The Economic Decline and Escalating Urban Teen Crime – From Chicago to the Northeast - A Rant on the Need for a Courageous Leader

Not a day goes by that news of an “economic” recovery appears to be nowhere in sight – unemployment is back to 9 plus percent, food and fuel inflation is on the rise, and the government is on the brink of writing its last bad check before interest rates are forced upwards - déjà vu 1979.

Those hardest hit by the aforementioned are not the working poor (i.e. those who have a job of any sort, and live paycheck to paycheck, regardless of income), it is those who have never held a job, or have depended upon one form of entitlement or another, in order to survive that are most vulnerable. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand that those living on a stipend, are experiencing the same level of angst, however, in this generation, the reliance on free money, free phones, free cars, free food, all at the largesse of the state or federal government, coupled with a consistent political drumbeat of “tax the rich”, has translated into “take what you want”.

This is nothing new, crime out of poverty – having lived in an inner city setting back in the late 1970’s one watched neighbors on social security benefits purchasing cat food for human consumption, enterprising youth hitting local supermarkets and stocking the trunks of cars with pilfered meats to sell on street corners, it is the crime and consequence of failed economic policies. In the later era, those who profited from larceny also served the public in a twisted sense of a later day “Robin Hood” – the logic: grocery stores had insurance, therefore, taking meat or other food items from these stores, and selling them at pennies on the dollar to those who would go without, was somehow honorable. These were the children that either anticipated having a job during the summer months, fully understanding that they would somehow work at some point.

The further one went into the inner city, however, the less “noble” the criminal behavior became. One driving through Hartford, CT at rush hour was well advised (in the pre-cell phone era) to keep a purse or any valuables hidden under a car seat, or risk an attack and robbery.) Once the economy improved, the rampant crime dissipated, and those who played at “Robin Hood” became respected members of the community. In Hartford, the crime abated, absorbed by the ability of the dollar to go further. In that era, the emphasis in schools and homes was that the individual be self-made, educated and take every opportunity to improve one’s station in life. No-one, especially the government, was responsible for one’s ability to survive, unless, and only unless there was a disaster of sorts.

It is not surprising therefore, that today, as the economy is in the same shape (or worse, as the jury is out), that those who have “checks” that do not cover the “bills”, specifically disenfranchised teens, are now committing crimes that would embarrass their counterparts of only a few decades past. It is the loss of the teaching of self-reliance, the push from parents and peers that would send high school students into tobacco fields, factories, construction any job that paid so that one could contribute and grow. It is the pervasive progressive push that the rich are somehow to “blame” and therefore, those on the bottom rung are “owed” everything they desire to exist. The fact that those factory jobs no longer exit, or the small farms, plays a part in this breakdown – where those who still desire to achieve on their own are hampered by a lack of choices, and must compete for those low level jobs with adults.

The crimes thereof ere, have become more blatant, without apparent concern for consequence. Take Chicago for example: Teen “mobs” are boarding city buses and robbing passengers – NBC Chicago reports that that up to 15 teens boarded buses on two separate occasions stealing cell phones and other items from passengers. Cell phones can be sold on Criagslist for example bringing $50 to $100, depending on the make or model. These are youth that are taking what they feel they “deserve” – the victim may be viewed as having “more money” or even “rich” by their standards, and therefore “deserving” of being robbed.

The civility is gone, as it is no longer taught or expected, regardless of what rung on the ladder one finds oneself, there simply is no incentive.

In the recent earthquakes in Japan, the most startling fact of coming from that disaster was that no looting occurred – neighbors helped one another, the reliance on self-reliance and family and respect deep rooted in a culture, that is reminiscent of the culture that pervaded the U.S. no so very long ago.

In Western Mass, a recent tornado that struck Springfield, resulted in neighbors helping neighbors, but also looting. Taking advantage of those that are struck by disaster, as the haves versus the “have nots” has appeared to become the norm.

The solution therefore, is to teach your children well, to right the wrong dogma that the world owes, that the rich are somehow evil, and that the “state” will solve one’s problems, not the individual.

The rich generally create the jobs, needed to put those roving bands of hoodlums to work. It is time for leadership to step up and stand up for the youth – those teachers, those politicians, those parents who need to instill a sense of hope, self-reliance and yes, industry (invite it by taxing it less), will, over time, bring this nation back to its senses. There is no time like the present to start the conversation. There has never been a time in our history where leadership that will inspire youth to be self-made, generous to their neighbors, and ashamed of base behavior is so badly needed.

Having seen the cycle of poverty and resultant crime and the changes in both over a period of forty odd years, one is convinced that this nation has opportunity aplenty when all children are encouraged, when all are told they are not “this group or that group” rather American’s with equal opportunity to succeed or fail, based on their own merits, and that there will be no government standing ready to sweep their mistakes under the proverbial rug. We need leadership with the moral authority to lead our nation forward, not merely economically but to instill a sense of value in each and every child, a sense of what is right with American that will allow them to become whatever they work hard at to become – to rely on no-one, but to help those in need. That leader may be a man, it may be a woman, but it is with a deep hope that this individual puts aside fears of a hostile media, and a hostile political party (as the individual in mind are considered outsiders), and has the courage to lead us out of this mess.