New DC Data re: Risk Factors & Crime

[Anonymous]

More here: https://twitter.com/dccrimefacts/status/1637802338692759552

[Anonymous]

Holy crap. Being removed from the home by social services is actually worse than documented cases of abuse than nearly 2X? We need to revisit that tactic ASAP.

That just goes to show that being with a bad parent is still better than being stripped away from a bad parent which definitely blows my mind.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

And this is why we should be talking at least as much about attendance/truancy rates at public schools as we do about test scores. Kids who fall out of the public school system are at huge risk, to themselves and others. Kids need to be in school. We should be doing everything we can to keep kids in schools.

I get increasingly angry about how little focus was placed on this during the pandemic and how people continue to turn a blind eye to it even now that we see what a terrible impact school closures have had on the most at-risk kids in the city. Maybe next time we have a public health emergency and some of us say "let's do whatever it takes -- outdoor school, abbreviated schedules, sending kids to school with coats and open windows in the winter -- to keep kids in school," consider that we are speaking from a plan of knowledge and care, not just disregarding teacher concerns. School is really, really, really important for high risk kids. It is often their only source of consistency and stability.

[Anonymous]

Can we please start talking about birth control starting at age 12?

[Anonymous]

CA under Gavin Newsome has moved in the direction of making involuntary commitments easier for treatment of SMI and SUD. It's something DC should consider both for the benefit of the individual and for public safety. The sidewalks and parks are not psych wards or rehabs and the current scenario is cruel and inhumane.

I will also point out re: vouchers that putting putting people with a history of violence and criminal behavior, often with SMI and SUD in regular apartment buildings with kids and vulnerable elderly poses safety considerations. Any services offered for SMI and/or SUD are completely VOLUNTARY. Housing First (a HUD program) does not allow any conditions to be put on the vouchers. The WP did a series on issues at Sedgewick Gardens, The Forest Hills Connect has also written on the issues.

[Anonymous]

When McPherson Square was cleared, many declined city services. As a city we need to figure out better approaches to address that group, balancing civil liberties with the human toll.

Decriminalizing misdemeanors has had an impact on this population too. It used to be that a jail stint was a time to potentially get clean or get treatment for SMI. Courts offered lesser sentences in exchange for entering treatment in many instances. Now that carrot and stick are off the table and there are fewer ways to intervene in the cycle.

Once someone turns 18, there is little family or friends, from any background can do. Many street drugs can also exacerbate or even cause SMI too.

[Anonymous]

I have not seen any truancy vans since before cv, used to be around in Tenleytown. What is the city doing to address truancy these days, anyone know?

[Anonymous]

I wonder what Robert White's new 'flexible scheduling' for teachers will mean for the number of hours kids are in school, and what that means for greater risk to engage in criminal activity.

[Anonymous]

This article re: staggering numbers of kids "missing" from schools post cv is not DC specific but does NOT bode well for our society.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/thousands-students-reported-missing-school-systems-nationwide-amid/story?id=76063922

[Anonymous]

Can we prioritize not cutting funds to DCschools rather than making the bus free? Esp since many adults do not pay anyway and kids have a pass through school?

Investing in kids is a societal good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holy crap. Being removed from the home by social services is actually worse than documented cases of abuse than nearly 2X? We need to revisit that tactic ASAP.

That just goes to show that being with a bad parent is still better than being stripped away from a bad parent which definitely blows my mind.

I suspect that it may also matter where they are placed and the cohort they are exposed to. Quality foster homes, of which there are few, might have a different outcome than group homes. Extended family is optimal if possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And this is why we should be talking at least as much about attendance/truancy rates at public schools as we do about test scores. Kids who fall out of the public school system are at huge risk, to themselves and others. Kids need to be in school. We should be doing everything we can to keep kids in schools.

I get increasingly angry about how little focus was placed on this during the pandemic and how people continue to turn a blind eye to it even now that we see what a terrible impact school closures have had on the most at-risk kids in the city. Maybe next time we have a public health emergency and some of us say "let's do whatever it takes -- outdoor school, abbreviated schedules, sending kids to school with coats and open windows in the winter -- to keep kids in school," consider that we are speaking from a plan of knowledge and care, not just disregarding teacher concerns. School is really, really, really important for high risk kids. It is often their only source of consistency and stability.

Which political party exclusively runs the D.C. government, including DCPS ?

“How’s that working out for you?” (as Dr. Phil would say).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holy crap. Being removed from the home by social services is actually worse than documented cases of abuse than nearly 2X? We need to revisit that tactic ASAP.

That just goes to show that being with a bad parent is still better than being stripped away from a bad parent which definitely blows my mind.

You're assuming that the kids removed by social services don't also have the very worse documented cases of abuse. To determine if being removed in itself is worse you would need to compare just cases of comparable abuse with one group staying with parents and the other group going to foster homes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And this is why we should be talking at least as much about attendance/truancy rates at public schools as we do about test scores. Kids who fall out of the public school system are at huge risk, to themselves and others. Kids need to be in school. We should be doing everything we can to keep kids in schools.

I get increasingly angry about how little focus was placed on this during the pandemic and how people continue to turn a blind eye to it even now that we see what a terrible impact school closures have had on the most at-risk kids in the city. Maybe next time we have a public health emergency and some of us say "let's do whatever it takes -- outdoor school, abbreviated schedules, sending kids to school with coats and open windows in the winter -- to keep kids in school," consider that we are speaking from a plan of knowledge and care, not just disregarding teacher concerns. School is really, really, really important for high risk kids. It is often their only source of consistency and stability.

Which political party exclusively runs the D.C. government, including DCPS ?

“How’s that working out for you?” (as Dr. Phil would say).

Sigh. We KNOW. The democrats. Yes, Democrats have a problem admitting that school closures were bad, and are having lasting repercussions in DC.

But come ON. There are literally no other options in DC.