Legal alternatives to vigilantism

Roz, I think I just fell in love !

Too bad you're not in Murray, KY, the local Jedi Group there is part of a K9 Search and Rescue team that also utilizes Horse when available.

I'm not a big fan of OPs suggestions, but I really like the idea behind this approach.

For me personally, I think it requires taking it one step further and addressing the needs of our communities without becoming so jaded as to see the neighborhoods we call home and next door as decaying. Perhaps there is a need we have yet to address because we've been too afraid to reach out?

Anyway, I want to shift away from the idea of crime fighting and tackle the issue of alternative solutions to the police. There are many reasons not to have faith in law enforcement (particularly in the US), but you don't have to go Batman to solve the problem. Frankly, I think the US with its disgustingly individualistic attitude has neglected to consider how our needs might be met by others in our community and how we might meet their needs. It requires building relationships, opening dialogue, and establishing new ways of handling old problems. The rewards are numerous: stronger communities, more friendships, less police entanglements, and the pride that comes from being a part of robust group of people with a shared interest.

For some that may be a long term goal, but what can be done in the interim? Enter Cell 411 :

In this simple but powerful app, you are able to alert all of your friends in your area of a problem, giving them instant access to your location and status (ie. broken down, fight in progress, copwatching ect). You can also watch what is happening live at your friend’s location with the live streaming feature [...] Now you can control whom you alert. You can even set the app to “patrol mode,” meaning any public alert sent out in your area will get pushed to your phone [...] Just yesterday I even was able to find my wife’s exact location when she broke down on the highway. Knowing that she has Cell411 on her phone makes me feel so much safer.

But that's just my take on it...

Well I'd like to take a moment to thank the original poster for taking a sour topic and turning it sweet.

I have witnessed the Guardian Angels at work and they managed to turn crime-ridden areas into safe neighbourhoods. We're talking about open and notorious gang-run streets like 5-points in Denver. They wear uniforms with badges and do patrols while talking to the community. They arrest people if needed. They use force if needed. It works. What else can you say? It's a volunteer thing so it tends to match the community needs.

One important lesson that you all need to know about is: never go it alone. Always have a backup. Even if that means getting on totjo and asking them if they have your back BEFORE you go out and take on the mexican mafia. I'm pretty far from most members but if you're in my area and need backup you can call and I will answer.

I'm totally with Jamie on having community solutions instead of police. I like people who are accountable to me, not some random pleeb accountable to a federal agency run by wall st. We just went through a year of protests and almost became the next Ferguson because the cops shot a mexican worker, for something stupid like throwing a rock and believe me, the people are still pissed and the powder keg is ready to go off still. Nothing has been resolved. It's just there, like a cancer, eating at you.

Oh and you can use whistles. This is a funny but true story. When I was a starving college student I moved to the cheapest place to live in Denver: Capitol Hill. Through luck I ended up in the gay area of Capitol Hill. It was luck not only because all the people were VERY friendly, but they had worked out a system to deal with the extremely violent anti-gay people. They carried whistles and if anybody blows a whistle, a bunch of extremely buff guys come running to their aide. It was also true that if you run to a house and bang on the door and ask for help a bunch of extremely buff guys answer the door or perhaps some butch lesbians but you get the idea. Oh and what makes it funny is I didn't know they were gay. My gay-dar is broken. I was just like totally thinking that people were friendly in that area and lap-dogs were the new thing and it's totally normal to go jogging in the park and wave to everyone and say hi. But in the end I'm glad it happened and I learned a lot.

My wife and I have walked Neighborhood Watch in the past. I am not trained, nor equipped, nor have the desire to confront crime. I will help people when I encounter a situation, accidents etc. I am first add trained. I pride myself on random acts of kindness. No one knows but me. I will call 911 and report suspicious activity and watch from afar until the police arrive then tell them what I have observed. I might add the never have said I wasted their time. They want the calls so patterns can be identified. That's what I do. That's the best I can do for now. I'm comfortable with that.

This is so broad, almost any positive, legal action fits the bill. That's the whole point of the Jedi "project"... small or seemingly disparate positive changes produce wider change in context of the wider system.

For example I work at the homeless shelter, not out of a desire to stop anything illegal. But I know the guests there are clean from drugs (the sale of which is itself a major source of income for organised crime) whilst they're in the shelter, they're not breaking and entering for shelter or shoplifting food.

So...

Do some root cause analysis on crime.

Work from your results.

Alethea Thompson wrote: Roz, I think I just fell in love !

Too bad you're not in Murray, KY, the local Jedi Group there is part of a K9 Search and Rescue team that also utilizes Horse when available.

Awwwwww..... Shucks...... :blush: :blush: :blush:

That's really cool about Murray, KY. I'll have to see if I can get in touch with them just to chat.

See everyone....lots of options and love too.... :woohoo:

The first step is to know your neighbors. It is that simple for me. Introduce yourself and learn their names. Say 'hello' when you see them. When you know the people you live near, they become important to you. You will care about them and their safety. They will begin to do the same for you. You may discover that your neighbor is a teacher who can help your kids, or a nurse who can assist with your elderly parents, or a contractor who can help you turn off the water before that leaky pipe floods your bathroom. You will learn how you can help them in return, even if it is just feeding their pets while they are away for the weekend.

Eventually it becomes very uncomfortable for the criminal element to be in a community like this because they become the outsider and all eyes are on them. Imagine trying to burglarize a house when the entire neighborhood knows the owner is not home and is watching it for them.

I have lived in a number of housing complexes and neighborhoods where nobody knows the people they share a wall or yard with. It's sad. People grow suspicious of each other and learn to 'mind their own business' instead of looking out for each other. People are generally friendly if you let them be. Get to know them.

Gotta be brief, phone is about to die. But one could take the macro view of this as well and look at the causes of crime in the area, which are similar and or overlap worldwide. Poverty, lack of education, lack of opportunity, and work at legislative levels to eradicate these issues, in whatever capacity you feel best uses your time a d abilities. I was a registered lobbyist 2013-2014 that dealt almost entirely with mental health, MH funding and animal welfare, some unsexy topics that are often overlooked.

Bug your legislators. Agitate for change. The status quo is never good enough