Crime Data, Food Insecurity & Poverty in Prince George's County, Community Meetings- Issue #48

Oct 14, 2022

New Website

As promised, the front page of our website has been updated. Sorry for the reminder, but potential supporters have the opportunity to sign up for our newsletter.

Website

We also update the Home page of the website. Supporters and potential supporters when coming to the website will see our big story at the top and when they scroll below, you will see the latest content. When you click on the picture, it will take you straight to the article. We want to make the use of our website as easy as possible. Screenshots below.

This is one of 4 options. You will also have the options to view other sections like: technology, National News (Solution Journalism), Covid-19 and Politics (AKA The Pandemic + Politics).

Community Meetings

From local government: The Prince George’s County Department of the Environment (DOE) is accepting applications from County residents and organizations operating in the County to become part of the new Climate Resident Advisory Group (CRA). Members will serve on the Climate Implementation Task Force to help guide the County’s Climate Action Plan implementation. CRA members will advise on strategies and actions to propel the County toward a carbon-neutral and climate-ready future.

A virtual information session was held yesterday detailing the roles and responsibilities of the CRA. To view the recording, visit mypgc.us/climateactionplan. The group is formed by the signing of Executive Order NO. 5-2022

Telecommunications Transmission Facility Coordinating Committee

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

General committee meeting. Audio Conference Line: 301-883-6600, Pass Code: 232167. Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Commission for Individuals with Disabilities Meeting

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

The mission of the Commission for Individuals with Disabilities is to bring together businesses, citizens, and the government of Prince George's County to discuss and resolve disability issues in the County. The Commission also works with County and State agencies and other Commissions to jointly address and promote the needs and rights of individuals with disabilities. Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Virtual Meeting: Join the Zoom Meeting ID: 816 1524 3943 Passcode: 687019

Revenue Authority Finance Committee Meeting

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Time: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM. Location: The Finance Committee Meeting is every 3rd Wednesday, and it's a conference call.

Revenue Authority Finance Committee Meeting

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Location: The Finance Committee Meeting is every 3rd Wednesday, and it's a conference call. Address: Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

Nuisance Abatement Board Hearing

Thursday, October 20, 2022

General board hearing. Time: 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Address: 9400 Peppercorn Place Room 124 Largo, MD 20774

Contact: 301-636-2038

Youth Curfew Extended

Prince George's County Police Department at a protest against SROs at Suitland High (2020). photo by Delonte Harrod

County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and Prince George's County Police Chief Malik Aziz announced earlier this week that they will extend the juvenile curfew until the end of the year. Their reasons:

"Overall, crime fell by 13% in the county during the period, including a 24% reduction in violent crime." WTOP
"During the overnight curfew hours, the county saw a 20% drop in overall crime, a 59% drop in carjackings, and a 50% drop in shootings." WTOP

Alsobrooks and Aziz have continued the narrative without substantial evidence that the curfew has a positive impact on violent crime. This narrative, as I have reported last week, was one that came out just a few days after the curfew was implemented, and continues to make its rounds.

We must stick to some facts. There is no rhyme or reason why crime rises at certain times of the year. Additionally, crime in Prince George's County had decreased over the last decade, before it recently started to rise again during the pandemic. Why did crime decrease in Prince George's County during that time? What were county officials and community residents doing to help to decrease crime? There is ample evidence that shows how communities can reduce crime, and juvenile curfews are not a part of that equation. Alsobrooks partially admitted this during her press conference.

“I think all of us would agree it’s probably premature to say that was the exact reason,” Alsobrooks said, pointing to other steps taken by the police department over the past 30 days, including additional overtime.

During the press conference, they shared percentages of the crime since implementing the curfew. There is a problem with how these percentages were presented. In order for the percentages to make sense, we have to know the hard numbers. How many juvenile carjackings were committed during the hours of the curfew before it was implemented? How many crimes were committed after the curfew was implemented?

I decided to travel through Forestville and Suitland during curfew hours a couple of weeks ago. I will do so again. These are somewhat low-income neighborhoods. (In addition, these areas are ripe for redevelopment (gentrification?). Suitland has a metro station, and Prince George's County is interested in transit redevelopment). Police officers were everywhere, on every block, sitting in the darkness with flashing lights. The curfew is really about increasing officers' presence in low-income neighborhoods at nighttime. The local police department does not have a good reputation in Prince George's County. There are multiple families who have lost loved ones due to police brutality. In addition, last year, the NAACP filed a lawsuit against the PGCPD for its discriminatory practices.

At best, it may be safe to say that the curfew is working because police officers are more visible at night. In this sense, the curfew functions as a punitive extraction tool. (If a child is caught outside past the hours of the state-sanctioned curfew, residents have to pay a fine). But crime is still happening in the daytime. Perhaps the residents were right when they said there are other alternatives.

The U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce on Marijuana

The U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce, in its newsletter, praised Biden for pardoning those who have been jailed due to possession of marijuana. But they said more needs to be done.

USBC plans to work closely with policymakers to better understand the needs and gaps of aspiring cannabis business owners and how to ensure that Black businesses have access to benefit from the burgeoning growth of the cannabis industry. To jumpstart this process, we will work with policymakers to reintroduce the MORE Act of 2021 (Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act) or H.R. 3617. The MORE Act would:

Replace statutory references to marijuana and marihuana with cannabis,

Require the Bureau of Labor Statistics to regularly publish demographic data on cannabis business owners and employees,

Establish a trust fund to support various programs and services for individuals and businesses in communities impacted by the war on drugs,

Impose an excise tax on cannabis products produced in or imported into the United States and an occupational tax on cannabis production facilities and export warehouses,

Poverty In Prince George's County

Food Equity, a local government organization, in its newsletter showed recent data released in the Capital Area Food Bank's Hunger Report. Definition of Food Insecure:

"Food insecurity, as defined by the USDA, is “a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.” Individuals who are referred to as food insecure in the report were identified, using the USDA’s standard six-question screener, as having experienced one or more food-related hardships at any point during the past year. The screener is used to identify three levels of food security: food secure, food insecure, and severely food insecure."

Prince George's County:

48% percent food insecure

52% percent food secure

Read Food Equity's newsletter here: t.ly/wy2-