Crime Assistance

The cycle of murder, drug crimes and violence in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina is so bad that the Federal government has finally sent in some help. The FBI and DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) and Firearms Bureau have sent in some of their better agents to assist the undermanned police here. In addition, the U.S Attorney has agreed to help prosecute some of the many criminal cases that sit and wait for action to be taken. Too, about 16 million dollars will be given to local police and prosecutors for equipment tin order to take the pressure off local officials who are unable to control violent crime in the city.
Though New Orleans population is small since the storm, the police department is shrinking at a fast rate and the prosecutor's office (District Attorney) has a well deserved reputation for being incompetent, uncaring and poorly staffed. In a a word people here are afraid. They are afraid to venture in certain sections of the city to move back to New Orleans or to rebuild the homes that were flooded by the storm.
It's interesting to note that when asked in a survey what the number on problem in New Orleans is now, residents did not mention the flood or rebuilding , but rather said violent crime. It is evident that if the crime problem is not addressed here the city will lose the opportunity to start rebuilding.
Want to know how much violence has taken presence here? Just the other day a nine year old boy was sent to school by his mom- with a steak knife. Yep! Mom told the boy to stab another child who allegedly has been bullying the child. Mom gave him the knife "for protection" after the other child had threatened her son.
As you might guess, the mom herself is not a sterling citizen. She is 31 years old, the mother of five illegitimate children, with none of the father's in the lives of any of the kids, and has previous arrests on charges of assault and battery and cocaine possession with intent to distribute. Mom, Chastity Cato (What an ironic name "Chastity" is for that creature), was also wanted by police for several attachments accusing her of criminal neglect of family and failure to appear in court. The five kids have been taken away from unchaste Chastity pending outcome of the charges against her of child desertion. But I wonder what those five kids are like now? Are they already so neglected and abused that they are doomed to a life of crime like mom? A hearing will be held as to whether the children will be left with Chastity or placed with a competent adult.
It's just one example of the way kids live here now. One school principal was quoted the other day saying that "About half of every student in my school (a high school) is here without the parent. Mom and dad just sent them back to New Orleans on their own." Of course that is child abandonment and every one of those parents should be hunted down wherever they live now to face charges. What the city sees now are roving bands of teens and younger kids, homeless, and committing violent crimes to sustain their vary existence. in most cases the crazy parent who sent his or her child back here alone to live with a relative or friend, is uncaring as to what is and will happen to their child. Pathetic, huh? The broken city is too understaffed and ill equipped to deal with the problem. Thus, the announcement of the federal assistance I mentioned above.
The wild west lives again here in New Orleans!