
Investing in our Community to Reduce Crime
In the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd, a public movement has begun to “defund the police”.
As I understand it, very few people are calling for the abolition of the police as an institution. Rather, most are calling for a transfer of funds presently being invested in policing toward investment in community programs and resources. The rationale being that many community programs have the potential to lead to better outcomes at a lower cost. As the old adage goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Although “defunding the police” is not the choice of words that I would have used, the underlying concerns warrant serious consideration.