Today, Washington, DC is a dangerous place.

in our nation's capital, feed the family, Shopping for basic necessities or Dog-walking You may become a target for criminals. The city just finished its most violent year on record. 959 carjackings and 274 murdersthe highest price in 20 years.

As tragic stories are shared in the media and on platforms like TikTok, one story is particularly poignant. In early November, the local DC television station report A 12-year-old carjacking suspect was brought to police by his mother. (Related: Bullets spray over blue state highways after gun crackdown)

As a mother myself, I can only imagine the pain the boy's mother must have faced when reporting her child. It is a mother's instinct to try to protect her child at all costs, and news reports have talked about the efforts the mother made to seek counseling for her son when she noticed signs of trouble. It is explained in detail.

It must have been unimaginably difficult, but this mother didn't turn a blind eye when her son needed help, even if it meant potentially going to jail. Politicians and elected leaders need to follow her lead.

The rise in crime among youth is becoming an epidemic not just in Washington, DC, but in cities across the country.Last year, juvenile assault and robbery arrests increased by 59%. baltimoreand Chicago The number of juvenile arrests for felonies increased by more than 42%.in new york cityAuthorities aim to expand the capacity of youth detention centers in response to an increase in juvenile arrests for serious crimes.

As these numbers increase, there is growing concern about the number of children and young people who commit crimes and then return to the streets to commit crimes again. Last month in Los Angeles 13 years old He was arrested on suspicion of vandalizing a local bakery and was rearrested less than a day later on suspicion of robbery.

And in DC, 15-year-old carjacking suspect Although he had been arrested seven times for carjackings, he was sent home by a local judge.

Brian Schwalb, the city leader in charge of dealing with juvenile crime in Washington, D.C., suggested:kids are kidsRegarding juvenile crime. His casual response to a growing and deadly crisis is representative of the far-left approach to fighting crime.

The soft-on-crime mentality prevalent among elected Democrats is failing our young people and destroying our cities. Years of defunding the police, refusing to prosecute criminals, and ignoring minor crimes have created a culture where the rule of law is meaningless and an expectation that there will be no consequences for bad behavior. Ta.

Thankfully, there are signs that common sense is beginning to drown out the far-left's rallying cry to soften its crimes. In January, California prosecutors and business groups expressed broad support for repealing Proposition 47, which was proposed as a criminal reform measure by then-Attorney General Kamala Harris and others when it passed several years ago.

In fact, Proposition 47 has contributed to an increase in retail crime and overdose deaths in the state. Currently, 89% of California voters support an amendment that would include harsher penalties for crimes.

California prosecutors, including Governor Gavin Newsom, exiled Both San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin prefers to signal virtue to the radical left rather than tackle crime head-on.

In Washington, crime mitigation policies and politicians are facing increasing opposition from local residents.current Recall efforts The expulsion of a far-left City Council member who pushed for too extreme criminal law reforms is underway, but was ultimately rejected by Congress and President Joe Biden.

In an effort to curb the city's escalating crime, the D.C. Council has given preliminary approval to the following plans: crime bill It would override anti-crime policies passed just a few years ago. Sadly, even if this bill were to pass, there is nothing in it that would compel Mr. Schwalb to do his job and prosecute criminals.

Elected Democrats have long tried to convince us that their anti-crime policies are compassionate and kind. Tragically, it is young people who suffer the most when our communities fall into the grips of lawlessness.

It is clearer than ever that we need to replace policies that deal with crime with genuinely caring policies that protect vulnerable communities and politicians willing to restore civility. Until law and order is restored, our cities will continue to crumble under a system that tolerates bad and violent behavior and turns a blind eye to crime.

Jessica Anderson is the executive director of Heritage Action for America.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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