How Law and Policy Shape the Communities We Raise Our Children In

The way that laws are enforced and presented to communities has a strong influence on how everyone lives. Not only does it shape behavior directly by indicating what is and is not okay, but it also informs the way children experience the environments they live in. How safe do they feel? What boundaries do they live within?

In this article, we take a look at why law and public policy are important and what can be done to shape them.

Overview

It’s not only that laws and policies inform the way people behave—they also shape the way communities feel. Law indicates what is and is not a crime, but it also determines zoning regulations, school zones, and community structures. Laws and policies influence the walkability of a town, the safety of its parks, the quality of its schools, and the way learning institutions and other public services are funded.

These policies also shape the way businesses behave within a community. They determine the level of opportunity and property values. All of these factors combine to define the experiences of everyone living in a town—children or otherwise.

Public Safety and Policing

Naturally, when people think of law, public safety, and policing are often where their minds first go. Community policing models vary dramatically by region and are heavily informed by local attitudes and policies.

Some local communities, for example, are placing an increasing emphasis on social work and mental health resources over the physical enforcement of laws. While there isn’t necessarily a proven framework for policing that is most beneficial to children, it’s fair to say that kids experience quite intensely the policing policies of their community. Sometimes this happens through direct interactions with law enforcement. Other times, it’s reflected in how policing practices influence members of their family.

In a broader sense, public safety and policing policies also shape the way everyone feels in the community they live in.

Economic and Social Policies

Social policies also influence children’s access to early education. For example, some communities have free preschool, others do not. Some offer stipends for child care. Others do not. Some communities have parental leave policies written into local law, and others do not.

All of these factors can have a considerable influence on how families are structured, how much time children have with their parents, and how much financial stress is placed on young families with two working parents.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure plays a significant role in how children experience their community. It’s the difference between sidewalks and shoulders in the road.

It’s how kids gain access to bike paths, parks, libraries, and more. It’s also how their parents get to work through well-developed bus systems. Once again, it’s not exactly that certain infrastructural frameworks are overwhelmingly better than others. Rather, they are highly individualized based on the needs, resources, and priorities of the community.

Environmental and Health Regulations

Finally—and of increasing importance—are environmental and health regulations. Where can factories operate? That’s a zoning question, but also an environmental one. It’s something that has a significant influence on everything from air quality to water safety and more.

This has always been important. Manufacturing has long influenced local environments, but as communities take a more active interest in sustainability, it’s become a much greater point of emphasis. With the increasing frequency of dramatic environmental events like severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, and forest fires—as well as quieter but persistent issues like the spread of climate change–related mosquito-borne illnesses—it’s more important than ever for communities to develop environmental policies that reflect the best interests of everyone, particularly the most vulnerable segments of the population.

How You Can Make a Difference in Your Community

There are many ways that you can influence the laws and policing policies within your community. One of the most impactful and accessible options is to become an active participant in local politics. So many major local policy choices take place in open meetings that no one hears about or attends.

It does take effort to participate in local politics, but in most cases, you can play an important role in your community with the commitment of no more than a few hours a month. Attend all of the meetings you can, study up on every issue, and advocate for the things that are important to you.

If public policy is something that you take extremely seriously, you can even make a career out of it. Criminal justice degrees are one way to become actively involved with local law enforcement. You might be asking: What is a criminal justice degree?

Criminal justice degrees offer a bachelor’s level education in law enforcement. Many people use them to transition into police work, but it can also open doors to higher levels of law enforcement, including the FBI.

You can also consider a career in social work, where you will be a part of the policies and infrastructure we’ve described above.

Law school is another way to contribute. While you won’t write laws as a lawyer, you can help with the way they are interpreted within your community.

Finally, considering a career in local politics is one of the most influential long-term ways to make a difference, and it’s actually more accessible than you might assume. The next time you go to vote in a local election, take a close look at the ballot. Chances are that many of the people running are uncontested. If you feel that they are not living up to their responsibilities—or simply that you could do a better job—consider throwing your hat in the ring.

It will take the better part of a year in planning, but it’s a worthwhile way to make a difference.