A good friend of mine once said, "If you want to have your feet on the ground, take off your shoes."
So, here I am, about to embark on my second day of door-to-door surveying for Boston's Violence Intervention & Prevention (VIP) Initiative. My goal is to learn more about the community in which I live and about the community served by the Boston Medical Center (these are largely overlapping). Yes, the coverage is small - I've personally only spoken with 4 people about their concerns and needs for their neighborhood - but it's a solid foundation. Everybody so far cited "Drugs" and "Violence" as THE major problem of their neighborhood and then went on to talk about an increase in police presence and after-school activities as ways to improve these problems.
Yes, police presence and after-school activities have the potential to reduce crime. I imagine a stronger police presence would use fear as deterrent. Yet at the same time, I could imagine a greater police presence promoting an environment where crime might be more expected. One person commented how the police always seem to be just at the wrong place: violent crime always seems to occur a couple of blocks away.
And how about after-school programs? Why do they prevent violence (esp. drug/gang-related violence)? The common argument is that it provides safe and positive alternative activities for children and youth who might otherwise be misled to participate in negative and violent activities. How about the youth that are less able to participate in these programs? Perhaps they don't make the grade requirements. Or they don't have a parent or relative to transport them to/from these activities. Or they don't see these activities as within their realm of possibility.
I don't think these solutions as clear-cut as they are made out to be. They don't seem to directly address the ROOTS of violence: anger, frustration, saddness, loss...as a result of systemic disparities in income, health care, and general treatment. Yet, as Paul Farmer (Partners In Health) asks, "Is that statement meant to end a conversation...or to start one?" I hope that it starts many conversations. I hope that we can come to common understanding of the roots of violence. I hope that we can design and implement successful initiatives that directly address these roots. I hope the one day people can be free to live their lives in security of person and with the freedom to make important decisions about their lives without overwhelming negative influences.
So I'll start again today by knocking on one more door...barefoot in Boston (figuratively). I hope to see you out there.
REFERENCES:
City of Boston Violence Intervention & Prevention Program
http://www.cityofboston.gov/VIP/
