Ray Allen on Crime in Madison

Madison Mayoral challenger Ray Allen has a press release today calling out incumbent Dave Cieslewicz on the increasing crime problem in the city.

Press Release on Public Safety: According to a recent report compiled by the Madison police, robberies are on the rise, especially in the northern, central and eastern parts of the city. “Crime is increasing citywide. We need an increased police presence not only downtown, but an increased police presence citywide” Allen said. Allen noted that crime has been increasing since the Mayor took office, but public safety was not a priority for City Hall. “City Hall’s lack of priorities is eroding Madison’s quality of life, especially when it comes to public safety”

A recent report prepared by the Madison Police Department, shows a 60 percent increase in robberies in the first half of 2006 compared with the same time period in 2005. Madison, not too long ago, was ranked the best place in the nation to live. Now Madison is ranked 53rd in the nation. “Our crime rates are going up and our quality of life rankings are going down” Allen pointed out.

The New Urbanist City of Madison Comprehensive Plan being aggressively implemented by the current administration will increase the rate of crime and cost of policing Madison for years going forward. I posted the following links in May 2005 for their discussion of how the core principals of this government planning and control ideology actually create crowded neighborhoods susceptible to criminal predation. Building crime friendly projects is an issue Ray Allen should keep discussing in the campaign for control of City Hall.

The Claremont Institute: In fact, as long ago as 1976, architect Oscar Newman, who created the concept of defensible space, proved that all of these things make neighborhoods more susceptible to crime. SafeScape's authors wrote, "Newman took the 'eyes on the street' concept argued that the reason 'eyes on the street' provide safety in urban, mixed commercial and residential areas is because there is a visible link between residents and the street." That is such a distortion of reality that it amounts to an outright lie.

Reason Online: The reason mixing retail with residential areas increases crime is simple: Space is only defensible if residents have the clear right to influence and control what takes place there. In commercial or public areas, everyone has the right or excuse to be present, and offenders are indistinguishable from law-abiding citizens. Mixed use therefore reduces residential control over the neighborhood and provides criminals with anonymity as they merge into the background.

Dave Cieslewicz has demonstrated his low regard for personal freedom and low concern about public safety when they conflict with his views of how people should live their lives. Madison absolutely needs to reclaim our government from these visionaries and activists.