Kansas City @ The Crossroads

Kansas City @ the Crossroads participants include, (front row, left to right): Jack Cashill, Ingram’s Executive Editor; Todd Graves, United States Attorney for Western Missouri; Rev. Dr. Wallace Hartsfield, Pastor, Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church; David Kingsley, Vice President for Research, Partnership for Children; Currie Myers, former Johnson County (Kan.) Sheriff and President/CEO, Sheriff Myers and Associates; (back row, left to right): Jerome Gorman, Wyandotte County Prosecutor; Paul Morrison, Johnson County (Kan.) Prosecutor; Mike Sanders, Jackson County Prosecutor; Nick Haines, KCPT-TV (moderator); Alonzo Washington, Citizen Activist; Ron Freeman, former Congressional Candidate and Leadership Consultant; and Kirk Black, General Manager, KCTV-5.

On May 24, prosecutors, civic leaders, law enforcement representatives and members of the media gathered at Ingram’s offices for a discussion about the root causes of the crime rates in the metropolitan area and possible solutions for the problem.

And for the first time in the brief history of Kansas City @ the Crossroads—the partnership between Ingram’s Magazine and KCPT—there was a great deal of unanimity among the panelists.

Jackson County Prosecutor Mike Sanders discusses the rise in homicides in the Kansas City area.

The discussion was moderated by Nick Haines of KCPT-TV, and the question posed was this: Thanks to several high-profile crime cases, the perception is strong that crime continues to be a serious problem throughout the metropolitan area. If this is true, what are the root causes of metro Kansas City’s crime rates, and is enough being done to address those causes?

There was agreement on many of the causes of crime in general, but what surprised even the participants was just how many of them traced the primary cause to the breakdown of the traditional family. The consensus was that in single-parent homes, especially homes where there is not a male authority figure present, there is a much higher likelihood that a young person living there will commit a violent crime.

The other shared opinion was that drugs and drug trafficking negatively affect violent crime statistics. All agreed that a large percentage of crimes was influenced in some way by drugs and alcohol.

Is There an Issue?

Simple Complexity Many Factors Go Into High Area Crime Rates, But Panelists Agree That a Breakdown in Family is High on the List
Kansas City @ the Crossroads participants include, (front row, left to right): Jack Cashill, Ingram’s Executive Editor; Todd Graves, United States Attorney for Western Missouri; Rev. Dr. Wallace Hartsfield, Pastor, Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church; David Kingsley, Vice President for Research, Partnership for Children; Currie Myers, former Johnson County (Kan.) Sheriff and President/CEO, Sheriff Myers and Associates; (back row, left to right): Jerome Gorman, Wyandotte County Prosecutor; Paul Morrison, Johnson County (Kan.) Prosecutor; Mike Sanders, Jackson County Prosecutor; Nick Haines, KCPT-TV (moderator); Alonzo Washington, Citizen Activist; Ron Freeman, former Congressional Candidate and Leadership Consultant; and Kirk Black, General Manager, KCTV-5. On May 24, prosecutors, civic leaders, law enforcement representatives and members of the media gathered at Ingram’s offices for a discussion about the root causes of the crime rates in the metropolitan area and possible solutions for the problem. And for the first time in the brief history of Kansas City @ the Crossroads—the partnership between Ingram’s Magazine and KCPT—there was a great deal of unanimity among the panelists. Jackson County Prosecutor Mike Sanders discusses the rise in homicides in the Kansas City area. The discussion was moderated by Nick Haines of KCPT-TV, and the question posed was this: Thanks to several high-profile crime cases, the perception is strong that crime continues to be a serious problem throughout the metropolitan area. If this is true, what are the root causes of metro Kansas City’s crime rates, and is enough being done to address those causes? There was agreement on many of the causes of crime in general, but what surprised even the participants was just how many of them traced the primary cause to the breakdown of the traditional family. The consensus was that in single-parent homes, especially homes where there is not a male authority figure present, there is a much higher likelihood that a young person living there will commit a violent crime. The other shared opinion was that drugs and drug trafficking negatively affect violent crime statistics. All agreed that a large percentage of crimes was influenced in some way by drugs and alcohol. Is There an Issue?