pWhat Could Federal Assistance Look Like?
Director Patel mentioned that the FBI is working on rolling out a task force in Tennessee to combat violent crime. While he did not provide specifics in the interview, it is likely that this solution will have more to do with enforcement, rather than prevention of violent crime.
Shelby County Commissioner Mick Wright, however, has a different idea for how the federal government can help us combat crime. This week, Commissioner Wright sponsored a nonbinding resolution requesting that the federal government designate Memphis and Shelby County as a “priority community” when considering federal funding allocations for localities. Wright’s resolution follows the logic of decades of research on the causes and effects of crime: Violence is high in places with persistent poverty due to a lack of opportunity, creating a cycle of poverty and crime that persists through generations. You can read more about it in the Justice & Safety portion of the More For Memphis strategic plan.
Commissioner Wright’s resolution specifically asks for a “one-time federal investment of $10 billion,” which would, in part, go toward addressing the $2 billion in MSCS deferred maintenance costs, the estimated $1.4 billion necessary to construct a new county jail, and $1.5 billion to rebuild the Regional One trauma center. As a reminder: The entire More For Memphis strategic plan, which is designed to reduce poverty and increase economic mobility for generations to come, has an estimated cost of $1.4 billion. Wright’s resolution passed unanimously, with one abstention from Commissioner Brooks.
