Teens Fueling America's ORC Crisis
ORC ringleaders rely on teens to do the dirty work due to less exposure in the justice system

Don't Like Local Store Shelves are Under Lockdown? Blame Organized Crime
Across the nation, retailers are adding more on-the-shelves security to fight off the surge in shoplifting, and shoppers aren't happy. Some stores are even shutting down entirely, knocked out of business by the one-two punch of increased theft and declining sales. Frustrated shoppers are leaving stores rather than waiting for a clerk to give them access to toiletries and beauty supplies.

But before blaming the problem on local teens pocketing perfume without paying, law enforcement sources say it's not casual shoplifters who are responsible for the locks on the body lotion. It's organized criminal gangs.

"Illicit trade and goods often end up funding drug trafficking, organized crime, and other criminal enterprises, and with the explosion of e-commerce in recent years, the amount of counterfeit goods being imported in the United States continues to grow at an alarming rate," said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) at a recent conference on the issue.

And it is no coincidence teens are committing much of the organized shoplifting or smash-and-grab retail crime.

"Young people are at the foundation of the organized retail piece because, if they can avoid it, older people in the gang are not going to go into the store themselves, and they're not going to the gas station to break in the car," Convery said. "They also, unfortunately, learn that the juvenile exposure in our criminal justice system is significantly less, so if they get somebody arrested - especially for something like shoplifting where somebody's not looking in the bigger scheme - they're going to be out the next morning, they may not even go to juvenile court, and that's another worker back on the street for them to make more money the next day."

Jonathan Gilliam, a former FBI special agent, said it is past time that people and politicians change how they combat these crimes. That includes doing away with soft-on-crime policies in cities where Gilliam says criminals quickly end up back on the street after being arrested or detained.

Erichs and others in the fight admit it can't be won overnight, and it is likely baby formula will be behind plexiglass walls for the foreseeable future. However, she said she believes the USA-IT public/private partnership can work as retailers and law enforcement make full use of existing expertise, information sharing, and new technology. prescottenews.com


Entire Retail Supply Chains Under Attack by Criminals
'People are literally killing each other over sneakers'

Nike faces onslaught of thefts from the warehouse to retail shelves

Nike is facing an onslaught of theft crimes along its supply chain, including thieves stealing from warehouses and trains.

Nike's shipment hub in Memphis, Tennessee, has seen repeated crimes in the last few weeks alone, Insider reported. Worthen said he believes thieves quickly sell stolen merchandise, noting the high-demand products - especially the company's shoes - are sometimes even deemed worthy to kill over.

"How much do they want? How much are they asking? It's going to get sold," he said. "I've seen people trade a pair of sneakers for a car. It's crazy valuable. People miss work to go get new sneakers."

"It's crazy man," Worthen added to Fox 13. "People are fighting each other, killing each other over sneakers every day."

Nike stores have also been the site of repeated theft crimes, including at a company outlet in Portland, Oregon. Witnesses said they've seen suspects run out of the store with their arms full of stolen goods. The store abruptly closed last year, but company leaders are hoping to reopen the location.

Nike sent a letter to Portland leaders this month requesting that off-duty officers provide security to the store to cut back on retail thefts. Nike is headquartered out of Beaverton, which is located less than 10 miles outside of Portland.

Theft crimes have exploded across the country in recent years, with industry leaders such as Walmart CEO Doug McMillon warning the crimes could financially affect customers.

"Theft is an issue. It's higher than what it has historically been," McMillon told CNBC's "Squawk Box" in December. He added that if the crime wave is not halted soon and if prosecutors don't bring charges against shoplifters, "prices will be higher, and/or stores will close."  foxbusiness.com


Crime is Top Issue in Big Cities
Progressive DAs and mayors facing pushback over crime

Chicago mayor's race dominated by concerns about city crime
For years, Republicans have sought to win over voters by depicting Democratic-led cities as lawless centers of violence that need tough-on-crime policies. In Chicago, some of the Democrats running for mayor are deploying the same strategy as they debate how to make the city safer.

One leading candidate, who touts his endorsement from the Chicago police union, says "crime is out of control" and the city needs hundreds more officers patrolling its streets. Another hopeful says that if suspects flee a crime scene, officers should be able to "hunt them down like a rabbit."

The shift in rhetoric reflects the degree to which concerns about crime have dominated Tuesday's mayoral election in Chicago and threatened Lightfoot's reelection bid. Far from being an outlier, the nation's third-largest city is just the latest Democratic stronghold where public safety has become a top election issue.

In San Francisco, progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin was ousted in a recall election last year that was fueled by frustration over public safety. In Los Angeles, two Democrats running for mayor debated how to deal with rising crime rates and an out-of-control homelessness crisis. In New York City, voters elected Eric Adams as mayor, elevating a former city police captain who pledged to fix the department and invest more in crime prevention. And in Philadelphia, candidates running for mayor this year are debating how to curb gun violence.

The increased attention on public safety follows a spike in crime rates in many communities that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. High-profile incidents of police misconduct drew more scrutiny of policing, and there has been disagreement even among Democrats about so-called progressive public safety policies such as ending cash bail or providing safe injection sites for drug users.

Chicago has a higher per-capita homicide rate than New York or Los Angeles, but it's lower than other Midwestern cities, such as St. Louis and Detroit. Still, the number of homicides in Chicago hit a 25-year high in 2021 with 797, according to the Chicago Police Department. apnews.com


Nearly 100 Mass Shootings So Far in 2023
Opinion: Business-as-usual response in the aftermath of more mass shootings

No one can forecast where and when the next shooting will occur, as seen by the array of shootings so far in 2023.

There are two basic positions when it comes to reducing mass shootings and mass killings. One side argues that more restrictions on firearm purchases and access will reduce shootings. The other side argues that fewer restrictions on firearm purchases and access will reduce shootings.

Both these arguments have flaws and merits in certain circumstances. Yet there is no one-size-fits-all strategy. So, what principles can be applied to reduce needless and avoidable firearm deaths?

Focus on safety, not on bans

Most would argue that something has to change, or needless and avoidable deaths will continue. Everyone can agree on this. What no one can agree with is what needs to change.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been nearly 100 mass shootings so far in 2023.

The Michigan legislature plans to introduce tighter gun control laws, including improved background checks, safe storage, and red flag laws. Some of these policies may even have some merit.

Instead of engaging in ineffective political debates, let's begin an open and bipartisan dialogue to make gun safety a top priority. Without such bipartisan communication, we are certain to witness yet another sequence of needless and avoidable deaths, somewhere, in some venue, over the next few weeks. It remains to be seen what it will take for the two factions to work together to craft a common solution. thehill.com


Progressives Could Face Pushback From Biden Over 'Soft-on-Crime' Policies
Biden Could Face Veto Test Over Contentious D.C. Crime Bill That Rolls Back Sentences for Some Violence Offenses

Legislation blocking a new crime law in the District of Columbia has drawn bipartisan support in the House, and Senate Republicans are working to win over Democrats.

Republicans in Congress are working to block changes to the District of Columbia's criminal code, potentially setting up a politically charged veto fight with President Biden as the party works to capitalize on fears of rising crime in the run-up to the 2024 campaign.

Senate Republicans hope to marshal the votes as early as next week to send Mr. Biden legislation that would block a recently enacted package of local laws that eliminated or reduced mandatory minimum sentences for some violent offenses, including carjacking. The White House has expressed its opposition, though officials have yet to issue a direct veto threat.

The changes in punishment came despite a wave of homicides, carjackings and property crimes in Washington that has many residents on edge and asking if now is the time to back away from strong deterrence. Congressional Republicans have seized the moment and are pressuring Democrats to join them in cracking down or be portrayed as lax on enforcement, part of an effort to make a crime surge across the country a political issue.

Most Democrats oppose the bid to get involved in the District's business, but dozens from conservative-leaning districts quietly embraced it in the House, reflecting concerns that the rollback of sentences was too drastic and a recognition of the risks of being labeled soft on crime. Similar attempts at enacting more progressive sentencing and bail laws have sparked a political backlash around the country, including in San Francisco, where a prosecutor was ousted for perceived leniency toward offenders, and New York, where Mayor Eric Adams was elected with a tough-on-crime message. nytimes.com


Memphis, TN: Multiple mass shootings spark conversations about justice system

How Social Media Shapes Our Perceptions About Crime

ADL report: Mass shootings in US linked to hateful ideology
 

How Covid Changed The Way We Work
Remote Work Gives Leaders The Opportunity To Transform Their Thinking
The Covid-19 pandemic changed not only the way people work but our attitudes toward work. In 2021, according to figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 47 million Americans voluntarily left their jobs. The Great Resignation highlighted workers' dissatisfaction with stagnant wages, limited growth opportunities and feeling disrespected as motivating factors for quitting.

Then there was "quiet quitting," a movement heralded on social media and informed by workers' dissatisfaction with grind culture. According to a Gallup survey in June 2022, at least half the U.S. workforce consider themselves quiet quitters. Not since the second world war, when women started working en masse, have cultural expectations about work and the labor force changed so greatly.

Thinking about remote working from a traditional mindset-one based on synchronous communication styles and top-down authority-is where many founders and CEOS go wrong. After all, innovative thinking is what differentiates an average business owner from a successful leader or entrepreneur, one who understands that yesterday's solutions are all too often tomorrow's problems.

Workers want flexibility, freedom and balance; having come close to it during the pandemic, they're more prone to dissatisfaction than at any other time. Give workers freedom, autonomy and the ability to contribute to their job with more meaning and creativity and you'll see an increase in workplace motivation, job performance and employee well-being. forbes.com


36M Remote Workers by 2025
How companies are keeping remote employees engaged and productive
Zippia reports that 1 in 5 remote workers say isolation is the biggest downside of remote work. Encouraging communication among remote workers is critical for companies to keep production and employee satisfaction high. Companies that embrace instant messaging platforms like Slack allow remote workers to engage with real-time collaboration and feedback.

Communication is a two-way street; companies should ensure remote workers feel empowered to speak up. Some remote workers prefer phone conversations, while others like video calls or instant messaging. Taking to time to recognize which mode of communication works best for each employee can aid management in keeping productivity levels high.

Communicating employee wins and achievements in creative ways, such as having a pizza or cake delivered, is another way for managers to show employee appreciation from afar. tulsaworld.com


Walgreens to shrink HQ as employees work more from home
With more of its employees working from home, Walgreens plans to sell more than half of its headquarters office space. The drugstore giant will shift office workers to the remaining areas.

The COVID public health emergency is ending - but what does that mean?
Who could be hurt hardest by the sunsetting of the emergency? Experts weigh in.

These Entrepreneurs Started Businesses During the Pandemic. How Did They Do?