Could a giant Big Brother/Big Sister progam reduce violent crime in Boston?

At-large City Council candidate Doug Bennett is proposing creation of "a gigantic big brother program through a partnership between the universities of Boston and the City Government through the Boston's Department of Public Health" to help curb youth violence:

... Since there are thousands of University Students who are majoring in Criminal Science, the City would create an internship program that awards college credits to participating students who are then teamed up with these 2nd Level Criminal offenders. These college students who are signed up in this internship program would be tasked with providing not only mentorship and counsel, but brotherly and sisterly love with the hope that these offenders will be able to find jobs and begin adding to society in a positive manner, not hurt humanity. ...

His complete statement:

My fellow Bostonians,

It costs $42,000 per year to jail someone. Additionally, both the Boston Police and the District Attorney Dan Conley are under funded so it is difficult to provide more prosecutors and police officers. This is due to our current economic crisis. As we’ve read recently there has been a real spike in the number of shootings here in Boston since last year. In fact, there have been 82 shootings since the beginning of 2009. Many of these shootings have been the result of high activity amongst many of Boston’s street gangs: 1. the Bailey Street Broncos, 2. the Crips, 3. the Brawley Gang, 4. the Orchard Park Gang, 4. the Charge Gang, 5. the Mt. Pleasant Gang, 6, the Heath Street Hood, and their rivals 7. the H-Block Gang. These are just some of the few street gangs here in Boston. In fact, there are many more and most neighborhoods contain them. The biggest question is with the cutback in funding, how will we solve Boston’s current crime epidemic? Well, I suggest we develop a duel policy that focuses on 1. Apprehension; and 2. Prevention.

Apprehension of criminals is crucial, yet prevention is of primary importance. Insufficient progress is due to lack a real strong witness protection program for crimes other than murder (i.e. - with exception for the current Federal program). Bostonians are afraid to either come forward to report criminal activity, and in many cases there is a culture in many communities where people just aren’t motivated to come forward because there are disenfranchised by both the local police and the government.

Regarding Apprehension, there are two levels of criminals that we must focus on:

1.We must identify and use any legal means necessary to remove habitual violent criminals off the streets for as long as possible because they are willfully and deliberately dangerous to their community and they prey on their community, and by this we mean major drug dealers, gang leaders, and armed violent career criminals.

2.We must identify those who fall into a second level of criminals: These are primarily young males under the age of 30 who are not yet irredeemable, but who are on the way, who think nothing of carrying a gun, and think it is an appropriate way to resolving an insult or a dispute by shooting someone. And those kids have to be targeted, because the point is once they get into the court system, they are on the back end, and it is almost too late for them to turn their lives around and become good upstanding persons. And the utterly essential aspect of dealing with these young men is doing it in a way that is constructive with them, but most importantly in the best interest of the community. In other words, we, must find a way to jerk these kids out of these criminal patterns.

So far, we have a successful Gang Task Force in the DA’s office and there is ample Federal and State Cooperation. So as Councilor At-Large, how would I and the City Council go about solving the current crime epidemic with the lack of financial resources that currently exists? I would do so through a policy that focuses on Prevention. We must provide these second level criminals with the tools and resources to prevent them from getting in trouble because it is more valuable to us in Boston to get someone to work and produce for society, raise a family, and pay taxes than it is for Boston Taxpayers to have to pay $42,000 per year to jail each criminal.

The way that Boston develops a strong Crime Prevention Program is through a city wide organization which focuses on going door to door, block to block. Essentially, we create a gigantic big brother program through a partnership between the universities of Boston and the City Government through the Boston’s Department of Public Health.

Since there are thousands of University Students who are majoring in Criminal Science, the City would create an internship program that awards college credits to participating students who are then teamed up with these 2nd Level Criminal offenders. These college students who are signed up in this internship program would be tasked with providing not only mentorship and counsel, but brotherly and sisterly love with the hope that these offenders will be able to find jobs and begin adding to society in a positive manner, not hurt humanity. The main purpose of such a program is that we must somehow create a trusting relationship between the community, City Hall, and Boston’s Law Enforcement community. Such a program will foster this necessary communication and break down barriers and promote hope.

Presently, I have a task force developing the mechanics of such a crime prevention program. A program like this would not cost a lot of money, but instead tremendous organization. However, a program such as this is doable because the resources and goodwill amongst us. We, Bostonians, have an interest in expanding the strength of our community. As Councilor At-Large, I will commit myself to continuing going door to door across Boston and build this program block by block even if it is only me at first promoting this program. I believe that a program such as this will eventually build upon itself organically and eventually spread due to grassroots tenacity and continue to grow bigger until it becomes a true City-Wide Grassroots Crime Fighting Organization.

Please, as we know crime and violence is an epidemic here in Boston. We can no longer deny that are streets are safe. Just ask poor Roberta Wells of King Street in Dorchester. Her son was murdered last year by a gun shot on the corner of Victory Road and Adams Street. If interested, click on the following YouTube link to here what Roberta has to say:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqmlyUnjqnc

As we all know, Roberta Wells is not alone. Many Bostonians like Roberta suffer as a result of tragedy due to crime and violence every day. This why I say it is time to change this, take action, and peacefully take charge of our Streets here in Boston. This is why I believe my crime prevention policy can bring success and peace to the streets of Boston and as your next Councilor At-Large, I intend to do so.

Yours truly,

Doug Bennett
Candidate for Councilor At-Large