I'm sure a lot of our police officers would LOVE to stop coming to calls about kittens in trees, homeless men without pants and traffic stops.
But the idea that bad people - and there ARE bad people - will be prevented, stopped or deterred by the use of social workers is insane.
But the idea that bad people - and there ARE bad people - will be prevented, stopped or deterred by the use of social workers is insane.
We need only look at places where policing is thin or non-existent to see what will happen. Like the south side of Chicago last weekend. Or parts of Mexico controlled by the drug cartels.
We already have crime, and people inclined to commit it.
We already have crime, and people inclined to commit it.
With fewer/no police, they will have no disincentive to refrain from committing crimes, and every incentive to commit them with impunity. Why would they not do what they want? Take what they want? Kill who they want?
Who will stop them? Social workers?
Who will stop them? Social workers?
The success of any community with very little law enforcement depends upon the voluntary virtue of its citizens. The more law-abiding people there are, the less crime there is.
But even when the vast majority of people are law-abiding, it only takes a few who are bent on crime to terrorize everyone else.
People who live in neighborhoods with more of those bad actors will be at their mercy with no/fewer police.
They'll have to resort to self-defense.
People who live in neighborhoods with more of those bad actors will be at their mercy with no/fewer police.
They'll have to resort to self-defense.
If we want to *build* communities where much less law enforcement is necessary - yes! Wonderful goal! Let's start yesterday. But that will take time. And it means societal honesty on issues we've refused to be honest about.
Specifically, sexuality.
It means re-attaching sexuality to marriage and family. It means discouraging teens from having sex, not giving them condoms and saying, "Have at it."
It means saying that children need mothers AND fathers in stable homes.
It means re-attaching sexuality to marriage and family. It means discouraging teens from having sex, not giving them condoms and saying, "Have at it."
It means saying that children need mothers AND fathers in stable homes.
It means helping people stay married, not encouraging them to divorce.
In short, we cannot have healthy communities that need little law enforcement, without healthy individuals who make healthy choices.
Those choices have to be shown and modeled through childhood.
In short, we cannot have healthy communities that need little law enforcement, without healthy individuals who make healthy choices.
Those choices have to be shown and modeled through childhood.
And yes, I agree that this should have started years ago. So yes, let's start now.
But it's going to take at least one generation to repair the damage - and probably two or three.
Unfortunately, that also means we need law enforcement in the meantime.
But it's going to take at least one generation to repair the damage - and probably two or three.
Unfortunately, that also means we need law enforcement in the meantime.
