January 1, City Crime Crisis Needs Real Solutions Now

Wyatt’s Take

• Recent violent crimes show mental health policies are failing.
• Long-term incarceration and commitment must be brought back.
• Safety comes from holding dangerous people accountable.

Communities across America are facing a wave of violence that can’t be ignored any longer. The shocking killing of Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte commuter train is a wake-up call for honest folks who want peace in their daily lives.

This brutal attack wasn’t just a tragedy, it’s proof that our justice system is letting the worst offenders slip through the cracks. Decarlos Brown Jr. should have never been out walking free after his history of violence and mental illness.

“The average homicide suspect has been arrested ELEVEN times prior to them committing a homicide. That is a problem. That is a problem!”

“WE NEED TO KEEP VIOLENT PEOPLE IN JAIL”

– Former DC Police Chief Robert Contee, in 2023 pic.twitter.com/DVBTiEFTBV

— Vince Coglianese (@VinceCoglianese) September 9, 2025

Years ago, criminals and the dangerously disturbed weren’t allowed back onto the streets over and over again. Today, radical policies and weak laws are letting them loose faster than ever, putting hard-working families at risk.

Shutting down state-run psychiatric hospitals took away the main way to keep violent, mentally unstable people from hurting others. Now, even when someone is clearly a threat, it’s nearly impossible to have them committed where they can’t cause more harm.

Policies fueled by slogans and politics—like releasing inmates found “incompetent” to stand trial without any guarantee of treatment—are making matters worse, not better. Just ask Colorado’s Weld County, where a dangerous man accused of assaults was set free because of such a law.

Brown’s story isn’t unique. With a rap sheet a mile long and a history of delusional behavior, he was still let out without bond, even after his own mother warned about the danger. If real commitment laws had been in place, Iryna Zarutska might be alive right now.

Softer sentences and so-called “reforms” have turned our cities into playgrounds for the worst offenders. The argument that mass incarceration is the problem crumbles against the reality that prison works for public safety. As Charles Fain Lehman points out, keeping violent predators locked up is still the best way to protect ordinary Americans.

If we want safer neighborhoods, we need to bring back the tough measures that worked—real consequences and a system that puts law-abiding citizens first. Don’t wait for tragedy to strike your community before demanding accountability.

Share this story or talk with your neighbors about what it will really take to reclaim our streets and protect our families.

Wyatt Matters

A just society stands up for public safety by holding violent offenders accountable. Middle America knows that lasting peace comes from strong values, not soft-on-crime policies.

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