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San Diego County, CA June 3, 2008 Election
Smart Voter

Crime Prevention Is A Community Responsibility

By Maxine Sherard

Candidate for Member of the State Assembly; District 78; Democratic Party

This information is provided by the candidate
Preventing crime in communities involves the home, school, community and law enforcement intimately working together.
My position on crime prevention is that youth in high-risk community require much more attention than is currently given. To deter crime in such community, there is a great need for (1) age-relevant educational programs and activities that keep the attention of students and discourage dropouts (2) enforcement of relevant gun control laws and (3) partnerships with law enforcement. We know there are specific age-related periods that crimes are most likely to be committed. Prior to and during this critical time period, it is important that the community home, and school be intimately involved in building the academic, vocational and avocational skills of young people as they approach adulthood. Such articulated communities and law enforcement must all work together hand-in-hand in a spirit of corporation in developing, not only respect for law and order, but respect for self and concern for the community. Projects in the community that employ youth as well as involve them in pro bona service would go a long way in teaching the values and principles of conduct. The acquiring of academic skills and avocations should all contribute toward citizenship and personal growth. We cannot allow weapons to be in the hands of untrained minds that are not yet responsible in safeguarding the civil and human rights of others. We must promote and enforce laws that keep guns out of the hands of those who do not qualify to have them, especially the youth. I would support well-delineated policies that require a person go through a rigorous licensing program and process that would eventually qualify them to own a gum. Violators of this policy would be subjected to strict enforcement policies. To deter crime, schools must be held accountable for tracking and mentoring of students that are truant, or misbehave. Putting them into the juvenile system should be the last alternative for deterring/controlling antisocial behavior. Perhaps, we should consider extending the age for students to be in school in order to reach desirable outcomes of behavior, and accomplishments. All institutions in the community should work toward suppressing the dropout rate especially during the period when young people are most likely to be unsupervised and therefore more vulnerable and susceptible to pressure from peers to commit crimes.

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ca/state Created from information supplied by the candidate: May 9, 2008 09:43
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