Crime in Vicksburg is a problem we must all address

In the first couple of days of September, there was a push by some community members to convince folks that crime wasn’t a problem in Vicksburg. They chided those who said there was a crime issue, and some went so far as to call them “irresponsible.”

Vicksburg responded by saying, “Hold my beer!” starting with a manhunt that had law enforcement riding like military troops through some of the city’s oldest and most beautiful neighborhoods.

This incredible photo of law enforcement in the back of a truck, heavily armed, looking for the suspects. Photo by David Day.

Since then, we’ve seen a seemingly endless spree of shootings and chases. The frequent sounds of shots being fired, people being shot (including a murder in the street), a home invasion and even someone shot through a window while sitting on his couch have all of us on edge.

Folks on social media are questioning the actions of city leaders to address crime. Meanwhile, other local media outlets sound more like a public relations firm for advertisers than an honest broker for crime information. Their solution to the problem amounts to little more than “hopes and prayers” as they continue to tout crime statistics that, frankly, don’t make a lick of sense.

All of us should be proud of our law enforcement officers  on the street and of our community for supporting them. We understand they put their lives on the line for us.

We also feel it’s important to provide you with news of the many positive things happening in Vicksburg. Along those lines, we will continue to bring you information about terrific events, improvements of any kind in the city and county, and stories about the selfless people working every day to improve Vicksburg and lift up those in need.

What we will not do is sugar coat the news or let those in power rest on their laurels.

We at the Vicksburg Daily News are grateful to you, our readers, for making us the most read newspaper in town.  That you come to us for the most recent and accurate reports of what is going on around town is a responsibility we take seriously. We will always listen to you, taking your criticisms as constructive, basking in your appreciation, and we’ll will always, always work hard to continually improve and expand what we do.

Ad impressions as of September 23, 2019. Obviously you are reading the Vicksburg Daily News.

There is no single cause for crime, nor is there a single, silver-bullet cure. The problem is multi-faceted as are the solutions. One thing all of us should agree on is that trying to hide the problem, or not report on it accurately, is not a solution. If it was things surely would have worked out by now.

We at the Vicksburg Daily News believe you and your safety are more important than a corporate spread sheet and quarterly profits.

Let’s work together to go after the many issues that lead to crime and allow it to fester and grow.

At the top of the list has to be education. It’s not surprising that every study ever made proves that people with a good education are far more likely to end up on the productive side of society rather than the dependent side or the destructive side. And no, the solution to providing quality education is not always money, but it sure does solve a lot of the problems.

Mississippi is consistently rated at or near the bottom of all U.S. educational systems, and we’re consistently at or near the bottom in school funding. We don’t think that’s a coincidence.

Here in Vicksburg, we have been making great strides to improve our schools, including passing an $82 million bond to upgrade our aging facilities. A crumbling building and lack of books and other supplies doesn’t engender a learning culture; it tells our children that they don’t count. Putting money into facilities says just the opposite: Our children are our priority, because they matter.

Every school on the planet has seen an occasional fight after or during school. In our modern, violent culture we worry that any confrontation at school could turn into a something much worse. That is why bullying is such a hot button issue, and it’s a problem we have to deal with. Is there is a way to stop bullying completely? Not likely, but we should work toward minimizing it, and that includes holding those in charge accountable.

Next on our list is addressing what our children do in their free time. Providing mentors and activities that attract young people can make a difference in keeping our youth off the streets. There was a time when Vicksburg put some effort into providing after-school and summertime youth programs, and we want to see those efforts revived.

Kids are naturally attracted to adults who care about them enough to spend their time and energy, and that’s not always the family. The “Father Knows Best” family of the ’50s and ’60s is long gone, and for many, that family structure never existed in the first place.

It’s not enough to blame every bad thing our children do on a lack of familial guidance, because there are too many distractions and too many people looking to lure them into bad behavior. Our children’s guardians have to work hard to keep the lights on and food on the table. As a community, we have to act together as the adults that can show them a better way. We have to find ways to keep kids from developing the harmful habits that will lead them to the dependent and destructive sides of society.

Locust and Fayette streets early last Saturday morning.

We don’t have to reinvent the wheel, either. A lot is being done in other cities and we can bring those programs here.

Athletic leagues with police sponsorship were a big part of my upbringing. Every sport I played outside of school was organized by police leagues. The sponsors and coaches knew that keeping kids busy with athletics was a great way to keep them from getting into trouble. In our modern times, athletics could be one part of a package of community activities for the kids. Art classes, video-game contests, scholarly clubs, book groups and even online sports can all be sponsored by the community to keep kids in an environment that makes them feel a part of the community. A lot of kids from those programs will grow up to coach and lead the next generation.

We want to challenge the community to work with the city and county to find better ways to interact with our children. Some kids have a lot of options. We need to work together to provide options for those who don’t and support every effort to change a bad trajectory, otherwise we’re going to lose this generation and the next.

Communities that work together will thrive together. Together, we must demand that our city and county leaders help us make that difference.