Hartke, Vance, (1919-2003) Congressional Record Proceedings and Debates of the 90th Congress, Second Session.

One issue of "Congressional Record" dated March 7, 1968 related to crime. Hartke requests permission for the record to print excerpts of remarks made at a conference called "What Citizens Can Do To Help Insure Safe Streets," by Margaret More in Indianapolis. These remarks outline 15 recommendations of what citizens can do in the fight against crime. Action one, find out how bad crime in your area really is. Visit the police station and ask how many people in your community are involved with crime, is this number increasing, how can you help. Action two, look at the lighting in your community, "crime goes down as much as 85 percent where there is adequate lighting." Action three, go to your courts, see what kind of crimes are being put to trial, how many people are repeat offenders, how many are juvenile or dropouts. Ask the judges that same questions as the police. Action four, watch legislation and talk with your legislative body. Action five, find out the dropout rate in your community and work on lowering it. Either by pre dropout prevention or by getting those that have dropped out either back to school or in equivalency programs or vocational training for jobs. Action six, create a clothing drive to help dropouts get appropriate clothes for jobs and contribute to society. Action seven, encourage and help youth get jobs or volunteer. Judges say that youths who give part of their time to service are less likely to get in trouble. Action eight, set up a study room in your church, somewhere for youths to study and a tutoring program in the major subjects. Action nine, find out about your communities literacy rate and set up literacy classes and tutors. Action ten, meet with parole officers and ask how to help with youth released from correctional facilities. Ensure that their basic needs are met in order to stop them from committing crimes. Action eleven, create a program in which police can go into schools and talk to students about the laws and specifically the laws that affect them. Action twelve, begin a spruce up campaign, "good housekeeping is a crime deterrent." Action thirteen, find out if your police department has a recruiting problem. Action fourteen, protect yourself and your family; do not invite crime into your home or car. Action fifteen, work with the youth in your church first as they will be easiest to reach.