Grass-roots group has role to play in war on crime

Ever since it was created in 1999, ACTION -- Alliance For Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods -- has put crime, especially homicides in the city of Youngstown, high on its list of priorities. Members of the faith-based grass-roots organization seem to recognize that there is a correlation between unsafe neighborhoods and negative economic growth.
Companies do not locate in communities perceived to be crime ridden, and so no new jobs are created. The inability to earn a livable wage forces some individuals into lives of crime. It's a vicious circle that must be broken.
What's to be done? During its annual public meeting last Sunday, ACTION contended that murder, drugs, prostitution, crack houses and abandoned houses are contributing to Youngstown's decline and must be dealt with urgently.
The organization asked Mayor George McKelvey and city council President John Swierz to publicly commit city government in an all-out war on crime. With 2,000 or so city and suburban residents in attendance, the elected officials were eager to please. But it will take more than a public declaration. And it will take more than just city government to rid Youngstown of this plague.
Courts
Law enforcement -- federal and state governments have been assisting Youngstown police and the Mahoning County Sheriff's Department -- can only do so much. The courts must become more aggressive in dealing with repeat offenders, and organizations such as ACTION must take the lead in first of all identifying root causes of crime and then proposing solutions.
For instance, at last Sunday's public meeting, much was made of the fact that the drug trade in the city is flourishing not because of Youngstown residents, but because of suburbanites. Likewise, prostitution. Several years ago, law enforcement agencies set up surveillance cameras and established teams to monitor the activity in a housing project in the city.
Once word got out that drug transactions were being caught on candid camera, the dealers moved elsewhere.
As for prostitution, there was a time when city government publicly identified individuals who were convicted of hiring prostitutes. The shame of being in the public spotlight caused many men to stay away.
But police crackdowns go only so far and have a temporary effect.
The illegal drug trade, which has triggered bloody wars between gangs, must be attacked at the neighborhood level. That means boosting block watch groups and increasing the number of "take back the streets" campaigns. It also means providing assistance and care to families devastated by drug addiction.
ACTION is well positioned to participate in the war on crime. Youngstown city leaders have pledged to do their part, but in reality this is a challenge for the entire community.