Economics of Public Safety

What do the ancestors and active communities say about funding public safety?

Imagine that people lock themselves in at night - because there are roving violent murderers and thugs on the streets. This seems to be the norm in a lot of cities.

Addressing the issue of violence and criminal activity in cities requires a multifaceted approach. I’m going to give you the standard list below that makes sense in a well funded and sane world with local and national governments that take good care of and support people. Then we’ll talk about what happens when that’s not the case and how grassroots communities have and still do take this on themselves.

• Dedicated Task Force: Specialized units with protective gear. Collaboration with social workers, mental health professionals.

• Support and Rehabilitation Programs: Immediate assistance: shelter, food, medical care. Long-term rehab: addiction treatment, mental health care, job training.

• Preventive Measures: Community engagement and outreach. Youth programs: after-school activities, mentorship. Urban planning: better lighting, visibility.

• Policy and Systemic Change: Legislation addressing root causes. Criminal justice reform. Housing and economic development.

• Technology and Data: Surveillance in high-crime areas. Data analysis for targeted interventions. Community reporting platforms.

• Community-Based Interventions: Neighborhood watch programs. Restorative justice initiatives.

• Public Education and Awareness: Awareness campaigns. Workshops on conflict resolution, self-defense.

All this needs to happen while ensuring coordination and collaboration between different stakeholders, including law enforcement, social services, community organizations, and residents. This is not a simple or easy task and is compounded with the question of how to securing adequate funding.

Where to start? This could involve reallocating existing funds, securing grants, and fostering public-private partnerships. It’s not clear that those with the funds to address these issues even see themselves effected by it - living under purchased security. Hence, the underfunded and crippled versions of these systems we see in our cities.

Let’s take a minute to think about how the ancestors in Kenyan villages might have provided security and draw on principles of community solidarity, shared responsibility, and collective action - then we’ll look at how that’s done in practice today.

1. Rotational Labor Associations

• Community Patrols: Organize community members into rotating groups that patrol neighborhoods at different times, providing a continuous presence and deterring crime.

• Shared Duties: Each member contributes a small amount of time regularly, ensuring that the burden of maintaining safety is distributed and manageable.

• Skill Sharing: Leverage the diverse skills of community members (e.g., those with medical, counseling, or conflict resolution skills) to provide immediate support during patrols.

2. Harambee (Pulling Together)

• Resource Pooling: Instead of monetary donations, community members can contribute resources such as food, clothing, or time to support those in need and reduce the conditions that lead to crime.

• Collective Action: Organize community clean-ups, infrastructure repair, and other projects that improve living conditions and foster a sense of ownership and pride in the community.

• Mutual Aid Networks: Create networks where community members can request and offer help for various needs, such as childcare, transportation, or emergency assistance.

3. Elders Councils

• Conflict Resolution: Establish councils of respected community elders who mediate disputes and conflicts, providing a trusted, non-violent means of resolving issues.

• Guidance and Mentorship: Elders can offer guidance and mentorship to younger community members, teaching them traditional values, life skills, and the importance of community cohesion.

• Cultural Preservation: Promote cultural activities and traditions that strengthen community bonds and provide a sense of identity and belonging.

4. Community Engagement and Participation

• Regular Meetings: Hold regular community meetings where all members can voice concerns, propose solutions, and participate in decision-making.

• Transparent Decision-Making: Ensure that all decisions are made transparently, with input from the entire community, fostering trust and collective responsibility.

• Education and Awareness: Conduct educational workshops on safety, conflict resolution, and community solidarity, leveraging traditional stories and examples.

5. Commitment Pooling in Practice

• Reciprocal Exchange: Implement a commitment pooling system where community members earn credits for the time they contribute to community activities, which they can later use to receive help from others.

• Skill Exchanges: Facilitate skill exchanges where community members can teach each other various skills, from practical trades to personal development, enhancing overall community resilience.

• Emergency Response Teams: Form teams trained to respond to emergencies (e.g., health crises, natural disasters) using local knowledge and resources, reducing dependency on external aid.

Being there in Jackson Mississippi made be realized that the state still treats marginalized populations as criminals and simply seeks to remove them or isolate the wealthy from them.

I’m inspired by the grassroots work of Cooperation Jackson in Mississippi. Given the current danger, and history of oppression they have focused on building a solidarity economy and community self-reliance. They exemplify how community-driven efforts can address urban challenges through cooperative economics and mutual support - mirroring how the ancestors took care of their people.

Cooperation Jackson have developed a host of strategies that go beyond saftey to build a thriving community - including community land trusts to ensure affordable housing, developing worker cooperatives for economic independence, and investing in sustainable development initiatives like urban farming and renewable energy. They empower the community with educational programs on cooperative principles and economic democracy, establish mutual aid networks for resource and service exchange, and advocate for supportive policies at various government levels. Participatory planning processes ensure community control and democratic decision-making, fostering a solidarity economy framework that integrates cooperative and communal ownership to address systemic inequalities and build a self-sustaining community.

Basic Implementation Strategy

Initial and Continuous Organization:

• Conduct community-wide meetings to introduce the concepts and gather support.

• Identify leaders and volunteers to spearhead different initiatives.

Formation of Groups:

• Create rotational labor groups and establish schedules.

• Formulate harambee projects based on immediate community needs.

• Set up an elders council and outline their role in conflict resolution.

Resource Allocation:

• Seed resources into pools that establish a system for their distribution.

• Use commitment pooling to track contributions and ensure fair exchanges.

Ongoing Management:

• Hold regular feedback sessions to assess progress and make adjustments.

• Encourage continuous community participation and celebrate successes.

By drawing on the strengths of traditional practices such as rotational labor, harambee, and elders councils, and integrating them with modern organizational techniques, communities can and do effectively address urban safety challenges and build healthy environments. We can leverage the power of collective effort and mutual support, building a safer and more cooperative environment without relying on external funding or coercive measures.

Initiating community safety measures is vital because it empowers individuals to inspire collective action. Waiting for others leads to inaction, but leading by example catalyzes positive change and fosters a safer, more cohesive community.