Decide on a current “mega societal topic/issue (e.g., BLM, National and/or State COVID response, Defunding Police, School of Choice). Write a short essay (3 – 4 pages) about how you would handle it/what you would do different than what has already been done if you were “in charge.” This essay should include the history of the topic/issue, what has happened recently, and a comprehensive explanation of how you would handle it. MY EXPECTATION IS THAT YOU WILL APPLY CRITICAL THINKING TO THIS AND YOU WILL RELATE YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS TO MACRO SOCIAL WORK (POPULATIONS AFFECTED, ARENA, ETC).

 

Effective Response to BLM Issues

Background

The killing of George Floyd in 2020 marked the beginning of one of the most significant racial conscious movements in the United States. George Floyd was killed by a police officer who kneeled on his neck for too long, depriving him of breath and ultimately led to his death. Besides the criminal nature of police brutality, the murder brought to the limelight the prejudicial treatment of the people of color in the United States at the hands of the security agents (Watson et al., 2020). The debate over the deep-seated racial discrimination within the police force and other institutions of governance has dominated public discourse ever since. The primary issue has been eliminating racial bias and fostering equity in social, political, and economic lives of people of color.

Measures Taken by Authorities

The protests that rocked American cities following the murder of George Floyd have orchestrated legislation and other measures aimed at curbing police violence against African Americans. Various bills have been proposed, with several still in the process of being enacted by legislative bodies. Among key bills included the George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity (GFLETI) Act which seeks to establish policing standards, foster oversight over police actions, and foster data sharing between the police and the Department of Justice.

Democrats introduced another bill named the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 in Congress. The bill mirrors GFLETI in its objective of combating police misconduct. It also envisions ending racial bias within the policing practices. The bill singles out police techniques such as using deadly force and restricting fatal techniques such as chokehold positions in policing. Other measures taken by states and federal governments include defunding the police.

Defunding the police departments means redirecting the funds previously allocated to the police towards other programs that can enhance the security of people. Proponents of defunding the police argue that shifting money would be instrumental in bolstering programs for better mental health in communities because mental illness has contributed to untimely deaths at the hands of the police (Hooker, 2016).

What I Would Do If I Were In Charge

Developing policies appealing to African Americans

While leaders in various government institutions have engineered efforts to improve the outcomes in racial relations in the United States, the focus of strategies has been overwhelmingly on containing police misconduct. I believe those police malpractices are a reflection of a more significant problem in society.

            In many instances, the legacy of explicit and institutional racism has resulted in policies that have preserved and aggravated racial inequities. To adequately address these pertinent issues affecting African Americans and close the racial gaps, leaders should advocate for new strategies that reach out to the minority African Americans who have faced historical marginalization (Watson et al., 2020). My policy changes would include developing solutions that address the injustices that have been perpetrated against these communities and promote a racial and economic justice agenda.

            Addressing the problems that African Americans face can assist other people of color throughout the country. While issues like an unfair criminal justice system, unaffordable housing, and restricted access to health care are especially acute for African Americans in the United States, the same challenges affect Americans across the country. However, the historical racial prejudices whose roots can be traced to slavery mean that the Black nation should own effective policy measures to satisfy the demands of the BLM.

Expand reforms beyond the police departments

The greatest hindrance to African Americans’ upward mobility continues to be structural racism. This type of racism describes how racism and ethnic prejudices infiltrate both public and private organizations, resulting in unequal outcomes in many aspects of life. Employment discrimination in the justice system, disparities in health outcomes, and disparities in the educational system are all examples of structural racism in action that have affected the Blacks in the United States (Clayton, 2018). This means that any successful intervention that reflects the vision of the BLM should also touch other aspects of the black people in the country.

Besides reforming the police department, a slew of legislation should give blacks more control over their affairs. For example, new laws should focus on expanding the participation of blacks in governance structures, especially in areas dominated by the black community (Watson et al., 2020). Control should cover instruments for governance, including the police service, administration of healthcare services, education, and judicial decisions.

Enhance racial tolerance through education

Fostering racial tolerance should begin early enough during childhood. My policy recommendation would focus on changing negative attitudes, especially among the dominant white race towards the minority blacks. The education curriculum would focus on teaching children from elementary classes the importance of embracing each other regardless of the differences in skin color or residence. Although the government has programs that seek the create awareness towards racial unity, this program requires expansion to acknowledge the historical abuses of the blacks during slavery and how such practices have exacerbated the current violence and prejudices against African Americans.

Creating Work Infrastructure

One continuous result in the social science literature is that if we truly want to minimize crime, parity in education and the creation of a job infrastructure are the most effective strategies. According to a research based on sixty years of data, increasing police expenditure did not result in a reduction in crime. One of the reasons the BLM movement are protesting in the streets is that additional police are being deployed to fix a structural problem. This strategy does not work in addressing the real issues affecting the people (Clayton, 2018). The solution lies in reallocating funds from equipping police to other government agencies responsible for creating employment opportunities for underserved communities in the United States. An economically empowered black nation will be in a better position to address other issues that affect the community disproportionately.

Conclusion

The government and other stakeholders should be commended for efforts aimed at addressing issues at the heart of the BLM. However, an overemphasis on police reform without equal effort in reforming other instruments of governance and power such as criminal justice, education, and expanding access to resources is likely to fail. A more holistic approach to solving historical marginalization would work to deliver desired results.