Highly effective nontraditional solutions for violent crime prevention
I have seen enough stupidity. Here are real solutions that will work.
1.1. Legalize Concealed Carry of guns for responsible citizens. Fortunately, this is already happening in Illinois, to be put into practice by 2014. The exceptions for disallowing possession in certain places still need to be eliminated, however.
1.2. Encourage possession of nonlethal weapons, including pepper spray, stun guns, collapsible batons, noise and flash alarms, etc.
2.1. Legalize medical marijuana (probably happening in Illinois by 2014 too).
2.2. Legalize recreational marijuana too.
2.3. Legal all illegal and controlled drugs, effectively eliminating the illegal drug market 100%. Dispense them safely like pharmaceuticals with appropriate product literature, but also with antidotes to reverse accidental toxicity. This will go a long way in lowering gang violence. Tax the sales, and use this sales money ONLY for effective public programs to wean people off of harmful drugs. Make use of the science of neurology for a change.
2.4. Provide free and safe legal drugs to addicts who can't afford them, while ensuring their mandatory enrollment in therapeutic programs that are based on science.
31. Like London and parts of NYC, have very high-resolution public video cameras to record all problematic streets. This will provide evidence to find criminals more easily, and also help the police stop crimes early on. There should be a strict privacy-preserving policy of no permanent archival of footage of innocents.
3.2. Mandate all stores and establishments to also record all activity on high resolution video for a period no less than 3 days.
3.3. Use automated vehicle license plate recognition and logging for a two year period, but not logged permanently.
4. As much as I hate the NSA's PRISM program, it can be used to prevent domestic crime too.
5. Make prostitution legal and convenient. As much as feminists would hate to read and admit it, violence against women is seriously lower when attractive and STD-free women are readily available to men for nice sex.
6. Put safe but reasonable amounts of lithium and magnesium in the water supply. These are both safe in the correct doses, and promote mental well being to the extent of reducing violent crime. Appreciably limit calcium, aluminum, and lead in the water supply. To understand why, you'll have to know their neurological effects.
7. Use prison as a tool not for punishment but for reformation. There should be no violence inside prisons. The very bad apples must be put in dark isolation until they break psychologically. Alternatively, they can choose the alternative of appropriate psychiatric drugs to break them just the same. Prisoners must have the opportunity to gain trade skills and work experience while in prison.
8.1. Make all mental health service available conveniently, cheaply or freely, and effectively with a diverse set of science-based practitioners.
8.2. Help unemployed people find jobs very aggressively, and help them remain employed. Also help ex-convicts find jobs that suit them and their employers.
9. Provide and encourage the use of contraception. Provide all contraceptive and birth-control services freely, but don't force it. This is not eugenics. People who are on welfare or cannot afford a child musn't be having one.
10. As much as I hate to say it, use armed aerial drones to provide extremely rapid police action where needed.
11. Grow more trees everywhere possible. The more the trees, the better is human physical and mental health. There should be enough trees to lower the temperature of the violent zones by a few degrees relative to the surrounding regions.