Verified Reasons for Defunding Law Enforcement Agencies
Allocating money to communities so that crime and violence decreases is long overdue. Citizens and lawmakers are finally participating in real conversations about this issue, and the wave of disgust toward overfunded law enforcement agencies is also bringing people together in a way that will make this issue something that cannot be ignored. There are plenty of benefits that can happen when money—which equates to resources—is delivered to neighborhoods at large. This piece will present the key issues and benefits that would happen if a budget shift were to occur.
1. Better relations with law enforcers.
Defunding law enforcement organizations and putting money into the community allows citizens to see that their law enforcers and other public officials care about their wellbeing. Such an attitude has shown to decrease crime and violence, as well as bring a positive mental attitude toward governance and life in general. Law enforcers would enter less dangerous situations and would receive more appreciation for their services. The same concept applies to other public officials who are not law enforcers. This is interrelated with everything below.
2. Better education
Putting money into schools contributes to more well-rounded individuals. Equal access to proper education has shown that people are not only better informed in general, but also have the ability to think in different perspectives. The research on this variable has shown that properly educated people are less likely to participate in crime, violence, and long lasting pessimism toward law enforcers and other public officials. Successful employment is also significantly related to this variable.
3. Employment
Delivering funds to increase employment opportunities allows individuals to not turn to crime to make ends meet. Better employment opportunities also decreases negative attitudes toward law enforcers and other public officials. Specifically, having a living wage not only keeps people occupied, but allows them to take care of their family, which, in turn, transitions into better mental health. Being employed with a livable salary is also related to more productive community service, additional volunteer work, and striving to help others when they are in need. All of which allows law enforcers—especially police officers—to be more free to participate in community policing and not be burdened with high crime rates.
4. Healthcare
Taking money from law enforcement budgets and shifting it to healthcare reforms also contributes to less crime and violence. When people are healthy and have equal access to sufficient healthcare, they have better attitudes and participate in less illegal behaviors and have less disdain toward government employees. Providing better healthcare opportunities allows citizens to be more proactive in their neighborhoods and jobs too, which has shown to reduce crime levels and stress.
5. Housing
Money taken from law enforcement agencies can rid the United States of dilapidation and slumlords. Fixing up buildings and houses that people live in also allows them to not have long lasting disdain toward public officials and the research has shown that people participate in less criminal activities when they have decent places to live. Social disorganization is one the fundamental variables for levels of crime in areas that are experiencing blight. Solving this problem via budget shifts also allows law enforcers to look legitimate in their services, which, in turn, gives law enforcement agencies less problems to deal with.
6. Better training for police officers
Money shifted to other areas in our society also gives police officers more time to train and prepare for specific circumstances. In other words, a budget shift would allow police officers to not only have better basic training, but also receive specific training for situations that they encounter in their jurisdiction. Better trained officers has shown to decrease crime, violence, and disdain toward government activities.
7. More practical laws
Giving money to other areas of our society also allows lawmakers and law enforcers to create laws and policies that are needed and wanted by the their constituents. Harsh sentences, sentencing disparities, and disdain by citizens toward public servants has been shown to decrease when money is freed up and lawmakers and law enforcers base their actions on citizens’ desires. This also transitions into safer communities and better citizen/neighborhood cohesion.
8. Less corruption and abuses of power
Investing in communities decreases corruption and abuses of power, as well as civil lawsuits. The happier a community is brings positive attitudes toward law enforcers and a respect for the integrity that is supposed to be encompassed in the law enforcement profession. Less negative encounters, that is. Lots of money is wasted of settlements and fees that could be used to make society better.
9. Less incarceration
Defunding law enforcement agencies also decreases the incarceration rate. When funding is allocated to communities and they begin to prosper, the incarceration rates goes down, as well as the disparities in our jails and prisons. Mass incarceration—which is a result of bogus law enforcement—destroys communities and gives citizens negative attitudes toward government agencies and employees. Better crime control and reentry methods also develop because of this.
10. Less police-citizen and other law enforcement-related deaths
By investing in communities across the nation, the result would be less violent interactions with police officers in general and less interactions that lead to deaths by law enforcers.
Overall, by shifting the budgets around for law enforcement agencies, the nation would prosper in general and retain better relations with police officers and other public officials. This overhaul of the criminal justice system’s practices is desperately needed in the United States. Other contemporary nations have done this and had much success in doing so. There is no longer a justifiable excuse to continue with the saturation of military-styled law enforcement agencies, especially at the local level.
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