Public Safety

By Jack M. Mobley

The safety and security of all Californians has been lessened by the ever-increasing criminal element in all our communities.

Passing more laws isn't the answer to restoring the lost freedom and security; we must enforce the existing laws. Our judiciary is sorely understaffed; we must appoint more judges, and hire more law enforcement personnel. Those who can be rehabilitated must be identified and a serious effort made to return them to society as law-abiding productive citizens. Law enforcement and outside private agencies, such as faith-based organizations, must work together to facilitate these efforts. Those who have been paroled and continue to harbor criminal tendencies must be given a very real appreciation for the consequences of repeat incarceration. The proliferation of gangs, over-crowding of jails, insufficient law enforcement manpower, anemic intervention programs and inadequate disaster preparedness must be addressed by the state legislature.

Lastly, I am not a fan of the state raising children or teaching them morals. Those jobs are the responsibility of the parents. However, the reality today is that more and more children are coming home after school to no adult supervision either because both parents are working or the child is being raised in a single parent home and that parent has to work. Many days these kids are often alone or with their peers for 3 or more hours unsupervised. The need is there for more after school programs to keep these kids occupied either in organizations like The Boys and Girls Clubs, sports or music programs in school, or similar activities to prevent them from having idle time on their hands when they can make poor choices.