The Justice Policy Institute in Northwest D.C. is advocating a different approach to addressing violence within the community.
Marc Schindler, executive director for the institute, a national research and policy organization that works on juvenile and justice issues, told the AFRO on Dec. 8, “It is really impossible to have a conversation about community safety without talking about the all too easy access to fire arms.” He explained the District is a city where firearms are easy to obtain which leads to more violent and often fatal crimes.
Other than addressing the issue of gun control, the institute advocates for providing opportunities to young adults and families rather than relying on the aid of police officers.
“Too often in poor communities and in communities of color, the first responders are law enforcement.” Schindler said, emphasizing that he would rather a medical agency respond to a crime that involved someone suffering from a mental health disorder then the police department.
So the institute encourages policies that could lead to safer communities like having more counselors in the school system. He said the government should spend less money on policing schools and more resources to, “have people respond that are trained to deal with youth behavioral problems.”
Although organizations like Justice Policy Institute are trying to prevent misconduct, there is still a surge of aggressive crimes throughout the area, such as the rising number of homicides within the District. According to Metropolitan Police Department, the homicide count is 152 as of Dec. 8, a 58.3 percent rise from the 96 last year.
Violent crimes in the area also include a recent wave of armed robberies that occurred over the weekend in Northwest D.C. Police are searching for the group of suspects as concerns for neighborhood safety grow amongst residents.
The victims in the assaults in Northwest were not physically harmed, but a Southeast victim, Kwaza K. Blue, 20, died Dec. 5 after being shot.
Lauren Poteat contributed to this article.
