tennmyc21

The studies on this are pretty interesting. I was part of a huge research study on crime in Chicago. I worked with some kids who were pretty mixed up in gangs, so they studied a program I was running to look at effective interventions. Turns out, the most effective intervention is providing jobs (go figure!).

Anyway, what the research suggests is there is absolutely some inertia. You do something bad, you profit, you continue to do bad things due to the profit being larger than you'll find elsewhere, you get caught, go to jail/prison, come out and now are even less employable, so you continue to commit crimes for profit, and on the cycle goes. However, once you hit somewhere around 40 (in our study the age was 42), you just sort of age out of being a criminal. It's part of the reason 3 strikes laws and all that are asinine for nonviolent criminals. Harold Pollack was the lead researcher on the project, so dig around and you'll probably find it.

Your circumstances seem different, so that research may not be applicable to your specific circumstances. Curious though, if you could connect with a group of young folks who were starting down this path, what would your message be to them? I think it's really hard to balance the "crime is wrong" narrative with the circumstances the young folks in this position are often facing.

Just curious, so feel free to slap me down for my ignorance. Anyway, I live in Colorado, and used to live in Chicago, and both areas treat Zebra Mussels as an invasive species. In Chicago, they said Lake Michigan has never been more clear due to the zebra mussels, but they're a huge nuisance. Ditto Colorado. Our lakes are crystal clear, but the zebra mussels are a nuisance. All I can find says that they're considered such a nuisance because they latch onto pipes and other structures and make them malfunction. That make sense, but is there a more biological implication as well? Like, is that crystal clear water lacking in nutrients that the zebra mussels are hoarding?

What's your opinion on violence prevention? I'm doing a lot of research now, and there seems to be two opinions. One is the New York model, that it seems Rudy Giuliani put into action. I'm guessing your familiar with what I'm talking about.

The other is David Kennedy's model, Ceasefire, which involves a lot more interfacing with the community, reaching out to the violent offenders and explaining to them what will happen if the offend again, then providing ancillary services (employment services mainly). Seems to have had the most success in Minneapolis, Boston, LA, and a few other cities. Anyway, as a police officer who is actually enacting these programs, what are the pros/cons? And, what is your preferred method that, to you, is the most realistic for long term success?

Lastly, how do you view non profits who provide support to police officers? Something like "The Interrupters" in Chicago, who try and mediate street level disputes. Or people who mediate between street gangs outside of police work.

My aunt kind of accidentally obtained a wolf dog. Basically, she found a litter of abandoned dogs and decided to keep one and find homes for the others. A couple years down the road the dog got some sort of disease that only wolves get, so the vet told her it was most likely a wolf/husky mix. Anyway, in hindsight it was petty obvious. Renna (the dog's name) was really skittish, and scared of people. Occasionally, when she oddly would decide to get protective, she would perch on top of the chair of the person she was guarding and stare everyone down. She would also break into a dead sprint on top of loosely packed snow, while the other dogs lumbered through it constantly falling through. Lastly, she wouldn't really chew bones she would just snap them in half in one bite and eat them.

Anyway, she was an amazing dog once you got to know her, and had endless energy. Literally everyone in the house (when I lived there it was 6 of us) would run her and she would still want to play around at night. Great dog, but definitely only for the experienced dog owner. Also, probably not a great idea in general. My aunt has only had regular dogs since then.

How do you suggest showing them the bad side outside of them living it? I mean I grew up around gangs my whole life, moved out, and now that I look back on it I realize it was foolish. At the time though, you're caught up in the moment. Plus, all that "Scared Straight" stuff doesn't really work, because again you're caught up in the moment. Thoughts for a different approach for reaching out to younger kids in this situation?