Fight Fire with Water

There's a show on the Discovery Channel called, "It Takes a Thief". Essentially, two former burglars break into people's homes with permission in order to show the unsuspecting suburbanites how vulnerable they are to home invasion.

The hosts portray themselves as bad guys gone good - guys who've turned their lives around and are helping people to not be victims. The actual result of what they're doing however, is trauma for the families they're working with, and increased fear among anyone watching the show.

I would far rather see ex-cons go out into neighborhoods, find the kids at risk of becoming criminals, become mentors to them, and prevent the crimes from happening in the first place. It's not about fighting the people who would harm us, it's about fighting the greed, consumerism, poverty, substance abuse and whatever else it is that drives people to victimize their neighbors.

Just for the record, I'm speaking personally as a victim of home invasion. I know the trauma that comes from it, I know the fear, and I know the need to feel safe. I would feel a lot safer however, if we could learn to prevent victimization rather than assume it's a given.