Criminals, I hate criminals with a passion. What gives these people the right to commit the heinous acts that they commit? Whether it is breaking into your car, your house, assaulting innocent people, tagging public property, selling drugs, driving while drunk etc. People like to say that criminals are usually minorities and poverty is to blame, but what about politicians who steal and violate the public's trust? What is their excuse? In my opinion it starts they day a person is born, if that person is born to good moral parents who teach that child right from wrong from day 1, then that person is more likely to come out alright. But if said parent is born in a bad environment and has gang bangers for parents, meth heads, or dad isnt around then said person is already in a hole. My folks steered me towards sports and other productive activities, but there are points where they arent around and they hope and pray that Im making the right decisions and choices without them. I was offered drugs in junior high and high school and turned it down. I refused to drink until after high school, because I knew my grandpa and real father were alcoholics. I always surrounded myself with likeminded and positive people and always avoided what Id consider assholes or people who didnt have the moral compass I did. A lot of kids don't have this anymore. Nowadays I see parents who instead of holding their children responsible for their actions make excuses or try and protect their child from the ramifications of their behaviors. What does that teach these kids? That no matter what they do there will be somebody to protect them. Instead of learning empathy/sympathy for others they feel entitled to do the things they do because their misguided parents allowed them to do whatever. Also what are we doing in our prison system? I agree with punishing the most heinous of our criminals- the murderers, rapists and molestors deserve anything thats coming to them but what about non violent drug offenders whose only crime is possesion? Do we imprison them with more dangerous criminals where they interact with more hardened criminals and come out worse than they went in? or do we rehab them and give them the skills they need to be more productive? I've always been in favor of mandatory rehab for drug using criminals and if they refuse then they are thrown in prison/jail. Ive also felt that anybody in prison that ISN'T serving a life sentence should be given some kind of guidance on how to not be a criminal. Hell Im even thinking some Clockwork Orange stuff where they use mind manipulation. Anything to keep them from coming out and comitting more crimes. When they come out they are moved to a halfway house AWAY from their neighborhoods and put into job programs where they earn a living and save up to move into their own place with the only requirement being that it isnt anywhere near their gangs neighborhoods and if they go near their old gangs they go back to prison/jail. Also our government identifies all these terrorist organizations and groups, but why dont they consider gangs as terrorist groups. They terrorize innocents and keep whole cities in fear of them. Why not use more militaristic tactics in fighting gangs. The police are outgunned and outmanned and could use all the help they can get!!! In conclusion I feel our society needs to take a more proactive approach in fighting crime then a reactive approach. It's time to get them before they get us!!!!