What can Trump Do to Fight Crime?

There a few major steps the new Trump administration can do to battle crime. First and foremost, it may empower police by reducing supervision over police activity, which will definitely lead to more aggressive law enforcement including the more frequent use of violent methods.

Second, trump can call the National Guard to suppress future anti-police riots. Third, he can equip states’ police forces with a whole new array of military –grade equipment. This, of course, will potentially increase police aggressiveness even further.

Do we really need a new and more aggressive law enforcement policy?

In the last two years the rate of violent crime is on the increase, but as a whole it is still at historically low levels. Most of the surge in violence occurs in some of the biggest cities and not in all of the country.

In addition, we must bear in mind that crime rate has gone higher mostly in states governed by the Republicans. In these states, there are already laws in favor of the police and it does not seem to help. Of course reality and what politicians say are two different things. Politicians will always say that during their tenure there was a significant decrease in crime and the street became safer. Positive data do not always support words.

What people do not understand is that crime prevention begins with good education and a good public services. If the government does not allocate economic resources to crime prevention methods right from the start; that is, from the moment potentially future criminals are very young (including uncompromising fight against poverty), no matter how strong the police are and how many resources they enjoy, crime rate will rise.

Allocating funds for social project, investing in schools and community centers will definitely make a difference. It is the responsibility and duty of states and the Federal Government to improve the welfare of the citizens.