Orange County Voices : COMMENTARY ON CRIME : Public-Private War Against Criminals Makes Economic Sense : The same powerful coalition that brought about Measure M for roads could also make our communities safer.

State Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren recently came to Orange County to espouse his strong message about fighting crime with more police, more jails and tougher laws. But he also stressed that the battle against crime is one in which each of us must take a part.

I believe that Orange County’s business, community and governmental leaders have the ability and determination to help wage this important battle. When Orange County faces problems, it has a tradition of marshaling its vast resources and finding solutions that work.

A case in point is the traffic dilemma that arose from our dramatic growth over the past 20 years.

Five years ago, traffic was far and above the most serious problem cited by residents. Traffic, according to the Annual Orange County Survey conducted by UCI Professor Mark Baldassare, was one of the main concerns voiced by county residents for several years in a row. In response, a powerful coalition of business, community and academic leaders came together to campaign for the adoption of Measure M. The result of that effort has been dramatic--our roads and freeways are being improved everywhere we look.

Consequently, according to Baldassare’s 1993 survey, traffic is no longer one of the major concerns; it is now fourth on the list.

Good news! But now the county appears to be confronting an even bigger problem--the specter of crime.

Crime obviously is not new to Orange County, but the number and severity of the crimes are reportedly getting worse, particularly with the current harsh economic times. At least Orange County residents think so. Baldassare’s survey shows that 29% of county residents believe crime is the most important public policy issue we face, followed by jobs and the economy, and then immigration.

Even more disturbing is the fact that 47% of the respondents said they felt unsafe in their own neighborhoods. A surprising 28% said they or members of their family had been victims of a crime in the past year. This is troubling information, but the news gets worse.

We all know from President Clinton’s State of the Union address that the fight against crime is also a national priority of the Administration. Unfortunately, as part of that battle, U.S. Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen recently named Orange County among the top 10 counties with the biggest problem of escalating crime.

Citing a Justice Department study which showed that the top high-crime areas in the United States accounted for 23% of the nation’s felonies, Secretary Bentsen has directed the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to conduct a study tracking the sale of firearms in Orange County, and the nation’s other designated high-crime areas.

While the study indicated that the total number of crimes in Orange County per 100,000 population actually fell from 1982 to 1992, violent crimes increased over the same period by more than 60%. Underscoring how pervasive and serious the nature of crime in our county has become, on Jan. 24 a murder was reported in the upscale and seemingly secure community of Turtle Rock in Irvine.

Orange County, a high-crime area! Detroit, yes. Washington, yes. But Orange County?

So here we are; we have the proverbial tiger by the tail and the rest of the world knows it. A steady and insidious rise in all types of violent and white-collar crime threatens the core of the county’s self-composure. The realization that the safety of our communities has been compromised to such an extent is further damaging to our cherished life- and work-styles. The largest economic losses from crime are in productivity and lost work.

Many residents and businesses located here because they placed a high premium on the safety of our communities and the favorable environment for building their futures. For instance, some companies locate in Santa Ana to take advantage of its favorable tax enterprise zone. Pacific Rim companies move to places such as the Irvine Spectrum because they are attracted by the security and lifestyle factors, as are the so-called “knowledge industry” firms involved in electronics and medical technology.

The county’s tourism industry, powered by such future undertakings as Westcot and the expansion of Knott’s Berry Farm, is on the verge of the first stages of recovery, the recent earthquake notwithstanding. And there are the big investment institutions actively seeking opportunities within the county’s cash-starved real estate industry. The long-awaited turnaround of our economy could also be energized by new opportunities that will be available to us through NAFTA. These are seen as driving forces behind the county’s economic recovery.

But rising crime threatens to undermine the general economic recovery, and efforts are being made locally by civic and political leaders, such as Partnership 2010 and the Economic Development Consortium, to quickly pull the county out of the recession. Our most valuable assets--our quality of life and the dynamic nature of our business and industry--are essential to our continuing strength and vitality.

However, the fact is that the county is no longer the oasis of blissful suburban tranquillity that it once was, immune to the urban blight of drugs and escalating gang warfare. Adjusting our thinking and reacting quickly to control the growing problem are essential to preserving our quality of life, the safety of our communities and our future prosperity.

Quite simply, the anticipated rebound this year of the county’s economy could very well be undermined by the crime issue, especially if it appears to be getting worse. We cannot afford to let this happen.

Our valued economic and community assets must be protected, and a systematic game plan for addressing crime must be implemented with the support of local residents, public officials, religious leaders and business and academia. It is the Measure M scenario with a passion because the stakes are much higher.

While government has no more important role than ensuring the public safety, law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system cannot be expected to fight the battles by themselves. Even if we were not in an era of restructured public budgets, they do not have the resources to do it alone. The county’s leadership from both the private and public sectors must coalesce to confront this social tumor head-on to bring it into remission.

Specifically, business and professional leaders, working with other county leadership, need to focus on the problem, understand its dynamics to get at the roots, propose measures and implement those measures.

Such an action will send a powerful message to those who want to work and live here that Orange County is the place to be in the 21st Century, and that its leaders are willing to take decisive action to solve its problems in a direct and effective manner.

A call to leadership is needed and the time is now. Our foundation--the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness--are only meaningful if the social order is maintained through secure communities. Business leaders must get involved and offer their solutions to stem the tide of crime and make our county safe.