The 3 Es & When Policy Reform is Best: Chelsea's Law
In tackling tough public health and social issues, we talk about three main ways to make change happen:
1. Education: Teach people so they know the right thing to do.
Example: Driver training programs
2. Environment: Change the environment so people automatically do the right thing.
Example: Speed bumps that slow people down
3. Enforcement: Make laws that punish people for not doing the right thing.
Example: Speed limits and speeding tickets
This comic strip by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Steve Breen (a local San Diegan) makes the case very well with "Chelsea's Law" - the new sex offender one strike law that resulted from the tragic murders of Chelsea King and Amber Dubois.
Sure, a candlelight vigil is good. People learn about the situation and feel like that are doing something when it seems like nothing can be done. Memorial services and honoring the victim's memory is important too. But some situations need reform, better laws, to really make an impact. Violence against youth, rape, sex offenses, and murder need policies that force reform. Educating violators and victims and the public still matters, as does creating safer environments. Ultimately, all three approaches contribute to the higher good. Sometimes though, it takes a law.
