Analysis of Civil Unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin: A Sustainable Development Goals Perspective

This report examines the events of August 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The incident, involving confrontations between armed civilians and protestors, highlights critical challenges related to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being).

Breakdown of Public Order and Community Safety (SDG 11 & SDG 16)

The events unfolded within a context of widespread civil unrest, including rioting and arson, which directly threatened the safety and sustainability of the urban environment, a core concern of SDG 11. In response to the destruction of local businesses, including an auto dealership, armed civilians, including 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, organized to protect private property. This citizen-led security effort emerged in the context of a perceived vacuum in official law enforcement.

The failure to maintain public safety and provide access to justice for all is a direct challenge to SDG 16. The situation illustrates a significant breakdown in the capacity of state institutions to manage conflict and ensure security. Key observations include:

• Destruction of economic infrastructure, undermining SDG 11’s goal of inclusive and sustainable urbanization.
• The emergence of non-state actors performing security functions, indicating a weakness in formal institutions (Target 16.6).
• Actions by protestors, such as attempting to set fire to a dumpster near gas pumps, posed a severe risk to public safety and community infrastructure (SDG 11).

Institutional Failure and Access to Justice (SDG 16)

The response of law enforcement agencies during the unrest points to a severe deficit in institutional effectiveness, a cornerstone of SDG 16. The state’s capacity to prevent violence and maintain the rule of law was compromised.

Sequence of Institutional Lapses:

1. Delegation of Responsibility: Law enforcement officers were observed providing water to armed civilians and verbally encouraging their presence, effectively outsourcing the protection of property to untrained and unauthorized individuals. This represents a failure of the state to uphold its monopoly on the legitimate use of force.
2. Passive Engagement: Official police presence was often confined to armored vehicles, with commands issued through loudspeakers, demonstrating a limited physical engagement to de-escalate conflicts or apprehend individuals committing acts of vandalism.
3. Failure to Intervene: Following the shootings, Rittenhouse attempted to surrender to police vehicles at the scene. The vehicles drove past him, missing a critical opportunity to contain the situation and immediately enforce the rule of law (Target 16.3).

These institutional failures contributed directly to the escalation of violence, undermining the goal of building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.

Intersection of Health, Inequality, and Violence (SDG 3 & SDG 10)

The personal circumstances of Joseph Rosenbaum, one of the individuals killed, highlight the intersection of public health, inequality, and violence. His situation underscores systemic failures relevant to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

• Mental Health Crisis (SDG 3.4): Rosenbaum had been discharged from a psychiatric hospital on the day of the incident. His inability to access his prescribed medication due to protest-related closures demonstrates a critical gap in healthcare continuity for vulnerable individuals.
• Systemic Disadvantage (SDG 10): Rosenbaum’s history of criminal justice involvement and mental health challenges placed him in a position of extreme vulnerability, which was exacerbated by the chaotic environment. This reflects broader societal inequalities in access to support systems.

The inability of public systems to provide adequate care and support for Rosenbaum was a significant contributing factor to his presence and state of mind during the conflict, which ultimately resulted in a violent outcome, contrary to the aims of SDG 3 and SDG 16.

Escalation of Violence and Public Narrative (SDG 16.1)

The series of confrontations resulted in two deaths and one serious injury, a stark violation of SDG Target 16.1, which aims to reduce all forms of violence and related death rates. The subsequent public and media narrative re-contextualized the event, moving it away from the specific circumstances and toward a broader, simplified racial conflict. This reframing has significant implications for justice and social cohesion (SDG 16).

Discrepancies Between Events and Narrative:

• Racial Demographics: The shooter (Rittenhouse) and all three individuals who were shot were white.
• Initial Reporting: Law enforcement dispatchers initially relayed a description of the gunman as “black,” indicating the prevalence of racial assumptions during the chaos.
• Media Framing: Subsequent media headlines and reports characterized the incident as racially motivated, with Rosenbaum posthumously labeled a “Black Lives Matter activist” and the event framed as an attack on protestors.

This narrative distortion overlooks the documented complexities, including the actions of all parties and the failure of state institutions. Such simplification hinders the pursuit of accurate justice (Target 16.3) and impedes the development of effective, evidence-based policies to build peaceful and inclusive societies as envisioned by the Sustainable Development Goals.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article’s central theme revolves around the breakdown of peace and order, violence, the role and effectiveness of law enforcement (institutions), and the subsequent narrative surrounding justice.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The events described directly impact the safety and sustainability of the urban environment in Kenosha, highlighting the failure to maintain safe public spaces.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article touches upon mental health issues and the consequences of violence on physical well-being.

Specific Targets Identified

1. SDG Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

   • The article provides a detailed account of violence, including “rioting and arson,” physical assaults (“one drop-kicking him in the chest before another smacks his head with a skateboard”), and fatal shootings. The events led to the deaths of two individuals and severe injury to a third, directly relating to the reduction of violence and death rates.

2. SDG Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.

   • The article highlights a failure in the “rule of law” by describing law enforcement as “absent” and “spectators.” Police are depicted as outsourcing their duties to “improvising adolescents” and failing to intervene, as when they “drive right past” Kyle Rittenhouse when he attempts to surrender. This demonstrates a breakdown in the state’s primary mechanism for maintaining order and law.
   • The discussion on how the events were framed as “racist” despite involving “four white men” points to challenges in achieving an impartial understanding and, by extension, equal access to justice, as public narrative heavily influenced the perception of the case.

3. SDG Target 11.7: Provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible public spaces.

   • The article describes the public spaces in Kenosha as the antithesis of safe. The streets are referred to as “burning,” the scene of a “melee” and “pandemonium.” The presence of armed civilians, rioters, and ineffective police turns the city’s streets and commercial lots into zones of conflict rather than safe, accessible spaces for the community.

4. SDG Target 3.4: Promote mental health and well-being.

   • The article explicitly mentions that Joseph Rosenbaum was a “deeply troubled 36-year-old” who had just been “discharged from the Aurora psychiatric hospital.” His erratic and “reckless” behavior, occurring immediately after his discharge into a chaotic environment, implies a potential gap in mental healthcare and support systems, which is a key aspect of promoting mental health and well-being.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. Indicator for Target 16.1: Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population.

   • The article implies this indicator by documenting the violent deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum and another individual. It states Rittenhouse “shot the skater in the process, killing him” and that Rosenbaum “has fallen” after being shot, later being described as “posthumously” elevated.

2. Indicator for Target 16.3: Public perception of police effectiveness and safety.

   • The article provides narrative evidence suggesting a low public perception of police effectiveness. It describes law enforcement as “just as good as absent” and engaging in a “shameful, darkly comical and infuriating” exchange where they thank armed civilians for doing their job. This implies a failure of the institution to perform its duties, which would be reflected in public perception surveys.

3. Indicator for Target 11.7: Proportion of persons who feel safe walking alone in their area of residence.

   • The article’s vivid descriptions of the “burning streets of Kenosha,” “rioting and arson,” and a “combustible crowd” strongly imply that the area was unsafe. The need for civilians to arm themselves to “protect this business” is a direct testament to the lack of safety in public spaces.

4. Indicator for Target 3.4: Availability of mental health services and support.

   • The article implies a deficiency in mental health support by noting that a psychiatric hospital “deposited” a “deeply troubled” patient, Joseph Rosenbaum, “in the middle of Kenosha’s pandemonium.” His inability to get his medication because the pharmacy was closed due to the protests further points to a breakdown in the continuum of care for individuals with mental health conditions.

Summary of Findings

Source: aei.org