Jeffrey Brown: How we cut youth violence in Boston by 79 percent | TED

譯者: Kitty Lau 審譯者: Karen SONG

I've learned some of my most important life lessons

我曾在這些人身上學到人生最寶貴的課堂：

from drug dealers

在毒販、黑社會成員和妓女身上。

and gang members

and prostitutes,

and I've had some of my most profound theological conversations

而令我最深刻的神學討論，

not in the hallowed halls of a seminary

不是在神學院的神聖會堂中發生，

but on a street corner

而是在街頭發生，

on a Friday night, at 1 a.m.

在星期五晚上，凌晨一時。

That's a little unusual, since I am a Baptist minister, seminary-trained,

這有些奇怪，

因我是個在神學院受訓的浸信會牧師，

and pastored a church for over 20 years,

還在一所教會做了超過二十年牧師，

but it's true.

但這都是真的。

It came as a part of my participation

這是我在參與減低罪案的計劃時的收獲，

in a public safety crime reduction strategy

並令這大城市的犯罪率 在八年後下跌了百分之七十九。

that saw a 79 percent reduction in violent crime

over an eight-year period in a major city.

But I didn't start out wanting to be

但我不是一開始就想參與減低罪案的計劃。

a part of somebody's crime reduction strategy.

I was 25, had my first church.

我當時二十五歲，剛有自己的教會，

If you would have asked me what my ambition was,

如果你當時問我的人生目標是甚麼，

I would have told you I wanted to be a megachurch pastor.

我會說我想在一間超大型教會當牧師，

I wanted a 15-, 20,000-member church.

我想有間擁有一萬五千、二萬信眾的教會，

I wanted my own television ministry.

我想有自己的電視傳道節目，

I wanted my own clothing line.

我想有自己的服裝品牌，

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

I wanted to be your long distance carrier.

我還想當你的長途電話公司，

You know, the whole nine yards.

所有能想到的事我也想擁有。

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

After about a year of pastoring,

在我當牧師一年後，

my membership went up about 20 members.

我有約二十個信眾，

So megachurchdom was way down the road.

所以距離超大型教會的目標還很遠。

But seriously, if you'd have said, "What is your ambition?"

但老實說，當你問我的夢想是甚麼時，

I would have said just to be a good pastor,

我只想成為一個好牧師，

to be able to be with people through all the passages of life,

與人們渡過人生的所有階段，

to preach messages that would have an everyday meaning for folks,

向人們傳道終生受用的訊息，

and in the African-American tradition,

以及正如非裔美國人的傳統所說的，

to be able to represent the community that I serve.

能夠代表我所服務的社區。

But there was something else that was happening in my city

但在我的城市中，有些事正在發生，

and in the entire metro area,

就在整個都市中，

and in most metro areas in the United States,

以及美國大部份的都市。

and that was the homicide rate started to rise precipitously.

凶殺案的數字急劇上升，

And there were young people who were killing each other

年輕人為了微不足道的小事殺害對方，

for reasons that I thought were very trivial,

like bumping into someone in a high school hallway,

例如在高中的走廊撞到別人，

and then after school, shooting the person.

放學後便用槍殺害那人，

Someone with the wrong color shirt on,

又或是有人穿了顏色不對的衣服，

on the wrong street corner at the wrong time.

在錯誤的時間和錯誤的地方出現。

And something needed to be done about that.

我們必須做些事情。

It got to the point where it started to change the character of the city.

這個問題已開始改變城市的面貌。

You could go to any housing project,

你可到任何一個公共屋村，

for example, like the one that was down the street from my church,

就如在我教會那條街的，

and you would walk in, and it would be like a ghost town,

當你走進那裡，那地方就如一個死城。

because the parents wouldn't allow their kids to come out and play,

即使在暑假，家長都不讓小孩出來玩，

even in the summertime, because of the violence.

都是因為這些暴力事件。

You would listen in the neighborhoods on any given night,

你在這個社區的任何一晚

and to the untrained ear, it sounded like fireworks,

都會聽到像是煙花的聲音，

but it was gunfire.

但其實是槍聲。

You'd hear it almost every night, when you were cooking dinner,

你幾乎每晚都能聽到，就在你準備晚餐時，

telling your child a bedtime story, or just watching TV.

和你的孩子說床邊故事時，或當你在看電視時。

And you can go to any emergency room at any hospital,

你也可以到任何一間醫院的急診室，

and you would see lying on gurneys

看到擔架上中了彈並垂死的 年輕黑人和拉丁美洲人。

young black and Latino men shot and dying.

And I was doing funerals,

當我主持喪禮時，

but not of the venerated matriarchs and patriarchs who'd lived a long life

死去的不是受人尊敬的長者，

and there's a lot to say.

這樣我會有很多話要說。

I was doing funerals of 18-year-olds,

但我是為十八歲、十七歲、十六歲的人主持喪禮。

17-year-olds,

and 16-year-olds,

and I was standing in a church or at a funeral home

我當時站在教會或殯儀館裡，

struggling to say something

在掙扎應說甚麼能帶來改變的說話。

that would make some meaningful impact.

And so while my colleagues were building these cathedrals great and tall

因此當我的同事在興建又高又宏偉的大教堂時，

and buying property outside of the city

他們購買城市外的物業

and moving their congregations out

讓他們能遷移信眾，

so that they could create or recreate their cities of God,

以創造或再造他們的上帝之城，

the social structures in the inner cities

這時舊城區的社會結構正承受暴力事件的重擔。

were sagging under the weight of all of this violence.

And so I stayed, because somebody needed to do something,

因此我選擇留下，有人必須做些事。

and so I had looked at what I had and moved on that.

我看看有甚麼我可以做的便實行。

I started to preach decrying the violence in the community.

我開始在社區傳道以打破暴力的污名，

And I started to look at the programming in my church,

我亦開始檢視教會的活動計劃，

and I started to build programs that would catch the at-risk youth,

我開始建立協助邊緣青年的計劃

those who were on the fence to the violence.

幫助那些快走向暴力的青年。

I even tried to be innovative in my preaching.

我甚至嘗試用創新的方法傳道，

You all have heard of rap music, right?

你們都有聽過饒舌音樂嗎?

Rap music?

饒舌音樂?

I even tried to rap sermon one time.

我有次甚至以饒舌形式講道。

It didn't work, but at least I tried it.

雖然效果不佳，但至少我嘗試過。

I'll never forget the young person who came to me after that sermon.

我還記得有個年輕人在佈道後走過來，

He waited until everybody was gone,

他等所有人離開後跟我說: 「牧師，饒舌講道嗎?」

and he said, "Rev, rap sermon, huh?" And I was like, "Yeah, what do you think?"

然後我問:「對呀，你覺得如何?」

And he said, "Don't do that again, Rev."

他說:「不要再這樣做了。」

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

But I preached and I built these programs,

我傳道和建立這些計劃，

and I thought maybe if my colleagues did the same

我想如果我的同事都這樣做的話，

that it would make a difference.

我們就可以帶來改變。

But the violence just careened out of control,

但暴力事件就是不受控制。

and people who were not involved in the violence were getting shot and killed:

不牽涉在內的人卻被人射殺，

somebody going to buy a pack of cigarettes at a convenience store,

例如到便利店買香菸的人，

or someone who was sitting at a bus stop just waiting for a bus,

在巴士站候車的人，

or kids who were playing in the park,

以及在公園玩耍的小孩，

oblivious to the violence on the other side of the park,

他們沒有察覺公園另一邊的暴力事件，

but it coming and visiting them.

但暴力事件發生在他們身上。

Things were out of control,

事情失去了控制，

and I didn't know what to do,

而我不知道該做甚麼。

and then something happened that changed everything for me.

突然一件事完全改變了我。

It was a kid by the name of Jesse McKie,

這是關於一個叫Jesse McKie的孩子，

walking home with his friend Rigoberto Carrion

和朋友Rigoberto Carrion一起回家，

to the housing project down the street from my church.

回到我教會附近的公共屋村。

They met up with a group of youth who were from a gang in Dorchester,

他們遇到了來自多切斯特幫派的一群青年，

and they were killed.

兩人都被殺。

But as Jesse was running from the scene mortally wounded,

Jesse負著致命的傷逃走，

he was running in the direction of my church,

他正朝著我教會的方向奔跑，

and he died some 100, 150 yards away.

但他在一百、一百五十碼外死了。

If he would have gotten to the church, it wouldn't have made a difference,

就算他抵達教會也沒有分別，

because the lights were out; nobody was home.

因當時所有燈都熄了，沒有人在那裡。

And I took that as a sign.

但我視這為一個徵兆。

When they caught some of the youth that had done this deed,

當他們捉到做了這些壞事的青年時，

to my surprise, they were around my age,

令我很驚訝的是他們和我的年齡相近，

but the gulf that was between us was vast.

但我們之間的差異十分大，

It was like we were in two completely different worlds.

就像我們活在完全不同的世界中。

And so as I contemplated all of this

正當我反思一切、思考發生了甚麼事時，

and looked at what was happening,

I suddenly realized that there was a paradox that was emerging inside of me,

我突然察覺我內心的一個問題：

and the paradox was this: in all of those sermons

在我宣揚去除暴力的佈道中，

that I preached decrying the violence,

I was also talking about building community,

我同時亦談及建設社群。

but I suddenly realized

但我突然醒覺有一撮人 並不在我對社群的定義中。

that there was a certain segment of the population

that I was not including in my definition of community.

And so the paradox was this:

所以這個問題是這樣的：

If I really wanted the community that I was preaching for,

如果我真的想幫助這個社群，

I needed to reach out

我必須走出去，

and embrace this group that I had cut out of my definition.

並接納這群不在我定義中的人。

Which meant not about building programs

我們不應只幫助那些快走向暴力的青年，

to catch those who were on the fences of violence,

but to reach out and to embrace those who were committing the acts of violence,

還應幫助那些已在犯暴力罪行的人，

the gang bangers, the drug dealers.

那些黑社會成員和毒販。

As soon as I came to that realization, a quick question came to my mind.

當我有了這個覺醒後， 我腦海中浮現一條問題：

Why me?

為何是我?

I mean, isn't this a law enforcement issue?

這不應該是執法機構的問題嗎?

This is why we have the police, right?

這不是我們有警察的原因嗎?

As soon as the question, "Why me?" came, the answer came just as quickly:

當這問題出現時，答案亦隨之而揭曉。

Why me? Because I'm the one who can't sleep at night thinking about it.

為何是我? 因為我因這個問題而不能入睡，

Because I'm the one looking around saying somebody needs to do something about this,

因為我認為有些人必須做些事，

and I'm starting to realize that that someone is me.

而我察覺這人就是我。

I mean, isn't that how movements start anyway?

社會運動不就是這樣開始嗎?

They don't start with a grand convention and people coming together

一開始時並不是人們眾集在宏偉的會議中心，

and then walking in lockstep with a statement.

並有著共同的信念。

But it starts with just a few, or maybe just one.

開始時通常只有幾個人，或一個人，

It started with me that way,

而發起的就只有我。

and so I decided to figure out the culture of violence

我決定研究這令年輕人犯下暴力罪行的文化。

in which these young people who were committing them existed,

and I started to volunteer at the high school.

我開始在高中當義工，

After about two weeks of volunteering at the high school,

在兩星期的義工服務後，

I realized that the youth that I was trying to reach,

我發現我想接觸的青年都已輟學。

they weren't going to high school.

I started to walk in the community,

因此我走進社區，

and it didn't take a rocket scientist to realize that they weren't out

但不需科學家也可知道他們不會在白天出現。

during the day.

So I started to walk the streets at night, late at night,

所以我在深夜時走到街上，

going into the parks where they were,

走到他們所在的公園，

building the relationship that was necessary.

開始建立必需的關係。

A tragedy happened in Boston that brought a number of clergy together,

一件在波士頓發生的悲劇 令一些教士聚首一堂，

and there was a small cadre of us who came to the realization

當中有一小撮人發覺 我們必須走出我們的教會，

that we had to come out of the four walls of our sanctuary

and meet the youth where they were,

走到青年所在的地方，

and not try to figure out how to bring them in.

不追究甚麼事令他們變成這樣。

And so we decided to walk together,

我們決定和他們同行。

and we would get together

在這城市最危險的社區認識對方，

in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the city

on a Friday night and on a Saturday night

就在星期五和星期六的晚上，

at 10 p.m.,

晚上十時，

and we would walk until 2 or 3 in the morning.

一起走到清晨二、三時。

I imagine we were quite the anomaly when we first started walking.

當我們剛開始時，我們是不正常的人，

I mean, we weren't drug dealers.

我們又不是毒販，

We weren't drug customers.

我們不是吸毒的人，

We weren't the police. Some of us would have collars on.

我們不是警察，我們還戴著羅馬領，

It was probably a really odd thing.

所以這是十分奇怪的。

But they started speaking to us after a while,

但不久後他們開始和我們說話。

and what we found out is that

我們後來發現當我們行走時， 他們在觀察我們。

while we were walking, they were watching us,

and they wanted to make sure of a couple of things:

他們想確認以下的事：

that number one, we were going to be consistent in our behavior,

第一，我們會否堅持我們的行動，

that we would keep coming out there;

我們會否堅持每晚到這裡；

and then secondly, they had wanted to make sure

第二，他們想確認我們不是要用利用他們的。

that we weren't out there to exploit them.

Because there was always somebody who would say,

因為經常有些人說「我們須收回我們的街道」，

"We're going to take back the streets,"

but they would always seem to have a television camera with them,

但他們往往拿著電視台的攝影機，

or a reporter,

又或是個記者，

and they would enhance their own reputation

他們傷害在街頭的人去提高自己的聲望。

to the detriment of those on the streets.

So when they saw that we had none of that,

而當他們看到我們不是這些人時，

they decided to talk to us.

他們開始和我們說話。

And then we did an amazing thing for preachers.

然後我們做了一件令牧師驚訝的事，

We decided to listen and not preach.

我們決定聆聽而不傳教。

Come on, give it up for me.

對呀，為我們鼓掌吧。

(Laughter) (Applause)

(笑聲) (掌聲)

All right, come on, you're cutting into my time now, okay? (Laughter)

好了停止吧，你們在佔用我的時間。 (笑聲)

But it was amazing.

但這真的很神奇。

We said to them, "We don't know our own communities after 9 p.m. at night,

我們跟他們說: 「我們不知道這社區在晚上九時是怎樣的，

between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.,

就在晚上九時至早上五時。

but you do.

但你們知道。

You are the subject matter experts, if you will, of that period of time.

你就是那個時段的主人翁。

So talk to us. Teach us.

所以告訴我們，教導我們，

Help us to see what we're not seeing.

幫助我們看見我們忽略了的事，

Help us to understand what we're not understanding."

幫助我們了解我們不明白的事。」

And they were all too happy to do that,

而他們全都樂意這樣做，

and we got an idea of what life on the streets was all about,

我們開始了解街頭的生活，

very different than what you see on the 11 o'clock news,

這和你在晚間新聞中看到的十分不同，

very different than what is portrayed in popular media and even social media.

而且跟大眾媒體和社群網路 描繪的十分不同。

And as we were talking with them,

當我們和他們交談時，

a number of myths were dispelled about them with us.

我們打破了一些關於他們的迷思。

And one of the biggest myths was that these kids were cold and heartless

而當中最大的迷思就是 他們都是冷酷無情的，

and uncharacteristically bold in their violence.

而且不尋常地暴戾。

What we found out was the exact opposite.

但我們發現的是完全相反的。

Most of the young people who were out there on the streets

大部份在街頭流連的青年人，

are just trying to make it on the streets.

他們只是在嘗試進入街頭的生活。

And we also found out

我們亦發現

that some of the most intelligent and creative

一些我們見過最聰明、 富創意、偉大、充滿智慧的人，

and magnificent and wise

people that we've ever met

were on the street, engaged in a struggle.

都在街頭上掙扎中。

And I know some of them call it survival, but I call them overcomers,

我知道有些人稱之為求存， 但我認為這是克服困難。

because when you're in the conditions that they're in,

因為當你在這環境時，

to be able to live every day is an accomplishment of overcoming.

能夠生存已經是一種成就。

And as a result of that, we said to them,

因此我們和他們說，

"How do you see this church, how do you see this institution

「你認為這所教會、這個機構能怎樣改善這情況?」

helping this situation?"

And we developed a plan in conversation with these youths.

在與這些青年的對話中我們制定了計劃。

We stopped looking at them as the problem to be solved,

我們不再視他們為需要解決的問題，

and we started looking at them as partners, as assets,

我們開始視他們為夥伴、財富、

as co-laborers in the struggle to reduce violence in the community.

以及打擊社區暴力的同事。

Imagine developing a plan,

試想像在討論一個計劃時，

you have one minister at one table and a heroin dealer at the other table,

你有一個牧師在這， 旁邊卻是一個販賣海洛英的人，

coming up with a way in which the church can help the entire community.

他們一起為教會想辦法去幫助整個社區。

The Boston Miracle was about bringing people together.

「波士頓奇蹟」的成功在於連繫人們。

We had other partners.

我們有同伴，

We had law enforcement partners.

我們有執法機構的夥伴，

We had police officers.

我們有一些警察同伴，

It wasn't the entire force,

但不是整個警方，

because there were still some who still had that lock-'em-up mentality,

因為仍然有些人認為要拘捕他們。

but there were other cops

但有另一種警察，

who saw the honor in partnering with the community,

他們為能夠協助社區而感到榮幸，

who saw the responsibility from themselves

他們認為有責任跟社區領袖和信仰領袖合作，

to be able to work as partners with community leaders and faith leaders

in order to reduce violence in the community.

一起打擊社區中的暴力。

Same with probation officers,

感化官也是這樣。

same with judges,

法官也是這樣。

same with folks who were up that law enforcement chain,

執法機構的人也是這樣。

because they realized, like we did,

因為他們像我們一樣明白到，

that we'll never arrest ourselves out of this situation,

我們絕不能置身事外，

that there will not be enough prosecutions made,

而且我們永遠不會有足夠的檢控，

and you cannot fill these jails up enough

你不能填滿監獄去減輕這個問題。

in order to alleviate the problem.

I helped to start an organization

二十年前我協助一個 有信仰背景的機構解決這個問題，

20 years ago, a faith-based organization, to deal with this issue.

I left it about four years ago

我在四年前離開了。

and started working in cities across the United States,

我開始在美國不同城市工作，

19 in total,

總共十九個城市。

and what I found out was that in those cities,

而我發現這些城市中總有一些社區領袖，

there was always this component of community leaders

who put their heads down and their nose to the grindstone,

他們埋頭苦幹、犧牲自我，

who checked their egos at the door

and saw the whole as greater than the sum of its parts,

他們認為群體比個人更重要，

and came together and found ways to work with youth out on the streets,

他們一起尋找和街頭青年合作的方法。

that the solution is not more cops,

而解決方法並非更多的警察，

but the solution is mining the assets that are there in the community,

而是發掘社區中的資產。

to have a strong community component

我們需要社群積極的參與，

in the collaboration around violence reduction.

一起為打擊暴力而合作。

Now, there is a movement in the United States

現在在美國有些 讓我驕傲的青年在發起一個運動，

of young people who I am very proud of who are dealing with the structural issues

他們關注社會必須解決的結構性問題。

that need to change if we're going to be a better society.

But there is this political ploy to try to pit police brutality

現時的政治技倆把警方使用暴力和行為不當 興黑人之間的暴力混為一談，

and police misconduct against black-on-black violence.

But it's a fiction.

但這不是真的。

It's all connected.

一切都是有關連的。

When you think about decades of failed housing policies

當你想到數十年來失敗的公共屋村，

and poor educational structures,

以及差強人意的教育制度，

when you think about persistent unemployment

當你想到社區持續不斷的失業，

and underemployment in a community,

以及就業不足的問題，

when you think about poor healthcare,

當你想到惡劣的醫療保健，

and then you throw drugs into the mix

你自然會走向毒品和整袋行李袋的槍，

and duffel bags full of guns,

little wonder that you would see this culture of violence emerge.

難怪這暴力的文化會出現。

And then the response that comes from the state is more cops

然後國家的應對方法是更多的警察，

and more suppression of hot spots.

以及加強鎮壓犯罪熱點。

It's all connected,

一切都有關連的。

and one of the wonderful things that we've been able to do

而我們做了的一件美好的事，

is to be able to show the value of partnering together --

就是表現了互相合作的的可貴，

community, law enforcement, private sector, the city --

社群、執法機構、私人機構和城市一起打擊暴力。

in order to reduce violence.

You have to value that community component.

你必須重視社群的支持。

I believe that we can end the era of violence in our cities.

我相信我們可以終結這個暴力的時代。

I believe that it is possible and that people are doing it even now.

我相信我們能做到，有些人現在已這樣做。

But I need your help.

但我需要你們的幫助。

It can't just come from folks who are burning themselves out

社區中只有幾個人拼命付出並不能成事。

in the community.

They need support. They need help.

他們需要支持，他們需要幫助。

Go back to your city.

回到你們的城市，

Find those people.

找出這些人，

"You need some help? I'll help you out."

「你需要幫忙嗎? 讓我協助你。」

Find those people. They're there.

找出這些人，他們都在此。

Bring them together with law enforcement, the private sector, and the city,

將這些人、執法機構、私人機構和城市團結一起，

with the one aim of reducing violence,

一起打擊暴力事件，

but make sure that that community component is strong.

但社群的支持是必需的。

Because the old adage that comes from Burundi is right:

因為這布隆迪諺語說得很對:

that you do for me, without me, you do to me.

「你為我做的事，如果沒有了解我的意願， 就是和我作對。」

God bless you. Thank you.

願神保佑你們，謝謝。

(Applause)

(掌聲)