Infection Control Today - Publisher's Note

True Crime

These days, we are all seeing a broad view of the world through the popularmedia. We have international and national events analyzed for us every day byall sorts of so-called experts. We find out about the happenings in Washingtonuntil we can't bear to hear any more scandal and infighting. We see many of thesame faces in the news every day talking about nothing yet trying to beimportant and presidential.

When it comes to our own local community, metro area, or region, we hearabout gangs, shootings, police raids, and innumerable other true crimes. Thehuman capacity to hurt and harm other humans seems unexplainable and unlimited.It seems to be our nature that most of us are interested in true crime, whetherdelivered in the nightly television news, newspapers, movies, or books. Althoughcitizens and citizen's groups have cried loud and clear that they would like tosee the good side of the community each night, the local media across thecountry can't seem to resist using true crime for more than 80% of theirbroadcasts and headlines.

The problem in all this is that there is good news all around us, and weourselves can be responsible for creating this goods news. Unfortunately, thepeople and organizations in our communities have to work twice as hard as thevillains in order to make the headlines.

There is probably no group of citizens in our community that witnesses andlives with the results of true crime more than the professionals that staff ourhospitals. Sure, there are the tough neighborhoods, the police officers, andsocial workers that witness it too, but the hospital is the depository for allthe mayhem. On the other hand, it is possible that professional healthcareworkers have a unique opportunity to impact this reality positively. Ourhospitals tend to possess many of our most compassionate Good Samaritans, andthese dedicated people, who deal with the effects of true crime, are some of thebest candidates to turn the tide. I would not only like to see hospital andhealthcare organizations get more formally involved in community events, butmaybe every city council would benefit by having two or more council seats heldby these special people.

Perhaps the true crime is that our best and brightest citizens are notgoverning city hall because they are overwhelmed with treating the victims oftrue crime.

Craig Burr
Publisher

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