Kerby Anderson

For the last year, we have occasionally seen violence on college campuses. Now, some of that violence had made its way into the streets and into city parks and neighborhoods. What can be done to end the violence? Former senator Jim Talent has some concrete suggestions. First, he says, “state laws must single out violence and disorderly conduct in the context of mass expression for special and certain punishment.” He also explains that the “punishment must be meaningful to the kind of people who do this sort of thing.” He is convinced that the problem of street violence has grown so great that jail time is the only measure that will be sufficient to stop it. Second, he says that, “the laws must be strictly enforced.” This is where governors and mayors must step up. “Too many mayors have been lenient for fear that they will suffer political consequences if they enforce the law against members of politically favored groups.” This is where the governors of various states may need to step in. In order to provide enough protection, they should have “large numbers of well-trained and equipped personnel ready, whether from the state police or their National Guards.” In fact, he says that governors need to make it a personal priority to ensure that state law enforcement personnel are properly trained and equipped. Once those engaging in street violence are arrested and incarcerated, their names and their faces and fingerprints are on the books. That means that subsequent violations can be punished more harshly with felony imprisonment when warranted. As a former politician, Jim Talent understands there are political risks in taking some of the steps he has outlined. But he also realizes that street violence can quickly get out of hand if officials do nothing and hope that violence won’t come to their jurisdictions. This is how to bring law and order back to our streets.