Open up the Minneapolis Star Tribune any day of the week. Violent crime is often highlighted on the front page. The inside of the Minnesota section is filled with disturbing reports.

In Monday’s edition, the Star Tribune reported on a fatal stabbing early Sunday morning on a Metro Transit bus and a deadly shooting two hours earlier in the area of Hennepin and Lagoon Avenues.

In Saturday’s edition, the newspaper reported of a forensic scientists with the Minneapolis police department shot multiple times while off duty. Another article reported on a man who was wanted on several felony charges emerging from a Chisholm home holding knives. He was fatally shot by police.

Also, a 19-year-old man from Michigan was charged last Friday with fatally shooting a man in the head and wounding a woman during drug activity in Minneapolis. Another man was shot in the head the previous weekend in Minneapolis.

A special section in Sunday’s edition explores the soaring violent crime victimizing Minnesota youths. It’s full of tragic stories. It paints an ugly picture for the juvenile justice system.

Here’s an excerpt from the report:

“In the last four years, about 30% of youth arrests in Minneapolis and St. Paul were teens who had been arrested at least one time in the previous year by the same law enforcement agency. Records show that, in Minneapolis, 22 children were either arrested in connection with six or more carjackings or robberies since January 2020. Some suspects were as young as 12 or 13.”

Luckily, this violent crime spree is not as prevalent in southwest Minnesota and other rural areas. But as Minnesotans, it’s still our problem. Sen. Gary Dahms, R-Redwood Falls, made the obvious statement after the Minnesota Senate, controlled by Republicans, passed a public safety bill on Monday.

“Rising violent crime is affecting our entire state,” he said.

The Senate plan labeled as “tough on crime” includes about $100 million aimed at recruiting more law enforcement officers and stiffer penalties from crimes like carjackings. It also puts limits on prosecutorial and judicial discretion.

These are all common-sense objectives.

The House Democrats’ public safety package includes $150 million, including $50 million that would go to cities and counties with the fastest-growing crime rates to use on programs of their own design. Directing funds to the most severe problem areas makes sense. Meanwhile, Tim Walz proposes to spend $300 million and it also directs aid to local law enforcement agencies.

All three public safety proposals offer law enforcement and justice community more tools in their tool box to stem the tide of violent crime. Now it’s time for a lot more compromise and less political rhetoric.

We realize in an election year, “compromise” is an unpopular word. However, compromise is needed now for the sake of our youths are in danger in falling on that unending slippery slope of life of crime. Compromise is also needed to keep our communities safe.