Neuroscience Sexier Than Moynihan Report of 1965, John DiIulio

"Judge Gertner emphasized the importance of objective neuroscience." What evidence establishes a causal connection between neuroscience and crime? In 1965 Daniel Patrick Moynihan published his report about youth from single parent homes. In 1995 John Di'Iulio described a large group of 7- to 10-year-old boys who were "fatherless, Godless, and jobless." Scholars and academics refuse to address this known source of violence and crime. Neuroscience is interesting. How does it prevent crime? Robert T. Kinscherff [. . .] said there is a need [to understand] conditions that lead to youth delinquency. [and government] should be 'smart on crime.'” He cites the Justice Dept, which has little jurisdiction over violent crimes, mostly a state matter. Senator Moynihan and Prof. Di'lulio provide material for "conditions" leading to "delinquency." Gertner said, “You can actually look at the [neurological] differences," You can also see the differences in young men from one and two parent homes.



[From article]
Describing how to implement these scientific breakthroughs, Judge Gertner emphasized the importance of objective neuroscience in strengthening the argument
[. . .]
Robert T. Kinscherff, a senior visiting fellow [. . .] said there is a need for increased understanding of the very common conditions that lead to youth delinquency. [and] the “growing political agreement” that—rather than being tough on crime—the U.S. Department of Justice should be “smart on crime.”
[. . .]
Gertner said, “You can actually look at the [neurological] differences,

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2015/9/29/panel-law-neuroscience-adolescents/

Scholars Discuss Role of Neuroscience in Youth Criminal Justice
By JONAH S. LEFKOE, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Harvard Crimson
September 28, 2015

No Need To Reinvent The Wheel

In 1965 New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan issued his study of the black American family. His observations remain accurate and the situation has only gotten worse. Rev. Rivers and Police Commissioner Evans are correct. Why has there been little effort to implement the findings of Sen. Moynihan? John DiIulio, political scientist reported findings similar to Moynihan. Yet the problems remain. It seems as if the lack of will among political leaders is an unresponsive bureaucracy.



[From article]
the irrepressible Rev. Eugene Rivers stepped up. “One of the things that came out of today’s meeting is the recognition that not everything that happens in our community is a policing issue. We need to be intercepting young people as early as 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 years old. That’s not a policing issue.
“When a 14-year-old kid,” Rivers continued, “has a 40-member gang and hasn’t shot anybody yet, technically that’s not a law enforcement issue … we gotta intercept that child where grandma is 35, mom is 15, and Junebug is 3. That’s not a public safety issue. That’s not a policing issue.”

http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/columnists/peter_gelzinis/2015/08/gelzinis_cops_clergy_say_violence_is_more_than

Gelzinis: Cops, clergy say violence is more than policing issue
Social work needed
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
By: Peter Gelzinis

Cambridge MA Crime Task Force

Cambridge MA Crime Task Force

Members of the Crime Task Force and City Councilors speak as if Cambridge
is the first city to ever have a crime problem. (Matt Dunning, "Crime task
force to hold public forum," Cambridge Chronicle, September 20, 2007)
They conveniently ignore major causal factors. In 1995 Princeton Professor
John J. DiIulio cautioned, [there are] "40 million kids 10 years old and under"
who are about to become teen-agers, the biggest group of adolescents in a
generation, and many of them "fatherless, godless and jobless." (FOX
BUTTERFIELD, "Crime Continues to Decline, but Experts Warn of Coming 'Storm' of
Juvenile Violence," The New York Times, November 19, 1995) The prediction was
that these young men would create a serious increase in crime. Twelve years
later the Cambridge City Council wonders what to do. Does government corruption
contribute to high levels of crime?
Why did City government hold its head in the sand all these years? If they
were unable to solve this with ten years notice what will they propose after 14
months with amateurs? The Councilors have eyes but cannot see. They have ears
but cannot hear. The City Manager speaks no evil, hears no evil and sees no
evil. He is not a monkey.
Perhaps Decker's idea will work. Brief the Council on what the Task Force
is doing. Yes, that sounds like a workable solution to crime.

Roy Bercaw, Editor ENOUGH ROOM

Crime task force to hold public forum
By Matt Dunning/Chronicle Staff
Cambridge Chronicle
Thu Sep 20, 2007, 06:00 AM EDT
Cambridge -

The task force charged with presenting the City Council with a long-term plan to
curb violent crime in the city plans to hold a citywide public forum next week.

A week ago, it looked as if the same task force had painted itself into a bit of
a corner.

By seeking the input of the City Council on when to hold a public forum —
scheduled for Sept. 25 in the Sullivan Chamber at City Hall — the task force
could have inadvertently delayed the release of its final report.

Two weeks ago, the task force that focuses on how to lessen crime in Cambridge
spent more than an hour of its regular meeting trying to decide when, where and
under what circumstances to hold a public forum to gather input as it prepares
its report to the council. The task force has been working since the beginning
the summer on a comprehensive safety report — due Oct. 22 —aimed at stemming
violence in Cambridge, in response to a rash of shootings last summer.

Last Monday, Mayor Ken Reeves — who co-chairs the task force with City Manager
Bob Healy — told his fellow councilors that the task force wanted the council’s
opinion on what the proper format of the public forum would be.
[...]
In response, Councilor Marjorie Decker said she felt as though the council
hadn’t been given nearly enough information about the task force’s progress
throughout the summer, and requested that the council be briefed on the status
of the report before making a recommendation for a public forum.
[...]
-mdunning@cnc.com