I like to think I'm a little bit of both - although my sister may tend to disagree. While I have not been "in the middle of it all" I have seen things, and frankly my street smarts tell me when to get the hell out of the way so that I'm not sucked into "the middle of it all" but they also tell me that we have big problems in the world that need to be addressed, which is my book smart way of thinking.
For example I can read about homelessness and tell you statistics on the subject and the people who are homeless but I've never experienced it, so it must mean that I don't really understand it.
However, I do understand that a homeless man on Rodeo Drive of all places, screaming at me, telling me he will blow my f'ing head off is probably mentally ill and needs more help than the crumpled dollar in his used McDonalds coffee cup will get him...he needs services, counseling, drugs - and not the kind he's used to. He probably needs to detox and he certainly could use a shower, a hot meal and some clean clothes.
And that's when book smarts meet street smarts. I think that the more data you can collect while providing people with services - going out onto the streets and talking to people, getting their story, finding out what got them to the place that they're in (which you have to have street smarts to do) - will help you develop programs and services that will ultimately solve problems.
I'm not saying that data is magic or that collecting it is easy. I just wish that there was some understanding that numbers aren't just pulled out of thin air (unless you're doing the most unscientific study in the world). People are out there in "the middle of it all" asking questions and gathering information, turning it into data and studying it - looking at trends and anomalies and coming up with solutions to put to use in the real world.
And, sometimes those solutions that we come up with on paper don't work "in the middle of it all" so you make changes until something sticks. The truth of the matter is that you don't really know how something is going to work until you implement it. Will giving a homeless person $100,000 to buy a home solve their problem? They wouldn't be homeless anymore right? Or would helping them with any AODA issues they have, teaching them job skills and interview skills among other things help more? You have to look at the data to see.
Numbers and people interpreting those numbers - the "book smart" people don't always have the answers and I firmly believe it's why you have to coordinate with the people that have "street smarts" to really start addressing some tough issues and finding solutions. Maybe I'm optimistic though.
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5 comments:
no comment.
other than (because you KNOW i have a comment) in your stats, in 2005, 495 boys were arrested while only 97 girls were arrested (these numbers may be off by 1 or 2) .. does this mean that police are unfairly targeting boys rather than girls?
This goes back to the race thing.
I see your point, but don't avoid mine.
and FYI, i'm voting republican only because of YOU! thanks LMAO..jk..i think?
LOVE YOU BIG SISTER!
Soemtimes it does come down to unfairly targeting boys over girls and think about it - when it's a group of guys doing something they are all getting arrested, when girls are getting arrested it's in smaller groups and smaller numbers. It's the nature of the game.
And, I'm not avoiding your point, while I get what you're saying I think you are missing the fact that I have one too and my point is that there are people on the streets that are gathering this data - in the trenches so to speak and there are others who are analyzing it to see how we can best address the issue of ANY teen - regardless of race or sex - being in the juvy system. Or for that matter, any system at all.
Chalk it up to different life experiences I suppose. And even though we've had HUGE differences in those experiences I LOVE YOU LITTLE SISTER. :)
I told you I see your point-you're really missing mine.
I'm not talking about the 'researchers' seeing what crime life is like, i'm talking being the criminal himself.
I know how they live, think, breath, whatever. Its far different then saying 'Here let me give you this education, let me give you this knowledge, let me give you these classes to help your future'
Unfortunately-that doesn't work all the time.
i'm not saying don't try to implement these programs i'm just saying its not that easy because most don't care.
SD was just in Anger Management because he threw his pregnant girlfriend down two flights of steps..his words were "i'm gonna do this stupid program so they reduce my charges" and he finished it-just a couple weeks ago he told me he got into a fight at a bar and got kicked out. wow, good job anger management, i applaud you!
blah. this is worse then politics. oh wait, it is.
However, SD has MUCH larger problems than just anger management right?! And if someone really sat down with him they'd figure that out.
The real issue is getting people bought in on this stuff - they have to WANT to do it for it to work and I totally understand your point that most don't have the desire to - I get that - however, some do.
And more importantly, if you're addressing all the other issues that are going on in conjunction with the crime you can maybe start a downward trend in the problem itself (which, by the books, is really happening).
SD needs more help than anger management - his whole family needs help and because THAT'S not addressed of couse it's not going to help. He also needed help at the point when he was initially arrested when he was like 12 or whatever.
A lot of it is about prevention. Prevention of crimes ever happening in the first place and prevention of recidivism.
And, it's people like you who know how they "live, think, breath, whatever" that will make a difference on the positive end of the system, helping to address the problems.
I'm not saying it's a perfect science and I'm certainly not saying that the numbers give a blanket explanation to what's going on - they don't. Each case is different. But, when you can look at data and discover things that are the same in each instance you may be on to something.
So, enough with the bullshit.
Here is my comment for the night-
i think we need to check for CO more often. Firetruck, Ambulence, nosey neighbors..i mean,what else does anyone have to do for the night! HAHAHA
GOODNESS!
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