I Regret Moving To Baltimore!!!!!!!! (Parkville: high school, to live, law)

[miknbalt]

Bottom line-if you play you pay. That happens everywhere-not just Baltimore. I just bought a home in the Patterson Park area and I am moving from Towson. Why? Less crime and more amenities. I have been lurking for awhile readimg many of the posts and am amazed at the people who think the city is the only place with crime. I had to respond to it.

[mdtoaz]

Originally Posted by rudy_d

I don't profess to know any information. The article stated that 78% of murder victims had prior drug-related arrests, and you stated that the other 22% were innocent victims.

The other 22% could have been arrested previously for any number of crimes. Maybe they were involved in drugs but were just lucky and had never been caught before. Maybe they had just gotten into "the game". Who knows? But given that there is a crime problem in Baltimore, as you like to frequently point out and blow entirely out of proportion, whose assumption is probably more accurate?

Wow... way to blame the victim. I'm thinking an assumption somewhere in the middle might be most accurate. Of course I try not to speculate on non-existant statistics.

[helenejen]

Yes, somewhere in the middle is what I would think as well, though I think that is probably what rudy_d was getting at, though he didn't say "some."

I'd be surprised if some in that 22% weren't the result of domestic violence and other such relationships where one person knew the other well. And then also there are self-defense shootings that would still make it into the homicide stats. But either way, as mdtoaz and rudy_d (I think) point out, the number of walking-down-the-street, minding-my-own-business-in-a-relatively-safe-part-of-town (or some such scenario) homicides is most likely under, perhaps even well under, 22%.

I'm surprised that the city doesn't offer any stats that break this down. I can't find any at least.

[bawlmer]

I don't know where you live in Towson and I don't know much about Towson in general, but I do know the Patterson Park area fairly well. It is counter intuitive to think there is less crime in the city, even in the Patterson Park area. As discussed before Patterson park is in 21224 zip code, with 12 homicides in 2007 and countless other crimes. I doubt there were 12 homicides in all of Towson in 2007. But, maybe Towson is crazy with crime. If so, I guess a move to the relative safety of Baltimore City is warranted.

[Y-Man]

Originally Posted by rudy_d

I've never witnessed drug dealing in my neighborhood. Also, learn how to spell.

Then you have not looked hard enough.

Learn how to look.

[miknbalt]

I know the Patterson Park area well; life long in this area. I don't worry about that stuff. The bottom line: for the past five years=county down; city=up (certain neighborhoods in both). Dude, I wouldn't buy in that area seven years ago which is why I ended up in the Towson area. But now?? yes. Why?? more and more hoods in the county. Simple answer. Like it or not.

[rudy_d]

helenejen,

That's exactly what I was trying to get at. I'm not blaming the victims or somehow implying that they deserved what they got. However, if you're involved in crime or hang around with criminals, you're a lot more likely to be a victim yourself. That's not a wild assumption.

According to the article below, 91% of Baltimore murder victims in 2007 had criminal records. Many of the others were probably domestic in nature, as these incidents are frequently on the local news, although I don't have stats to back up that claim. There are few completely random violent crimes of the sort that would affect a law-abiding resident, which is why they get so much attention when they do occur. Plus, those sorts of crimes occur everywhere. Just turn on a cable news channel, and I'm sure they'll be talking about a missing girl somewhere.

Criminals target each other, trend shows - USATODAY.com

This is anecdotal and I'll probably also get flamed for this post, but I personally experienced more crime in 3 years in the county than I have in over 7 years in the city. In the county, my bike was stolen, two of the hub caps on my car were stolen, and someone beat down the door of the apartment next to mine and cleaned the place out (I was questioned by the police when I returned home from work). In the city, my only personal experience (knock on wood) were two of my friends having their cars broken into after I had advised them not to leave valuables in plain sight, which they ignored.

[bawlmer]

miknbalt and rudy_d, Wow interesting stuff. I hadn't heard about the suburban crime wave. I guess that explains the flood of people moving into the city from Anne Arundel and Baltimore Counties.

[barante]

It is a gauge of hard times coming that almost everyone I know tells me about burglaries. Doesn't seem to make any difference as to where they live. At least many city residents take precautions. Last night I visited someone in Windsor Hills. A big, sprawling house with a fabulous club basement, with a bar that put many taverns to shame. Bars on the front door, bars on the backdoor leading to Leakin Park.
What am I saying? Do whatever you can to make your house to look like a harder target than your neighbors'.
By definition, most burglaries that come in waves are committed by one perp who goes on doing them until he is caught. One friend reported that whoever burglarized her house went only for stuff that was easy to carry, like her purse and credit cards. I know she has an alarm system but no iron bars. Her rear door was all-glass, but I don't know how the perp entered.

[mdtoaz]

Originally Posted by barante

It is a gauge of hard times coming that almost everyone I know tells me about burglaries. Doesn't seem to make any difference as to where they live. At least many city residents take precautions. Last night I visited someone in Windsor Hills. A big, sprawling house with a fabulous club basement, with a bar that put many taverns to shame. Bars on the front door, bars on the backdoor leading to Leakin Park.

I rented a 3rd floor apartment in one of those huge old houses in Windsor Hills. The immediate neighborhood is beautiful - full of big, old houses that were once owned by the big business owners in the area - eg. Hutzlers. Unfortunately, it's surrounded by crap. The surrounding area is very scary. It's a shame that they have bars on their door - necessary, but a shame.