Law enforcement not embracing diversion
Recent reporting has revealed that since the new diversion center opened on Jan. 20, on average, only three people per day are diverted by law enforcement despite many more qualifying. Far from a failure of diversion, this is a failure of local police agencies to embrace an evidence-based practice that leads to better public safety and health outcomes.
The cycle of criminalizing and incarcerating marginalized community members remains ineffective and amoral and is not financially sustainable for the city or county. Each arrest is destabilizing and traumatizing.
At just $2.5 million from the city and county, diversion is a chance to lead with empathy, provide support and build stability. Over 80% of those diverted were unhoused at the time, demonstrating the high level of need. Jails are not social service providers. Only through a full embrace of non-carceral alternatives can we sustainably lower the jail population and create safe communities for all.
MARK SPENCER, ATLANTA
Congress must protect funding for PBS, NPR
Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio must continue to have federal support in the form of line items in the federal budget. Every fiscal year.
Congress must vote down the recently submitted rescission bill by the current administration, which would take back allocations already approved by Congress. This vote should be an easy one. What constituent wants to see a hatchet job on Big Bird, Cookie Monster and the rest of Sesame Street, for example?
Congress must remember its role as a critical branch of government in our democratic republic. So far, Congress has been MIA.
ALIDA C. SILVERMAN, ATLANTA
Democracy will only survive on truth
Republicans are not always right. Democrats are not always right. That’s why our system of government was designed so beautifully with checks and balances. Some of our most well-known elected representatives have been known for their ability to compromise. Unfortunately, with the advent of MAGA, compromise on major issues has virtually ceased to exist.
Up until now, majority rule has, more often than not, been a good thing because disagreements were founded on truth and an interpretation of facts. Today, majority rule is so often based on evidential untruths, used for the sole purpose of staying in power. This is reminiscent of Hitler and Mussolini, not our Founding Fathers.
Whatever party philosophy is in power, it must be based on truth and an interpretation of facts for our long-standing democracy to survive.
C.R. VANTREESE, MARIETTA
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