ChrisSunami
King-Lincoln District
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Apparently the City homicide rate is way up. Worse, it seems like a lot of the victims and perpetrators are teenagers. I can't help but think there's a connection with all the rec centers and youth programs that were cut last year.
Anyone have any thoughts on how to remedy this? The program I run is aimed at least partly at reaching high risk youth, but we haven't had a whole lot of luck bringing in youth participants from outside of our own church community.
BCNation
Franklin Park
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1) More police presence.
2) Community Involvement- most of the perpetrators are from broken homes, and they don't know right from wrong. "It takes a village to raise a child", but lots of children in the community are left behind to fend for themselves, and eventually those that are left behind are forced to make wrong decisions.
3) We need to be our own eyes and ears. If you see something suspicious, report it. The reason why some of these crimes aren't solved, is because people don't want to "snitch". If you know that someone committed a crime, REPORT it to the police before that person does it to someone else.
roy
Downtown
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ChrisSunami wrote >>
Apparently the City homicide rate is way up. Worse, it seems like a lot of the victims and perpetrators are teenagers. I can't help but think there's a connection with all the rec centers and youth programs that were cut last year.
Blaming murder rates on 2009 budget crisis rec center cutbacks is at best irresponsible. Individuals don't make a choice to kill another human being because the rec center isn't available, and rec centers aren't even open when these people are shooting and stabbing each other, here are some facts:
Of the 9 homicides in the last two weeks, they have all occurred between 10p-2a
4 of the victims were under the age of 26
1 was 15 and another 16
7 of 9 killed were African American males
7 of 9 died of gun violence
None of the homicides seem to be connected
TaraK
probably at the coffee shop
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Based on what I've seen, I think the recent spikes in crime and violence are fueled by the economic state, the lack of jobs, and the desperation to get what you can through whatever means you can find. Living in poverty relocates one's center of relativity, and, subsequently, actions and means.
As for attaching it to rec centers being cut, I'm not sure. This summer has seen an increase in funding for many vendors in the city who create programming for youth, though I know that's different from an open outlet.
Overall, I think it comes down to the fact that even though everyone has been affected by the economy, few have been hit harder than those who were already in poverty to begin with. It's harder than ever for them to get jobs, especially for teenagers (highest unemployment rate for teens right than in years). They're competing with people who are older and who have more experience, candidates that outrank them any day. Meanwhile, their parents are struggling more than before as well.
deraj1013
Merion Village
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This was addressed yesterday by Mayor Coleman. After the plan was announced, two more people were shot in Columbus.
From the Dispatch...
Mayor unveils crime plan
Latest police effort will focus on 'hot spots' of gun violence around city
BY JEB PHILLIPS
New police "community-response teams" will deploy to crime-ridden parts of Columbus in an attempt to quiet this summer's increasing violence, Mayor Michael B. Coleman announced yesterday.
Columbusite
Minneapolis
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It's a cultural problem. Even when the economy was good, quite a few people in our roughest neighborhoods didn't want an actual job and don't want a job: they prefer to be ignorant, violent thugs and build their life and identity around that. When neighbors acquiesce and don't tell these younger thug wanna-bes to pull up their pants/present themselves decently in public and handle themselves in a socially positive manner, what do you expect?
thepiece
merion village
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Columbusite wrote >>
It's a cultural problem. Even when the economy was good, quite a few people in our roughest neighborhoods didn't want an actual job and don't want a job: they prefer to be ignorant, violent thugs and build their life and identity around that.
That's a pretty simplistic answer and at best incomplete. You can't disconnect the cultural norms of a distressed and depressed community from the culture that folks living in that community either chose to or must adopt to survive. I'm not saying that it's a good thing, in fact its terrible, but your reply alludes to the perception that if people would just start acting right "and pull their pants up" everything would be roses. In fact its far more complicated than that. Deeper, systemic and challenging.
You reference to jobs is a good example, if you have a felony for any reason, it's extremely difficult to find a job, even when the economy is good.
It is very tragic to see these recent homicides, and I don't necessarily think you can tie them to any one thing. Sometimes crime increases for unpredictable reasons, we look for patterns when it's really just a series of bad events. I do agree that getting to the youth early is critical, and getting the community as engaged as possible and supporting community policing efforts. Also, you have to consider the ex-offenders coming back into the community, they need to have options open to them when there released....so there not lured back into the life that led them to jail.
Displaced Columbusite
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Out of curiosity what is the actual rate increase? "City rate way up" sounds like a lot, but I am wondering what the actual number is; at the same time what is the property crime rate rise compared to violence crime rate?
A better question yet, anyone know where I can find the information myself?
rus
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Displaced Columbusite wrote >>
Out of curiosity what is the actual rate increase? "City rate way up" sounds like a lot, but I am wondering what the actual number is; at the same time what is the property crime rate rise compared to violence crime rate?
A better question yet, anyone know where I can find the information myself?
Quick googling turned this up:
http://www.columbuspolice.org/Media%20Releases/MediaRelease.html
You've got a good point; without the data the discussion is centered on perceptions from media outlets.
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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Displaced Columbusite wrote >>
Out of curiosity what is the actual rate increase? "City rate way up" sounds like a lot, but I am wondering what the actual number is; at the same time what is the property crime rate rise compared to violence crime rate?
A better question yet, anyone know where I can find the information myself?
The link-out to the Dispatch article above has all the info - the rate is up 33% compared to the same time last year.
(ETA_ I didn't see the word "property" in there --- I haven't seen anything that discusses property vs violent at all.... unless it's just out on the CPD site, where they have all the data posted - I haven't checked that, just been reading the articles...)
***
I've wondered about year 'round school --- I can't find any statistics on that vs crime rates by teen offenders. I'm guessing the kids that are the problem aren't in school anyway...
Roland
Victorian Village
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rus wrote >>
Roland wrote >>
It's hot outside. Someone needs to pay.Just what I was thinking. Kinda think Tara has a point about economic conditions as well, but there's no reason both couldn't be causal factors.
I have nothing to back this up at the moment but I've often heard that heat waves bring increased crime. I'm too tired to google right now :)
ChrisSunami
King-Lincoln District
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roy wrote >>
Blaming murder rates on 2009 budget crisis rec center cutbacks is at best irresponsible. Individuals don't make a choice to kill another human being because the rec center isn't available, and rec centers aren't even open when these people are shooting and stabbing each other, here are some facts:
The reason I drew the connection was because many of the advocates of the closed rec centers predicted an increase in neighborhood violence to follow as a result, and it is one concrete thing that is different this year than last year. That's far from proof, but it is notable that the predictions were realized.
As far as the shootings occurring outside rec center hours, that's a bit more simplistic a connection than I think anyone would suggest. The basic idea is that having a positive social/recreational/physical outlet can have a shaping impact on an individual or a community; and that lacking one can lead to an entire range of bad choices.
This is purely anecdotal evidence, of course, but a few months ago one of the kids in my program began hanging out with a rough group of delinquents, but then made the (difficult and somewhat dangerous) decision to break with them because he preferred being a part of our community. I don't think it's a stretch to say that he could have easily made a very different decision without a support network (which he didn't have at home or at school).
It's a cultural problem. Even when the economy was good, quite a few people in our roughest neighborhoods didn't want an actual job and don't want a job: they prefer to be ignorant, violent thugs and build their life and identity around that. When neighbors acquiesce and don't tell these younger thug wanna-bes to pull up their pants/present themselves decently in public and handle themselves in a socially positive manner, what do you expect?
Columbusite, I really didn't expect an analysis as shallow and reactionary as this from you. While people certainly do need to take responsibility for their own decisions, this kind of "it's their own damn fault" dismissal of a larger social trend doesn't do anything towards finding real solutions. Given what I know of you, I'm hoping that you offered this as a piece of satire rather than as a representation of your true position.
Displaced Columbusite
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The reason I brought up the question regarding property vs. violent crime or whatever it may be, there is much to analyze when it comes to crime rates rising and just picking one is usually fruitful for only those trying to make a specific point (not saying that is the deal here). I wrote a paper in undergrad on the subject (was a long time ago and barely remember any of it); the underlying theme of the paper was it is extremely hard to extrapolate causality for certain crime phenomena without adequately analyzing all crime statistics.
Example: if we saw a 33% rise in violent crime while only a 4% rise in property crime, well then we need to discuss some things (outside the obvious societal fact that we need to discuss the issue anyhow, only that there is a bigger or more precise issue at hand), if we see violent and property crime rise at a steady rate it may be easier to attribute the overall rise in crime to a certain aspect (not saying that it will, but it makes for an easier logic jump).
*Edit: Just a quick edit: my "or whatever it may be" refers to crime patterns such as drug dealing or prostitution...what some call "victimless crime"; the point is there are several crime patterns that need to be looked at before conclusions can be made.
JonMyers
Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand
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ChrisSunami wrote >>
Columbusite wrote >>
It's a cultural problem. Even when the economy was good, quite a few people in our roughest neighborhoods didn't want an actual job and don't want a job: they prefer to be ignorant, violent thugs and build their life and identity around that. When neighbors acquiesce and don't tell these younger thug wanna-bes to pull up their pants/present themselves decently in public and handle themselves in a socially positive manner, what do you expect?
Columbusite, I really didn't expect an analysis as shallow and reactionary as this from you. While people certainly do need to take responsibility for their own decisions, this kind of "it's their own damn fault" dismissal of a larger social trend doesn't do anything towards finding real solutions. Given what I know of you, I'm hoping that you offered this as a piece of satire rather than as a representation of your true position.
Columbusite's point of view is one I often find to be consistent with those who come from privilege and/ or a sense of entitlement.
I have no idea of Columbusite's background, but that's how it comes off, privilege talking.
Furthermore, when I encounter those points of view, they often contain coded language followed by "I'm not racist, and I have black friends, but..."...
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