If you believe mainstream media's praise of the Biden administration, you'd have to assume that the leftists in power just welcome a healthy dose of anarchy. Whether it's decreasing police budgets, eliminating bail, opening the southern border, or letting rioters go free, they seem unconcerned about the safety and security of American citizens. With increasing crime, fear is on the rise. It's a wild, wild west rerun, and the calvary seems more worried about making people wear masks in the capitol than cracking down on crime!
Nationally, according to the FBI's quarterly Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system, calendar year 2020 saw a
25% increase in homicides, the highest since 1960 and higher than in any single year in the 1965-75 decade when the number of violent crimes almost tripled. That trend seems to be continuing in 2021. You don't have to look far to understand why.
Not only is President Biden's border policy allowing a steady stream of illegals to come into America, it's resulting in increased crime in towns impacted by the influx. Since January 2020, the U.S. attorney for Arizona
has been putting out monthly reports that cite both the number of aliens charged with "illegal reentry" and the subset of those who had previouslybeen convicted in the U.S. of a nonimmigration crime. In June of this year, they charged 241 aliens with illegal reentry. Of those 241, 178 "individuals had previously been convicted of non-immigration criminal offenses in the U.S.... 40 had violent crime convictions, 6 individuals had homicide
convictions, 8 individuals had sex offense convictions...and 6 individuals had domestic violence convictions."
Liberal politicians have made San Francisco a haven for criminality. Amid a surge in crime, many retailers have changed hours or even closed to avoid theft. Many citizens, afraid for their lives, are leaving the famed city by
the bay. Business owners point to the approval in 2014 of Proposition 47, which "reclassified certain theft
and drug possession offenses from felonies to misdemeanors." The change applied to crimes such as burglary, shoplifting, and grand theft when the property stolen amounts to less than $950. Decreasing accountability for
small crimes just provides an invitation to lawlessness.
Riots and looting in major cities are adding to the problem. According to a study of 68 cities by the Major Cities Chiefs Association, in the summer of 2020, there were at least 574 protests that involved acts of violence, including assaults on police officers, looting and arson. More than 2,000 police officers sustained injuries in the line of duty. The National Police Association notes the harm from the failure to hold rioters accountable: "When the mayors of cities in which violent riots took place in 2020 refused to let police immediately stop the crimes taking place, it sent a message to violent criminals across the nation that crimes will be allowed, and criminals won't be touched. For the last year violent crimes have increased nationally and the lack of support from politicians has resulted in the number of police officers declining into a short staffing recruitment and retention crisis."
Tougher restrictions on law enforcement are also having an impact. In Washington state a Democratic legislature and governor passed a series of laws this year taking force July 25th that impacts nearly all aspects of policing. The depth of police background checks, when force is authorized, how they collect data, when officers are allowed to pursue criminals to prevent crimes, and what equipment can be used have all been changed. Many officers are taking early retirement while others are leaving for jobs in neighboring states. Authorities are expecting a dramatic increase in criminal activity before politicians realize the impact of their new restrictions on the safety of citizens.
No-bail policies put offenders back on our streets. Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown argued against judges releasing accused violent offenders before their trial. His improved policing efforts have been applauded, but he is clear that no-bail policies are not helping: "We are arresting violent offenders, the courts are releasing these people back into the community... (the city needed to) challenge the courts to render Chicago safe by holding offenders in jail longer, not releasing murderers back into our community." He pointed to homicides, stabbings, and carjackings allegedly committed by people wearing electronic monitors.
This isn't about statistics; it's about real innocent citizens and businesses being victimized. In response, gun sales are on the rise, but some democratic politicians want to take away guns from law-abiding citizens. That is easy to say when you're protected by your own security details! When chaos reigns in the wild, wild west, your own weapons are the only things that protect you and your family from the criminals Biden and his cronies refuse to control. In South Africa, armed citizens have had to protect their own communities in the face of growing rioting. Some fear that may soon happen here.
It certainly doesn't have to. We know what works? Elect politicians and district attorneys in federal and state elections who will increase funding for law enforcement, promote community policing, enforce and prosecute even minor violations, reinstitute bail, and show zero-tolerance for criminality. In the 2022 midterm elections, you'll have a chance to do just that. May it be so.
Terry Paulson is PhD psychologist, author, and professional speaker on
Earned Optimism, Making Change Work, Claiming Your American Dream, and
Becoming a Conservative Values Voter. Contact him to speak before your group
at terry@terrypaulson.com.