Bribing students not the way to stop crime

Adrian, Mich., has instituted a new program dubbed "Fast $50," in which they offer middle and high school students $50 for reporting illegal activity in the schools.

Although the spirit of this system -- giving young people an incentive to have the law enforced -- is good, the logistics of it are full of holes.

Any system which provides students a significant amount of money (to a high school student, $50 can be a lot) for such little effort will certainly be the cause of many false accusations, grudges, and fights.

Plus, the systems provides anonymity for students, increasing the chances of abuse. By not requiring a name, students are able to make wild accusations without being held accountable for their actions.

What's more, the thrust of the program attacks only the symptoms of crime, not the core problems. Instead of seeking to eliminate the causes of crime, -- emotional distress, etc. -- Adrian is choosing to turn students against each other in order to catch specific acts.