Keeping crime down

The following editorial appeared in Monday's Wichita Eagle:

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Nationally, 2000 was the ninth consecutive year of dropping crime rates. Rape, robbery and assault remained near already-low levels, and the murder rate dropped to its lowest point in 35 years. Changes in law enforcement and sentencing no doubt contributed to the declines, but demographics also are a key factor. The youngest members of the enormous baby boom generation have outgrown their crime-prone years.

Now for a little bad news: The number of people in their teens and 20s - the most active ages for criminals - is expected to rise again in the next decade.

We have a rare opportunity here. Thanks to research and analysis, we know more about the causes and effects of crime - and more about how to prevent it - than at any other time in our history.

For example, years of collecting data on crimes and criminals show that serious and violent juvenile offenders are a small segment of American children, but they are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime .

They typically make their first court appearance for robbery, assault or other serious crimes when they are about 14 years old - but on average, they begin to have minor behavior problems at age 7 and commit serious delinquent offenses by the time they are 12.

Let's beat the trend. Let's focus on efforts that we know make positive differences in kids' lives, including early childhood education, mentoring, after-school programs, extracurricular activities ranging from sports to debate to choir, character education, and - most important - positive parental involvement.

Some of these efforts will require funding, but mostly, they require our time.

The Justice Department has identified certain parenting skills as being especially important to keeping kids out of trouble:

Talking with and listening to our children, one-on-one. Putting a high value on education. Helping kids identify good role models in our communities. Praising them for doing well and encouraging them to stretch their skills. Knowing who they spend their time with. Telling them that we don't want to see them hurt or arrested, that we see them as worth protecting, and that family members don't keep secrets from one another.

We won't eliminate crime. But with a little effort, we can reduce it.