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When faced with violent crime, Washington, DC, turns to inmates for assistance: Subject-matter authorities

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NEW Fox News articles can now be heard on audio! This week, academics and city authorities in Washington, D.C., went to prisoners for advice on how to deal with the city’s rife crime.

According to the Washington Post, a correctional officer remarked to D.C. Director of Gun Violence Prevention Linda K. Harllee Harper at the Correctional Treatment Facility on Wednesday, “There are a lot of subject matter experts in here.”

Harllee Harper replied, “From there the answers will come.

Over the past 10 weeks, inmates participating in the LeadUp! program at the jail in Southeast Washington, D.C., have been developing ideas to alleviate the city’s violent crime problem. They discussed their ideas in the jail gymnasium on Wednesday during an event that resembled a school science fair and was attended by social workers, academics, and D.C. authorities.

Linda K. Harllee Harper, Director, Gun Violence Prevention listens to a team present their ideas. Students in the LEAD Up! Program at the Washington, D.C., DOC have been challenged to come up with solutions to reduce gun violence in the District. A "think science fair" was held on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 for the teams to present their ideas to an audience.

Linda K. Harllee Harper, Director, Gun Violence Prevention listens to a team present their ideas. Students in the LEAD Up! Program at the Washington, D.C., DOC have been challenged to come up with solutions to reduce gun violence in the District. A “think science fair” was held on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 for the teams to present their ideas to an audience. ( Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The men pitched some ideas the city has already implemented, such as mentorship programs and recreational programs for youths. Harllee Harper told the outlet that the pitches showed “there is a communication breakdown” between what the city is already doing and how its helping the community, which she said “we need to work on.”

Washington, D.C.'s Correctional Treatment Facility in the city's Southeast area.

Southeast of the city is home to the Correctional Treatment Facility of Washington, D.C. the Google Maps

Officials in D.C. were taken aback by other recommendations, according to the Washington Post. One of the organizations suggested creating a new government organization with the name Department of Violence Prevention and Firearm Education that would concentrate on teaching people how to safely use firearms. In order to teach underprivileged citizens how to lawfully obtain guns and how to safely use them, the group proposed that the city get in touch with the NRA and construct a shooting range there.

Since 2020, violent crimes have increased in Washington, D.C., with that year seeing a roughly 20% increase in homicides over the previous year. Since then, violent crimes have persisted; in 2021, there were 15% more murders than in the already violent year of 2020. Murders are up 11% during seven months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.

DeMarco Harris, 19, and Charles Jenkins, 42, propose their strategy to an audience of onlookers. The Washington, D.C., DOC’s LEAD Up! Program has given students the task of developing strategies to lessen gun violence in the District. On Wednesday, August 3, 2022, a “think science fair” was held to allow the teams to showcase their concepts to an audience. (Sarah L. Voisin via Getty Images for The Washington Post) )

Other prisoners, including 22-year-old Isaiah Murchison, suggested that creating more community resource centers might help reduce crime by bringing together community and religious leaders and counselors to support urban kids.

According to Murchison, “I feel like if I was raised in a different atmosphere, I wouldn’t be here.” He is still awaiting trial after allegedly killing Makiyah Wilson, 10, in 2018.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui, D.C.’s Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chris Geldart, Harllee Harper, and Brian Schwalb, who is running for attorney general of the city, were among the D.C. officials who listened to the suggestions.

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