Not Nearly Enough

Attached is an article from The Tacoma News Tribune discussing the implementation of GPS devices to track sex offenders. Unfortunately, this is hardly the answer to this particularly horrible problem. Granted, it's a start in updating the monitoring and supervision of these criminals, but so much more is needed. I hope more people become aware of the situation and demand adequate justice to be served. I guess we'll have to see how this plays out for now...

The Tacoma News Tribune

Misc. News on Tacoma

Lots of interesting things going on in the area. There’s been plenty of news about the condo market here in Tacoma. I’m not sure how that will play itself out in the short term, but it will be interesting to watch. If you’re condo shopping, you should have plenty of choices. Also, the local political race is getting interesting as people make themselves available to run for city council. I think that this is a huge race coming up in terms of importance. I believe Tacoma is on the cusp of great things but we need great leadership to securely get us closer to our goals. And as the city continues to improve and clean itself up, it’s quite obvious that there are still pockets of crime spread throughout the city. We can change this as we continue to work towards letting people know that criminal behavior will not be tolerated. This next year can be a great one as we work towards positive change in our city.

Promising Work Towards Criminal Supervision

There’s a good article in The Seattle Times by Jennifer Sullivan and David Postman explaining some of the work that is being done to better supervise released felons. This issue of supervising felons is a serious one and it demands our attention. In the past year alone, three Seattle Police Officers were killed as a result of actions taken by felons who were currently under supervision. It is quite obvious that those felons were not rehabilitated and probably should not have been released if there was a chance that anyone could have been harmed or worse, killed. Tacoma and Seattle are not the only areas that can or could be negatively affected by unsatisfactory law enforcement and supervisory efforts. I’m not sure if there is one particular person at fault for these procedural shortcomings, but the issue still remains. Citizens can and should demand an improvement in this area. Thankfully, it appears that our governor is determined that corrective action is taken as soon as possible. I think people of all political backgrounds appreciate the effort, but we cannot rest until there is significant improvement regarding this. There’s always a wish list of what citizens want from government, but this cannot be a wish; it must be a demand met with excellent results.

The Seattle Times

One Big Push?

I've noticed my neighborhood has really cleaned up since I moved here to Tacoma three years ago. There are not nearly as many issues involving transients, drug users, and other people basically hanging out in places where they shouldn't be. I've also noticed a significant increase in residents taking care and sometimes completely renovating their homes. I haven't seen a large number of drug deals in quite some time; and believe me, I used to see a show just standing on my front porch. I'm sure that the neighborhood isn't where it needs to be. But on the other hand, we've come a long, long way. I'm starting to wonder if the next summer and year are going to be what pushes us over our hump. I think many Tacoma neighborhoods are going to break some of their own ceilings holding them back soon. I think if the local residents make another strong effort and really keep an eye out for crime, we'll be rid of some issues that have long plagued the city. Keep an eye out, report criminal activity, and get out and make your presence known. Just a small wave of activism and I think we'll all benefit from the cause.