March 3 - 17, 2000 -- No Quick Fix To Curb Violence
Incidents like the recent school shooting in Flint, Mich., and the shooting spree in Memphis have sparked new calls for gun control. But policymakers shouldn't be hasty in making new laws and policies in response to singular incidents, says UAB criminologist John Sloan, Ph.D. For example, many states have lowered the age at which children can be tried as adults to crack down on juvenile violence. "It's the law of unintended consequences. By sending a juvenile to an adult prison, you're making the child worse since there is no rehabilitation." Another example is the use of profiling by police to curb drug trafficking, which has led to accusations of racism and harassment by minorities against the police.
Contact Gail Short at 205-934-8931 or [email protected].
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