REWARD

Something given or offer for special service, as a return for something lost, that is Webster’s definition of the word reward. To some it is the reward points on their credit card , a job recognition reward, air mileage points, some who have loss a love one to a unsolved crime may see reward as a offer not often taken, as many cold case rewards for information that leads to an arrest and conviction have not yet been claimed. Washington, D.C. police Chief Cathy Lanier said recently, more of the public are coming forward with help and that  plays a part in the lower crime rate in the city so far this year, more money has been paid out this year for information that leads to an arrest or help prevent a possible crime then in past years. It is not known if the tough economy times are part of the reason or if a change in the hearts of some people who may have had enough of the killings in and around them and now are coming forward with information that prevent a crime or  lead to closer of  a cold case.

Rewards have been around for centuries,  in this countries history, there were rewards for Indians, run away slaves, bank robbers, etc., we know of some cases that have played out before us on the  movie screens and in real life, Jesses James, John Dillenger, and reward offer in the case of  the Washington, D.C. area  convicted sniper John  Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, are a few that come to mine, we don’t hear much of cases that don’t make big headlines, what ever the reason for people turning in criminals for crimes is good news to victims families.  Money can make a difference,  some  people who tell, don’t want it known, in some cases, there are times when people do appear in court and openly tell what they know of a crime, these people deserves the up most respect for doing what can be a difficult and trying time, some fear can be understandable in some cases ,  going to your deathbed with the truth about a serious crime that could have lifted a great burden in someones life should not be a path to take.   Pick up the phone and dial 911,  text  the MPD @50411, report someone who has  committed a crime.

Murders have gotten bolder, some  feel they can kill in broad day light with as many eye witness around as possible, because they feel no one’s going to step forward and say what they seen, this stupid boldness of firing down a street when many people, young children are out seem to some shooters a code of so called street respect, from  fools of their crew, how  senseless can that be, killing a person is horrible, killing innocent by standers is even worse  no one should let murders destroy the life of anyone and  get away reward or no reward.   The kind of  murders that have taken place in our capitol city had gone into a kind of hazy sleeplessness  in some areas, murders  happen mostly in six of the eight city wards and are mostly black on black crime, that don’t affect the mostly white, or upper income wards,  is it those who live in areas where most of the killings happen have become so tolerant to what seem normal weekly tragic killings, some  people refuse to get involve, that helps to increase the killings.

People who associate with those who terrorized communities or  fear thugs in their neighborhoods, live a life of flowing with crime until it claim a life they cherish, the truth sometimes is a mixture of both that neither side wants  known but both sides cast blame on the other and the criminal in between gains the upper hand of , choosing who lives or dies.

Rewards for the murder of someone is not the only solution, there is no one solution, it may take years of efforts by all sides of  communities,  block by block, school by school to help change the mine set of communities with some  now too young to know the  true  impact of murder.  Young  children growing up  hearing the code of not snitching  in song lyrics and teen conversations  against the police, some even hear it in their homes, not to get involved in helping the police, the same people are the first to scream for help when trouble confronts them and they need the same  police they claim to despise.  Will  change happen before crime grows out of control and a family is cut short of an uncle, aunt, mother or father. What’s needed is a weapon of mass positive thinking and behavioral in communities that start in homes,schools,television,song lyrics and video games at the same time and that’s the bottom line.

Reports of crime on the decrease in this area are looked upon by some as police departments mixing x numbers to fit their own image, some people are more fearful then ever as DC, Prince Georges and Montgomery County put out reports of crime decreasing in the past few months, the police in these areas are trying to stop crime and improve their worth to people who have little belief in how the police department is run and less in their ability to solve a crime of auto theft let alone murder.  Some people in Washington, D.C.  are very reluctant to admit what they see postive in Chief Cathy Lanier, that she may be developing into the best Chief of police, Washington, D.C. has seen in their life time.  Chief Cathy Lanier takes credit for the fall in homicides this year, other major cities and Prince George’s County have also reported declines.  Robert McCartney wrote in his July 30, 2009, Washington Post column, Killings this Year Low by Comparison, but Only by Comparison. Mr. McCartney points out, Even with this year’s improvement, the number of killings in Washington, D.C. is a grievous reminder when compared to other wealthy countries, Washington is on pace to have 145 homicides this year, down from 186 last year but more than three times the 46 recorded in 2008 Frankfurt, which has a larger population (676,00 vs. 592,000) Washington, D.C. murder rate is at least 18 times as high as Tokyo’s. D.C. police Cmdr. Joel Maupin, of the 7th district, states a major truth” We need to change the mind-set of a generation.”

If getting a reward for helping to prevent or solve a crime can be absorb in the mine of a growing number of people, making the word snitch a word of beauty instead of a word of ill feeling on some streets , but, snitch when used against those who engage in serious crimes, homicides could drop even lower.    Will  rewards be the tool to help bring crime under control?, or has enough people been locked up or killed  already that crime it self has slowed and have  little to do with the work of local police. People who lose a family member or friend to crime could care less, they just want the the killings to go away and to see their kids grow up without having to attend a funeral for their children as many parents have done. Lets lessen the pockets of  our local police fund by reporting  criminal acts and claiming a reward, life could be a whole lot worse if we don’t.

Cherish Life,

Larry

Thursday, August 6th, 2009, 7:34 pm. Filed under home.