Crime does not occur in only one kind of community or only one region of our nation. There is no one solution to the problem, but we must do something to reduce the crime rate in our community. The only way we can make our streets safer is by working together -- teachers, families, law enforcement, businesses, youth and faith-based organizations, and the media. .
According to the FBI, in 2000 the homicide rate in the United States fell to its lowest level in 30 years. And in its most recent annual survey on crime, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that violent crime rates in the United States were 21 percent lower in 2000 than they were just four years earlier. Although crime rates continue to decline, I believe we must do even more to reduce crime. Our juvenile justice system is ill-equipped to deal with young violent offenders whose actions have consequences every bit as tragic as the actions of their adult counterparts. Street gangs continue to peddle drugs, attack innocent citizens, and spread fear and intimidation in our neighborhoods. We should also all be aware of the potential dangers kids face going off to school every year, and the hidden dangers that lurk in the classroom, home and on the playground. .
We can't assume that the crime rates will continue to drop. We've just gone through several years of improving economy at the same time we've gone through several years of improving crime rates. The economy obviously stopped improving and is in a huge decline. What does that tell you? .
We must continue to enact tough, common-sense and comprehensive reforms to our criminal justice system. We must continue to target violent crime in schools, reform the juvenile justice system, combat gang violence, crack down on illegal drugs, and provide law enforcement officers with powerful new weapons in this battle against street crime.
I am convinced that agencies, organizations, government units, faith communities, and citizens need to collaborate with each other to continuously improve the strategies used to prevent and reduce crime in the community.
