State must stop cycle of violence

Decision makers aren't connecting indicators that lead to criminal behavior

Tennessee has been ranked No. 1 among states for the highest rate of violent crime, according to a news-organization analysis of FBI statistics - but that number is not the one we should be worried about.

Here is a number that matters: 644 per 100,000 people. That's how many violent crimes were reported to law enforcement in this state in 2012. Just those that were reported. In a state with more than 6 million residents, that means about 39,000 violent criminal acts occurred last year.

Take the question of what constitutes violent crime: FBI's definition includes murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault. In addition, if individuals are subjected to violence during the commission of property crimes including burglary, larceny-theft or motor-vehicle theft, that is counted as a violent crime.

But you won't find incidences of domestic violence in the FBI statistics, unless they were reported as murder, manslaughter, rape or aggravated assault. And we know from Tennessee Bureau of Investigation statistics that in 2012 there were 82,014 cases of domestic violence reported - another number that does matter.

The governor has made public safety a priority of his administration, giving law enforcement and prosecutors more tools to stop criminals that should make inroads into the problem.

But when will we begin to address the source of violence, which is essentially an act of ignorance and desperation?

Yes, there may be some people who are just mean, but that doesn't appear to account for Tennessee's rate of violent crime and domestic violence - and it is high, no matter what ranking is given.

The real value of such analyses as the 24/7 Wall Street-USA Today report is in how they call attention to relationships between crime, education and income levels. The report recognized that with few exceptions, the states with the highest crime rates have lower percentages of adults with post-secondary degrees and more people living below median income levels.

Certainly, Tennessee fits that profile. But while the state's policymaking is getting tougher on crime, it fails to make the connection between improved educational opportunity and choosing not to turn to crime. So, even as legislators increase prison sentences for armed robbery, they vote to limit family assistance programs that would help keep low-income kids in school longer and compete for scholarships.

In addition, who in government is looking at the impact of domestic abuse on the ability of victims or abusers to raise children that will do well in school and not perpetuate cycles of violence in their own lives?

Violent crime isn't a random impulse occurring in a vacuum. It most often springs from a breakdown of role models, family support and a lack of exposure to a good education. When our leaders begin to connect the dots, perhaps we can point to the numbers and say that we have accomplished something.