On March 9th, Fear and Street Crime was the fourth installment of CCRA's Sense in the City discussion series under the skillful leadership of the Ethical Society's Hugh Taft Morales. After Hugh presented an overview of the problem and the police and non-police based "solutions," small groups discussed several aspects of the issue. Questions included: Should those victimized by street crime, especially those from neighborhoods where gang violence is decimating communities, be involved in generating solutions? Should we look to criminal justice solutions or solutions outside the criminal justice system? Do you think your fear of street crime is augmented by media sensationalism?
Discussion groups reported grappling with several issues: the importance of social services in steering young people away from criminal behavior, rehabilitation versus punishment, state versus local responsibility, the impact of high capacity magazines on public safety, the relevance of age on one's perception of street crime, and the inability of many Philadelphians to imagine the stresses on residents living in less resourced areas of the city.
View presentation here.