Indianapolis, Indiana – The number of crime incidents in Indianapolis has been constantly growing in the last couple of years, following the nationwide trend. The city of Indianapolis has been working hard with the local law enforcement and implemented several different kinds of projects to combat the crime in the area. Although some of these projects delivered positive results, in most cases the projects worked for microlocal areas that only provided benefits for the people living in those areas.
The growing number of crime incidents is more of a national concern. Local law enforcement agencies are usually not capable of combating such trends on their own, mostly due to a lack of employees. On numerous occasions in recent years, experts have asked the federal government to make a plan and assist local law enforcement in resolving this issue. So far, nothing has been done.
When officials don’t provide the results they are required to, residents are left on their own to seek solutions to improve overall safety. Combating crime is not easy, and it’s not something that everyone is capable of, but a local organization created a plan to combat crime in the city of Indianapolis using a completely different method, and local residents in some areas are already seeing the results of this effort.
The organization is called PACE, and their officials claim they have managed to slow down crime in certain areas of the city only by giving people things they need most – housing and food. The organization is supported by several restaurants and other local businesses, which further helps them to have this program running.
PACE says it provides resources like relapse prevention groups and counseling.
“We service individuals that have been engaged in any way with the justice system,” Gina Fears, Assistant Director of Recovery and Community Services at PACE said. “Our issues are more human than they are a location in the city,” Fears added.
PACE’s has been successfully operating for more than 15 years, and it’s currently located in the Martindale-Brightwood area.
One of the supporting businesses is Qui’s Quisine, a restaurant that was opened in February this year. The owner of the restaurant, Quinetta Jones, said that she decided to open the restaurant as a response to the growing need for healthy food in the community where she lives. Having difficulties finding a proper grocery store in the area that would offer fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables was another reason to open the restaurant. Qui’s Quisine is now located in the middle of a food desert.
The Indianapolis Community Food Access Coalition calls Indianapolis one of the worst cities in America for food deserts. They say more than 208,000 Hoosiers live in a food desert.
