Response by Councilwoman Mary Cheh

A very short, half-hearted, unconvincing and example-less response from Councilwoman Mary Cheh.

Thanks for you concern. I agree that we need both rehabilitative and preventative programs and effective criminal enforcement and incapacitation. I have supported many measures in both areas.
Regards

Letter to our Representatives: Stop Youth Crime in DC

I am your average Jane Q. Citizen in DC and created this page so that those concerned with the lax approach that DC takes to youth crime and violence can join together and send a clear message to our leaders that we expect them to tackle the issue and we will vote them out if they don't.  I am not affiliated with any organization. 

If you want to support the cause, please:

1.  Cut and paste the letter below into your personal email.

2.  End the letter with your name and address.  If you send the letter anonymously, it will be disregarded.

3.  Email the letter to Mayor Vincent Gray, all of the Councilmembers and Congresswoman Norton's Legislative Assistant Jason Spear by cutting and pasting the email addresses below into your email.

I tried to make this process as easy as possible and the letter clear and constructive.  

To:  vincent.gray@dc.gov, kbrown@dccouncil.us, mcheh@dccouncil.us, dcatania@dccouncil.us, pmendelson@dccouncil.us, mbrown@dccouncil.us, vorange@dccouncil.us, jgraham@dccouncil.us, jevans@dccouncil.us, mbowser@dccouncil.us, kmcduffie@dccouncil.us, twells@dccouncil.us, yalexander@dccouncil.us, mbarry@dccouncil.us, jason.spear@mail.house.gov 

  

Subject: Stop Youth Crime in DC

I am writing to express my exasperation with 1.) the crime and violence being perpetrated by youth in the District of Columbia, 2.) the inability of the legal and justice systems in the District to act as a deterrent to this behavior and 3.) the seeming lack of interest and/or will by our elected leaders to address the issue, particularly by putting into place and enforcing laws, policies and procedures that protect law-abiding citizens rather than coddling thugs simply due to their age. 

Although overall crime rates in the District may be falling, the number of harassments, robberies, break-ins and beatings being committed by youth in the District is much too high and taking place with disturbing regularity and in very public settings.  To make matters worse, many of these crimes are going unreported, because it has become common knowledge -- based in large part on statements made by the police when crimes are, in fact, reported -- that little can be done to punish the offenders due to their age based on DC's laws.  It is clear that youths engaging in criminal behavior are fully aware that they operate with impunity, since the hands of law enforcment are tied and our elected leaders refuse to acknowledge or address -- including through stiffer penalties -- the serious problem in our midst.

District residents of all races, ages, classes, religions and sexual orientations as well as both genders continue to be victimized by these youths, and addressing their behavior will benefit all segments of society. 

It is your duty to use your fully authority to ensure that District residents are safe from crime and violence, including that being committed by youths.  Although I continue to support social programs, interventions and opportunities designed to assist at-risk youth, I strongly urge you to couple the current carrots of assistance with effective sticks of deterrence by strengthening our laws, regulations and policies to prevent youths who engage in criminal behavior from feeling little-to-no consequence of their actions. 

I look forward to hearing your public statements on how you intend to put in place concrete measures that protect the law-abiding residents of the District by deterring the criminal behavior of some of our youth.  Please be aware that silence and inaction from you on the issue of youth criminal behavior will be noticed and kept in mind during the next election. 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Your name

Address