Assaults. Burglaries. Robberies. Theft. Murders. Growing up in an urban community in Philadelphia, I witnessed all of these.
I have also been a victim of many of them, as have my friends and members of my immediate family. Unfortunately, they are the crimes that residents of the nation’s biggest cities regularly experience. Media reports cover these horrific tragedies, but the victims are often quickly forgotten about as people become desensitized to the senseless violence occurring throughout the country.
In many instances, these violent crimes could have been avoided. Rogue district attorneys, judges, and legislators have advanced radical left-wing criminal justice policies that have irreparably harmed the nation’s communities. These policies prioritize the welfare of the criminal instead of protecting the innocent. Under a dangerous and misguided allegiance to left-wing political ideologies, elected officials have opted to purposely keep criminals out of jail and on the streets, where they continue to terrorize the vulnerable and innocent.
It doesn’t have to be this way, and now one man, Gianno Caldwell, is courageously working to see that it isn’t.
A native of Chicago, Caldwell endured an unspeakable tragedy when his younger brother, Christian, was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2022. A year after Christian’s death, the Fox News political analyst expressed dissatisfaction with the prosecutors involved in handling the investigation. He then asked Congress to bring accountability to “soft-on-crime prosecutors” nationwide for failing to do their jobs. It’s the kind of leadership the country needs and an emboldened spirit that can bring genuine, legitimate, positive change.
“A year has passed, and there is no confirmed progress that ensures those responsible for murder are held to account under the highest penalty of law,” Caldwell said at the time. “I am also calling on Congress to hold soft-on-crime prosecutors across our country to account — those who refuse to do their job out of politics and radical ideology which is endangering the lives of Americans.”
Unfortunately, many in the country know this kind of grief and frustration all too well. However, Caldwell decided to take bold action, and he started the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety. He decided to try to help bring meaningful change regarding those affected by violent crime. Heroically, Caldwell embarked on a crusade to create solutions that could help protect citizens from being victimized by heinous criminals, make communities safer, and develop a strategy to address the bureaucratic inefficiencies plaguing the nation’s criminal justice systems.
The Caldwell Institute’s preeminent value is its dedication to “ensuring a justice system that prioritizes the safety and security of all law-abiding citizens by strategically supporting anti-crime candidates, advocating legislation that makes communities safer, and providing comprehensive support services for victims of violent crime.” Moreover, at the institute’s core, four main principles guide its mission: empowering, protecting, proactive, and prudent. Each principle has a specific purpose in guiding the Caldwell Institute in achieving its objectives while also being a beacon of light, a glimmer of hope, a silent guardian, and an effective change agent in the United States.
Of particular note in the description of its principles is that the Caldwell Institute seeks to help people before and after violent crime. While the organization pushes for legislative change and holds elected officials accountable for their malfeasance, it is also an agency of compassion.
As an integral part of its “empowering” principle, the Caldwell Institute specifies it will “offer robust support systems for mental health and resources to help victims of violent crime and their families cope and recover.” It’s a statement that is mentioned in the organization’s very first principle listed. In the face of unspeakable tragedies, the institute’s commitment to empathy might be the most impressive thing about it.
FBI QUIETLY REVISES CRIME STATISTICS AND REVEALS RISE IN VIOLENT CRIME
From the very beginning, the Caldwell Institute has let the world know one very important thing — first and foremost — it is here to help. It’s the kind of institute the world could use more of. As someone who grew up in a different big city than Caldwell but witnessed and experienced acts of violent crime, I can say with absolute certainty his institute is one that can make a monumental impact over time.
Christian would be proud of Gianno — and so should every American.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
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