[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 12 (Wednesday, February 9, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: February 9, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
VIOLENCE IN AMERICA
______
HON. LEE H. HAMILTON
of indiana
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, February 9, 1994
Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to insert my Washington
Report for Wednesday, December 15, 1993, into the Congressional Record:
Violence in America
Violence is tearing at the very fabric of American society.
Most polls show that it ranks, with the economy, as a top
concern for voters. Nightly news programs are filled with
stories, about drug-related murders, drive-by shootings, or
handguns in schools. The President admonishes Hollywood about
the dangers of violent entertainment. Foreign countries warn
their citizens about the dangers of traveling in the U.S. The
wave of violence is spreading into rural America as well.
Residents of the Ninth Congressional District were shocked
last year by the abduction and brutal murder of a twelve year
old girl near Madison. Many Hoosiers tell me that they feel
that no place is safe anymore. They believe that government
is failing in its basic mission to protect its citizens.
Scope of the Problem
Crime statistics underscore the magnitude of the problem.
Violent crime in America can take many forms, including
murder, robbery, rape and assault. The Justice Department
estimates that last year 1.9 million violent crimes were
committed, a 50% increase from a decade ago; 29,000 violent
crimes were committed in Indiana last year. Most violent
crime continues to be concentrated in our inner cities, even
as violent crime rates in urban areas have fallen slightly in
recent years. Rates for smaller cities and town are on the
increase.
A particularly disturbing trend in recent years has been
the increase in violent crime among children and adolescents.
The FBI estimates that over 11% of all persons arrested for a
serious crime are under the age of 15; 29% of those persons
are under age 18. Gunfire is the leading cause of death among
young men today. It is not uncommon to read about children
engaging in gun fights in school hallways or playgrounds.
Many schools, particularly in inner cities, have responded by
installing metal detectors and hiring additional security
personnel.
Potential Causes
Several possible explanations have been offered for the
rise in violence in our society. First, the level of violence
is tied to population growth. Studies have shown that younger
men are more likely to commit crime than older men, so as our
population got younger during the 1970s and 1980s because of
the baby boom, crime and violence increased. Second, the
media and Hollywood are faulted for showing too much violence
on television and in movies. Some contend that they have
glamorized violence and created a culture accepting of
violent behavior. Third, violence in America is linked to
deeper societal ills. Violent offenders are more likely to be
young, poor and unemployed; to be poorly educated; to have
come from broken homes and violent neighborhoods with limited
economic opportunities; and to have abused drugs. Fourth the
ease with which people obtain high-powered guns contributes
to the upsurge in violence. Guns in America are plentiful,
accessible, and increasingly lethal; more than 15,000 people
were killed last year with firearms. Other countries with
more restrictive gun laws have far fewer violent crimes.
Fifth, our criminal justice system is said to be weak and
ineffectual. Deterrence of crime depends primarily on the
swiftness and certainty of punishment, but our justice system
has been overwhelmed by the heavy caseload. Sixth, some
suggest our society is inherently violent. Our emphasis on
independence and freedom has historically had its darker,
violent side, whether on the Western frontier or in today's
cities.
Responses
Violence is a complex problem which defies easy solutions.
This helps explain some of the public's frustration with the
government's response to violent crime. Washington
politicians continue to over-promise and under-deliver on the
crime issue. Washington has passed four major crime bills
over the last decade--and is poised to pass another crime
bill next year--and spends record sums on anti-crime efforts,
but these initiatives have had a limited impact on the crime
problems faced by the average American. In our federal system
of government, states and localities take the lead in
fighting the crimes which worry people most, like assault and
rape. The federal government does play an important role in
assisting those efforts with funding, research and personnel;
the crime bill pending in Congress would provide funding for
the hiring of 100,000 new policy officers. But it is
misleading to suggest that Washington can solve the problem
of violence with the passage of a law, no matter how
carefully crafted.
There are limits to what government can do about violence.
Certain steps must be taken to make our criminal justice
system more effective. Many states and localities are working
to strengthen their police forces and get violent offenders,
particularly repeat offenders, off the streets. Many are also
trying innovative anti-crime programs, such as ``boot camps''
to deter young first offenders or ``community policing'' to
encourage police and neighborhood leaders to work together in
fighting crime. I also think it will help to perform
background checks before handgun sales. Even so, government's
record to date in curbing violence has been discouraging. A
decade of building dozens more prisons, incarcerating
thousands more prisoners, and expanding the number of capital
offenses has not reduced overall crime levels. If anything,
most Americans are more concerned about their safety today
than they were ten years ago.
a new approach
The question then is what should we be doing differently.
Violence is such a pervasive problem that it cannot be solved
by government alone. Government, of course, must take the
lead in fighting crime. It must put police on the street and
get criminals off the street. But in the end success depends
on individuals with a moral sense that is nurtured in
families and encouraged by communities, that instills a
strong sense of individual responsibility. Each of us has a
role to play--whether caring for our children, working with
law enforcement to fight neighborhood crime, or helping to
create jobs in impoverished areas.
I am especially troubled by the rise in violent crime among
young people. Clearly, intervention is necessary to stop the
killing. More schools should run anti-crime education
programs for their students, encourage conflict resolution
techniques, and institute drug and alcohol abuse counseling
programs to stop drug and alcohol-related crimes before they
start. Government should also work, in partnership with the
private sector, to help address the social causes of violence
by providing services to assist troubled families,
educational programs like Head Start for at-risk children,
and job training programs for young adults. Yet, if any of
these efforts are to succeed, we must teach children about
discipline, self-respect, the importance of education, and
the value of human life.
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