Bring back public flogging as judicial punishment for bad juveniles.

Right. Little attention to DC youth gun crime. And yet if a Metro transit cop detains a juvenile fare jumper or someone who refuses to stop eating on the Metro, oh!, the outrage!

Anonymous wrote:
Same BS attitude that is responsible for this ridiculous and dangerous youth sentencing law. Missing from your list is any sense of PARENTAL responsibility. That, more than anything is at the heart of DC's urban crime problem. Without a parent teaching a child how to get up and get to school, or a job, on time--and, once there--to listen, pay attention, and be respectful then no amount of education and vocational training is going to help. The liberal political establishment in this town has blamed every societal institution for the behavior of these juveniles except the one group at whose feet it lies---the parents. That truth needs to be said and DC politicians are too gutless and blinded by liberal white guilt to say it. As for free sports program, wasn't there a DC council member convicted within the last 7 years for embezzling tax dollars for phony youth programs? There's no shortage of DC tax money being allocated to those type of programs---it's that DC's kleptocratic bureaucracy never manages to actually get the money to legitimate non-profits instead of DC "friends & family" graft.

And you think that people in wards 7 and 8 should just get handed homes? Do they need to have jobs in order to receive said homes, or are you just talking about a free house? And if a free house, then how do the utilities get paid or the leaky roof get fixed?

Different PP. I don't disagree with the notion that children need to learn these things, but I think you'll be waiting for a long time if you just throw it back to the parents. Often, the parents aren't teaching these things because they haven't learned them themselves. Or, the circumstances of their jobs make it nearly impossible for them to impart the knowledge back onto their kids (I think both are very much in play). I don't really know the solution, but I do know that if you just wag your fingers at parents not doing their job nothing is going to change.

Anonymous wrote:The mandatory doesn't seem that harsh though. We are talking about violent armed holdups and other crimes. I honestly have no idea why these pleas are being struck - in the case cited the kd had been on a spree, identified by eye witness (the victim) and they had him on video. He then got the plea reduction to imitation gun as well as sentencing under the youth act which hides the crime from his record and is more lenient. He is now in MD facing "real charges" for what he did there.
I agree the brain is undeveloped through 27, I agree lead is a problem. But free houses and birth control have nothing to do with a big gaping loophole for criminals under 22. This is simply bad legislation sending the message that until you turn 22 its a free for all in dc. If we want to help kids under 22 with a second chance then thats it - ONE second chance, with a serious rehab effort . Wherever they go they get the lead screening counseling job training etc. No t a holding pen.
Unfortunately,it sounds like when this legislation was enacted they did have that in place - a work camp with farm and job training and all kinds of good stuff. The kids rioted and threw furniture. So maybe it is bot to be.
But bad legislation is bad legislation. Our councils job is to legislate. Where are they? They should be examining this closely and if they need to scratch it and start over they should. The recidivism rates and crime sprees these youth act kids go on are absolutely shocking.

Again, I am no expert in this area, but it's worth finding out. Maybe it's a resource issue having to do with not enough room in the prison system. I literally have no idea, I'm just saying it might be worth examining what's motivating the plea deals. Plea deals seem to be the American way with regard to criminal prosecution, but if it gets to the point where perpetrators are more or less guaranteed a deal then the law has no teeth at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I agree. It is a travesty of the law. So large, that many of us can't wait for a new common-sense President to come to power.

+1. Hope Trump starts changing things right here in DC. Clean up the ghettos in DC and impose harsh penalties for criminals.

You don't live in DC.

Anonymous wrote: I agree. It is a travesty of the law. So large, that many of us can't wait for a new common-sense President to come to power.

+1. Hope Trump starts changing things right here in DC. Clean up the ghettos in DC and impose harsh penalties for criminals.

The mandatory doesn't seem that harsh though. We are talking about violent armed holdups and other crimes. I honestly have no idea why these pleas are being struck - in the case cited the kd had been on a spree, identified by eye witness (the victim) and they had him on video. He then got the plea reduction to imitation gun as well as sentencing under the youth act which hides the crime from his record and is more lenient. He is now in MD facing "real charges" for what he did there.
I agree the brain is undeveloped through 27, I agree lead is a problem. But free houses and birth control have nothing to do with a big gaping loophole for criminals under 22. This is simply bad legislation sending the message that until you turn 22 its a free for all in dc. If we want to help kids under 22 with a second chance then thats it - ONE second chance, with a serious rehab effort . Wherever they go they get the lead screening counseling job training etc. No t a holding pen.
Unfortunately,it sounds like when this legislation was enacted they did have that in place - a work camp with farm and job training and all kinds of good stuff. The kids rioted and threw furniture. So maybe it is bot to be.
But bad legislation is bad legislation. Our councils job is to legislate. Where are they? They should be examining this closely and if they need to scratch it and start over they should. The recidivism rates and crime sprees these youth act kids go on are absolutely shocking.

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/the-crimes-against-them-were-terrifying-but-the-judicial-system-made-it-worse/2016/12/04/89395554-99e9-11e6-a0ed-ab0774c1eaa5_story.html?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.832547580c43
"But they offered him a generous plea deal. They would dismiss the charge of the first armed robbery — connected with the cellphone theft and shooting — in exchange for a plea to a misdemeanor charge of receipt of stolen property. The misdemeanor carried a penalty of 180 days in jail. For the second armed-robbery charge — the crime against Kimberly Potter-Cooper — prosecutors would agree to accept an admission by Mayo of committing an armed robbery with an imitation weapon, even though police officers had recovered a real firearm — the .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol. The significance of the imitation weapon: Mayo would no longer be subject to the mandatory minimum of five years for armed robbery. “I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ ” Potter-Cooper said. “I knew damn well it wasn’t a toy gun.” Richard Tischner, chief of the Superior Court Division for the U.S. attorney’s office, said “imitation weapon” clauses are sometimes stipulated as part of plea negotiations, even if real guns are used in the crimes. “It’s not a lie,” he told The Post. “It’s a concession to the case.”, "

Seriously??????

I'm no expert on crime or gun laws, but it seems like these plea deals are being struck in order to avoid what defenders and prosecutors seem to agree are overly harsh mandatory minimum sentence laws. Wouldn't a solution be to reduce the minimum sentences (or eliminate the minimums) and prosecute the kids for the crimes they actually did commit? If, as PPs are suggesting, the problem is that these kids are learning that they can get away with crimes because of this plea bargaining, it's important that they actually be charged with the crime they committed and not a lesser one.

Anyway, just a thought.

Anonymous wrote:The same place as outrage over Chicago gun crime?

My personal biggest problem with any kind of youth crime in DC is that all the little perps know that they can get away with anything.

It's not only no consequences: it's elevated status for the abortion-that-should-have-happened-but-didn't because mama was probably too high. Now, some little proto-shite has "proven" himself to his "cholos" or "booyees" or "homees" or whatever low-life criminal element that doesn't deserve tax dollars beyond the cost of their eventual and inevitable incarceration, gets a free ride to assault tax-paying citizens.

Lower the age to be tried as an adult in DC.

There are many ways to clean up this city.

+1

Liberal cities like dc raise dc youth like they raise their own who grow up to be immoral with violent tendencies.

No mention of lead, specifically getting it out of dwellings? That stuff screws with kids' brains, ruining impulse control and so on. Beyond that, I second the idea that perhaps preventing/delaying parenthood is crucial. Unfortunately, for those of you praising Trump, consider that Planned Parenthood is exactly what can help with that mission!

DC's crime has been going down - so let's start there. If you really want to end youth crime in DC here is how you did it:

1. Make sure all children have: housing, healthy food and high quality education from preschool through high school.

2. Develop real vocational training programs.

3. Provide accessible, quality health care for all.

4. Provide youths in Wards 7 and 8 will FREE sports programs - for example, if you want to play baseball, free gloves, bats, catcher's equipment and specialized coaching. Plus provide transportation to and from practices and games.

5. Give folks in Ward 7 and 8 housing grants to purchase homes.

Oh and, maybe tell the 10% of America who has 90% of the country's wealth - you are actually going to have to pay your fair share.

Same BS attitude that is responsible for this ridiculous and dangerous youth sentencing law. Missing from your list is any sense of PARENTAL responsibility. That, more than anything is at the heart of DC's urban crime problem. Without a parent teaching a child how to get up and get to school, or a job, on time--and, once there--to listen, pay attention, and be respectful then no amount of education and vocational training is going to help. The liberal political establishment in this town has blamed every societal institution for the behavior of these juveniles except the one group at whose feet it lies---the parents. That truth needs to be said and DC politicians are too gutless and blinded by liberal white guilt to say it. As for free sports program, wasn't there a DC council member convicted within the last 7 years for embezzling tax dollars for phony youth programs? There's no shortage of DC tax money being allocated to those type of programs---it's that DC's kleptocratic bureaucracy never manages to actually get the money to legitimate non-profits instead of DC "friends & family" graft.

And you think that people in wards 7 and 8 should just get handed homes? Do they need to have jobs in order to receive said homes, or are you just talking about a free house? And if a free house, then how do the utilities get paid or the leaky roof get fixed?

Anonymous wrote:Liberalism gone so, so wrong.

+1. One deranged alt right crazy shows up at their pizza joint with a gun and they are tripping over themselves with hashtags and outrage. But, for the past 8 years they have been silent on lack of will by US Attorney for DC. As long as the violence stays in the urban areas the libs cant be bothered. At least for the next 4 years there will be consequences for violent offenders. Enjoy your pizza.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC's crime has been going down - so let's start there. If you really want to end youth crime in DC here is how you did it:

1. Make sure all children have: housing, healthy food and high quality education from preschool through high school.

2. Develop real vocational training programs.

3. Provide accessible, quality health care for all.

4. Provide youths in Wards 7 and 8 will FREE sports programs - for example, if you want to play baseball, free gloves, bats, catcher's equipment and specialized coaching. Plus provide transportation to and from practices and games.

5. Give folks in Ward 7 and 8 housing grants to purchase homes.

Oh and, maybe tell the 10% of America who has 90% of the country's wealth - you are actually going to have to pay your fair share.

According to a projection from the non-partisan Tax Policy Center, the top 1 percent of Americans will pay 45.7 percent of the individual income taxes in 2014—up from 43 percent in 2013 and 40 percent in 2012 (the oldest period available).

The bottom 80 percent of Americans are expected to pay 15 percent of all federal income taxes in 2014, according to the study. The bottom 60 percent are expected to pay less than 2 percent of federal income taxes.

How much is a fair share to you?

Try again - the super wealthy most of the time have little actual "income" so they can hide their money elsewhere. All your stats show is that the US is losing its middle class. But keep watching FoxNews. Seriously - this is the richest nation the world has ever seen and we can't even ensure our citizens have access to health care? I mean come on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC's crime has been going down - so let's start there. If you really want to end youth crime in DC here is how you did it:

1. Make sure all children have: housing, healthy food and high quality education from preschool through high school.

2. Develop real vocational training programs.

3. Provide accessible, quality health care for all.

4. Provide youths in Wards 7 and 8 will FREE sports programs - for example, if you want to play baseball, free gloves, bats, catcher's equipment and specialized coaching. Plus provide transportation to and from practices and games.

5. Give folks in Ward 7 and 8 housing grants to purchase homes.

Oh and, maybe tell the 10% of America who has 90% of the country's wealth - you are actually going to have to pay your fair share.

I've worked with at risk youth (or whatever name you want to use) for a long time. While I agree with many of your recommendations, it concerns me greatly that too many people (perhaps you as well?) never mention the importance of teaching these kids to obey laws. It's not in your list, and it's an extremely important concept to be internalized.

Honestly, I'd start with free birth control - IUD, patch for women on welfare, plus I'd fast track development of similar forms (chemical) of birth control for poor men.

Liberalism gone so, so wrong.