike Martin) once clarified this point at one of our community meetings. When confronted by the incredible rate of forcible rape in Ventura Village, and Jordan, Captain Martin said, "What can you expect Jim? When they have concentrated all of the criminal predators in the same place as they have concentrated so many victims and vulnerable women, do you really expect something different?".
When sex hungry men cruise an Edina or Woodbury neighborhood looking to pick up a girl it is called a "predator" and squads answer immediately. When the same thing is reported in one of those "impacted", crime concentration areas it is not even bothered with, since the authorities just write it off as a "John" cruising for a prostitute. Something to be expected! The officers are off addressing higher priority crimes, or pulled off to protect some dignitary or favorite political function. Such things happen because of "Institutional" classism and racism, and the expectation that such things are tolerated in one of "Those" neighborhoods.
So a suggestion for a legislative action: Each County and Municipality in which a offender originally resides before offending must provide housing for a number of offenders equal to the number generated by that Municipality or County. Cities of the first order must provide such housing located in each neighborhood from which the criminal originated. Those Counties or Municipalities failing to do so must compensate the community where its offender eventually resides with a compensation of $100,000.00 per annum for the first five years after release from incarceration. This amount to minimally compensate that community for the addition law enforcement, and other services, needed to monitor the offender. In addition the County or Municipality must pay such compensation as required for any law enforcement or court costs associated with a re-offence committed by the displaced offender for that five year period.
This would allow offenders to move around but will provide scattered housing for such criminals, and a choice of communities to live in. It would also put pressure on "workers" to keep such housing occupied. Of course "better" communities might be willing to pay for the housing and hope no one chooses to live there. Is there a chance better communities and Cities will agree to such legislation? As the commercial says, "We stand a better chance at Treasure Island!"
This is one reason some "powers that be" want to limit and remove "Citizen Participation" for impacted neighborhoods and the "Empowerment" that NRP has given neighborhood residents. Empowered residents are willing to both scream bloody murder about such "Containment Zones", but also are empowered enough to start lawsuits in Federal Court to end such discrimination. Perhaps empowered enough to elect champions who are eager to, (and who WILL), fight City Hall and the State to correct this injustice of institutional racism and class'ism. We need elected leaders who can not only see the problem, but who are "Morally Outraged" enough to do something about it. We do not need someone who is just sensitive enough to "see the problem" and "feel our pain", we need elected officials outraged enough to figuratively (or really) punch someone in the political nose if the problem is not addressed. Unfortunately, our present politicians believe in social action and praxis, but only in theory.
So all you neighborhood "empowered people" when you get to that polling place to vote next time for judges, and next year for other politicians, remember to stick your head behind that curtain, think about the "Moral Outrage", then say I'm MAD AS HELL, and vote that way!
Jim Graham,
Ventura Village, Phillips Community Planning District, Sixth Ward of Minneapolis
"It is always an utter folly to underestimate the lure and attraction of a great evil. The whitened bones of their victims litter the highways and byways of mankind's history. Stopped only by the few willing to pay the ultimate price and make a stand."
- Toe
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