A proactive approach

Everyone living in Little Rock knows that the city’s crime problem is escalating.

A study conducted recently found that a significant reduction in childhood poverty could cut criminal convictions by almost a quarter. The scientists conducting the study found that poverty was the only crime-related factor that could be prevented.

The issue of crime is nuanced, and to properly address it, the chosen approach must have a holistic view that takes all factors into consideration. We’ve seen the effects of the previous attempts to address and prevent crime in our city, and they’ve all led to Little Rock’s highest homicide rate since the ’90s.

It’s time we take a new approach, one that addresses Little Rock’s high poverty rate in a way that is proactive, not reactive. The Mayors for a Guaranteed Income Coalition seeks to establish economic security by providing an income floor. The program, rooted in Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, establishes a network of mayors advocating for a guaranteed income. Each mayor establishes a pilot program that best fits the needs of the city. Arkansas does not have a single mayor representing the Natural State in the coalition. Birmingham, Ala., is comparable to Little Rock, and Mayor Randall Woodfin established a pilot program for guaranteed income. This program provides $375/month for 12 months to 110 Birmingham female-identifying heads of family caring for at least one child under the age of 18.

In Little Rock, 15.3 percent of residents live in poverty. We’ve been divided for a long time by socioeconomic status, but we’re one city, and we need to start acting like it. We need to look out for our neighbors, our teachers, our small business owners, our community. We need Mayor Frank Scott to join the Mayors for a Guaranteed Income Coalition.

CIARA CALLICOTT

Little Rock