Gee and Ursula: Solving the problem of kids and crime will take many solutions

With an epidemic of crime continuing across the region, there is an upsurge of kids being involved in violence. Law enforcement and political leaders are desperate to find solutions. Hosts Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin said on “The Gee & Ursula Show” they feel like we all have a role to play.

“There is not one answer,” co-host Ursula Reutin said. “One of our listeners, Bobby in Tacoma said I work with young adults 18 to 24. COVID tore these kids up and set them back years mentally.”

“Secondly, there are no paths to anything other than meaningless jobs, these kids don’t see hope. The level of trauma that my kids have seen is unbelievable,” Bobby continued on the KIRO Newsradio text line.

“Something that seems really obvious to me is that they don’t have a moral compass anymore. I think many parents have given up teaching kids to have a moral compass,” another listener, Lynn in Emmunclaw, wrote on the text line.

Ursula said someone brought up violent video games and that social media also plays a role.

“So what do you do? What can we do to change it?” she asked.

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Ursula explained that we have to go beyond the “Let’s change leadership.” chant.

“When I feel hopeless, I think, what can I specifically do?” she asked. “And many years ago, when I was in my 20s, when I actually joined the Big Brothers-Big Sisters program, and I became a big sister. And I will tell you that it was such a rewarding experience. I hope it was rewarding for the young girl that I helped, that I became close to.”

Ursula said she felt like she didn’t finish her role, but that it was “super rewarding.”

“And sometimes it takes just one person to be able to provide that little spark,” she said. “So I think before we just all throw up our hands, not everyone has the ability to help. But I think I’m getting to the point where I have the ability to help, and I think, ‘What can I take on?’ You know, something like that. ‘Where I could impact outside of my own family?'”

Gee said he did all kinds of research when he found out that they would be talking about the issue of juvenile crime.

“I had a real plan and an idea of why this is happening and what can be done,” he said. “And after I was done, I remember something that my grandma used to say, ‘I don’t understand kids these days’ That’s where I am. I really don’t have any understanding.”

Gee said he doesn’t understand why 14- and 15-year-olds are shooting other citizens or police officers.

He explained that when there are no consequences to a crime or police can’t even chase the criminals, it’s difficult to get better.

Gee said the state of national politics doesn’t help.

“We have a third of the country that will still support someone that has four indictments, so you can’t sit here and separate these things,” he explained. “The reason why I’m so cynical, the reason why I don’t see things getting better is because this world that we live in is just nothing we’ve ever seen.”

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.