A Bruhaha Over a Political Statement Or Something Else... Indianapolis?

[TrappedinCalifornia]

Op/Ed: Gun violence is decreasing in Indianapolis. Yes, you read that correctly.

...In 2022, the city of Indianapolis made significant progress in reducing shootings and homicides through its Gun Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS). GVRS is a strategy that identifies individuals who are at very high risk of being involved in gun violence and employs intensive interventions with those individuals to prevent retaliatory shootings...

These efforts have paid off. Not only did the city experience a 16% reduction in murders in 2022, but according to IMPD, through July 17, the city has seen an additional 14% year-to-date reduction in murders. This means there has been nearly a 30% reduction in murders since the implementation of GVRS.

There is much more work to do. Too many residents still need guidance on the path to peace. But the continued progress should be acknowledged and appreciated by all.

Now I see. Their 'guidance' is working so they intend to provide more 'guidance.'

[TrappedinCalifornia]

Uh oh. With 'gun violence' decreasing (see preceding post), the anti-gun forces are bring out the (ahem) 'big guns'...

What Indianapolis high schoolers think about the city's violence, and how to fix it

...IndyStar asked seven Indianapolis high schoolers their thoughts about what's driving students their age to violence, and how to stop it. The teens are all part of a fellowship program with the Marion County Prosecutor's Office that aims to curb juveniles from becoming tangled in the criminal justice system...

In one sense, it doesn't seem to be too bad a piece given the age of those interviewed. In another, it's not simply 'kids' involved with so-called "gun violence." But, perhaps one of the most insightful comments was...

..."The kids who are engaging in youth violence are kids who feel like they've been repeatedly failed," Cardenas said. "They're selling drugs, but those drugs are paying for the food on my plate. They're trading guns with people and selling guns, those guns are paying for the clothes on my back."...

In other words, for some of these kids, it's not just about trying to 'look tough/cool' or because they have 'access' or what we would deem an 'anti-gun' viewpoint held by many in the interviews (you have to watch the video). It's about necessities for many, including simply survival. It kinda makes you wonder if, perhaps, investing in the communities rather than investing in anti-gun legislation and rhetoric might be more effective.