Local newspapers have zeroed in on crime. And it’s about time. Reading the police blotters of both the Sauk Rapids and Rice police departments, they are reacting as best they can with the resources they have. They are busy because of the repeat offenders who make up the majority of crime. And they are only two of our local departments. This is an area-wide issue.
It’s my considered opinion that what has been labeled the criminal justice system is just that – biased treatment for the criminals, vagabonds and – as some would say, dirt bags. My more than 25 years of law-enforcement experience garnered that belief. This was reinforced when I taught firearms safety and had the opportunity to meet and talk to victims of “crimes against property.” The crime that victims are getting is the short end of the stick. Police officers have a strong empathy for crime victims. They see them nearly every day.
I’ll zero in on burglars, a criminal activity I have a strong dislike for. I’ve been the victim of several burglaries in Minneapolis and here in Langola Township.
Without going into a long dissertation about how persons react to this type of crime, it was, for a long time considered just another property loss, nothing more. When I became involved with the victims of burglary teaching firearms safety, I was shocked to learn how this “property crime” affected many victims. Some refused to go back to their homes. Others became afraid to even stay home alone. They felt violated and insecure. Being a victim of a burglary is a big deal.
Now that I’ve identified an important crime issue, one can now see why our good citizens are up in arms over crime.
What can we do about it and is it fixable? Yes, it is!
Our media is on the right track. Publish felony convictions along with pictures of adults. (Juveniles are all secret, although they account for a significant percentage of crime.) Inform the citizens of what is going on. The media needs to step it up a notch.
Burglary is a felony. Pick one where an arrest has been made, and an adult is in custody. That case needs to be followed through the courts system, and citizens should be informed of every step of the process via the media. Your readers will learn court dates mean nothing to the accused. Victims go to court to see what is going to happen to the person who violated their home only to find out for any number of reasons, some really petty, that the case was continued. No specific date set. In many cases, this happens several times before there is any trial date set. Victims are stressed when they take time off work or cancel other plans to attend the court case. Once found guilty, what is the sentence? There should be a sentence that will send a strong message that being a repeater will not go well for the offender.
The media could do a great service in informing your good readers about what is going on here. Letting readers know the sentence would be good. A picture of the convicted person would be wonderful. And, informing your readers about the convicted offenders lengthy (usually) encounters with law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
There are things citizens can do. Get involved with citizens’ neighborhood crime watches. Be a witness to what you saw or heard. Write it down. Your sheriff and local police welcome calls of suspicious activity. If your neighbor cannot make a court date, volunteer to be there for them. Let them know they are not alone. Look at what the Mothers Against Drunk Driving folks have done. They forced politicians and judges to pay attention to issues their constituents are upset about. They are winning. They have forced a change of public attitude about drinking and driving. We can do the same about crime. We can work for justice for victims.
Jim Hovda, who lives near Rice, served as a deputy sheriff in Hennepin County for more than two years then with the Minneapolis Police Department for more than 23 years. Locally, Hovda was the principle instructor for firearms safety for more than 20 years, teaching courses enabling citizens to obtain a permit to carry a firearm.
