City Can’t Eliminate Gangs by Behaving Like One

The following article was published in the Houston Chronicle on July 21, 1994.

$  $  $

Consider the following scenario: You arrive home to find that your house has been burglarized. The police investigate the scene and proceed to write you a citation for inadequate burglary deterrence.

You are told that the city has an ordinance that requires homeowners to install burglar bars and an alarm system. Violators are subject to fines up to $1,000 a day. When you complain that you are the victim, the officers point out that if you had not broken the law your house would not have been robbed. Read more

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