How Can We End Violent Gun Crime In Albany?

On Friday afternoon Sheriff Craig Apple, Sr. and Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy held a joint briefing on the gun violence that has been wreaking havoc on the Capital Region.

County Executive McCoy acknowledged that gun violence is a problem, but he has an optimistic view that we are in a better place than we were last year.  He made a comparison to the peaceful protests that were interrupted by rioting and looting.  He said that he is working with Sheriff Apple to continue fighting crime and turning things around.

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According to News 10, Sheriff Apple acknowledged that there is a crime problem in Albany and says that the spike in violence is in certain parts of the city and that he is working with the Albany Police Department.

It is comforting to know that law enforcement is out in the community working hard to curb the violence that is plaguing our city.  However, many of these incidents could be averted if the root of our problems in society were addressed.

In my view, if we were to tackle some of the root causes for a violent crime we could see a drastic decrease in senseless gun deaths.

I believe that if we started with the youth we would make huge steps toward accomplishing that goal.  Youth programs would be a vital first step.  Keeping children active and giving them a sense of accomplishment would be key.  We would be instilling pride and a worthy attitude from the beginning.

Job opportunities are also vital.  Poverty is a breeding ground for violent crime.  If people feel hopeless and feel as if they have nothing to lose, crime is almost certainly going to happen.

We would also have to look at mental health.  Many of the people who are committing violent crimes have mental health issues that need to be addressed. Mental health issues plague the black community and seeking help is often frowned upon.

These are just a few of my thoughts on turning things around and having a better future for everyone.  What are your thoughts on how we can decrease gun violence in the Capital Region?