Dr. Crime is a pseudonym for
a social scientist holding a Ph.D. degree in sociology and in
criminology. He has worked in all major parts of the criminal
justice system. Drop him a note at the website www.keepkidshome.net
if you or
your child is in trouble, he may be able to help, give him a call
(252-339-0000).
Dear Dr. Crime: How many
people do we have in the criminal justice system for crimes? Is it
enough, shouldn’t we do more kicking for wrongdoing? Angry Fellow
Dear Angry Fellow: The
US Bureau of Justice Statistics has just released a reporti
about how many we process. We are at our lowest correctional
population since 2002. That involves 6,741,400 persons at the end
of 2015. That means about 2.7% of all our adults were under some
kind of correctional supervision. Is this enough, you ask? That
is the most important question facing criminologists. Does
punishment prevent crime? The US National Institute of Justice
reviewed a lot of scientific researchii
on that topic, and concluded that the certainty of
being caught is a vastly more powerful deterrent than the
punishment, and in fact, sending crooks to prison is not an
effective way to reduce recidivism. In fact, increasing the
severity of punishment does little to deter crime. As for me, I
want to see fewer victims as the major, primary outcome of our
justice system. We need more research on this.
Dear Dr. Crime: How can
I learn more about kids and cops getting together in a positive way?
I am a new county level official and I want to push such stuff.
Can you help? Elected Person
Dear Politician: I am
delighted to hear such from elected folks. Yes, do more of that and
start by getting on the mailing list with the US Office of Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Go to
<NewsFromOJJDP@ncjrs.gov>and you will see what to do, at no
cost to your tax payers. The OJJDP is presently putting on a
program about kids and cops and they push community based
approaches. Also, take a look at my website, www.keepkidshome.net
and give me a call.
Dear Dr. Crime: I want
our community to get involved in helping the little girls that get
sold into you know what. Are there funds to help us? How would I
find out about a grant? Very Upset Mom
Dear Mom: I am in
agreement with you and will help you find funding. Start by going
to Grants.gov
with a Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035, or
by email to support@grants.gov,
and ask about their recent report . FY
17 Comprehensive Services for Victims of All Forms of Human
Trafficking.
I agree the situation with young girls is awful, but it is not
limited to that.
Dear Dr. Crime: Is my kid,
sort of a small fellow, in danger of bullying in public school?
Protective Dad
Dear
Dad: The Institute of Education
Sciences, a part of the U.S. Department of Education,
recently released a reportiii
on bully behavior nationally. It seems that during the 2014-15
school year, 20.8 percent of students ages 12 to 18 reported that
they were bullied. I encourage you to talk with the principal of
the school where your child attends.
Dear Dr.
Crime: What can I tell my preacher who wants to stop delinquency
with religious activities? Parishioner Lady
Dear
Lady: Start by referring the preacher to “Faith Community and
Criminal Justice Collaboration: A Collection of Effective Programs”
# NCJ 211452 . If you go to the US National Criminal Justice
Reference Service ( https://www.ncjrs.gov/)
you can find it. That is just a start. I encourage you to get all
the church family involved. A few years ago scientists summarized a
wide body of researchiv
about the effects of religion and reported greater
involvement in religious practices is associated with reduced
hypertension, longevity, reduced depression, lower levels of alcohol
and drug consumption, less engagement in risky sexual behavior,
reduced risk of suicide, reduced delinquency, and reduced criminal
activity. I guess what we were taught was right! If you want
to see the full study go to
https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=202135
and be sure and tell your preacher about it.
Also,
if your child is a “youthful offender” and- or having problems
with drugs, Dr. Crime can offer confidential suggestions on how to
work with the criminal justice system. Or, a formal criminological
report for a court or other authority may help. For more
information see www.keepkidshome.net
or
email drcrime@keepkidshome.net
ii
https://nij.gov/five-things/pages/deterrence.aspx
iii
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=wm#inbox/1591cb87a28f9fc8
Dear Dr Crime
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