Gangs in Cincinnati (Cleveland, Hamilton, Baltimore: city hall, insurance, lawyer)

[hillside]

Originally Posted by chigurl74

Maybe it is because many of you have lived in Cincinnati all your lives and feel that this town has soo much crime.

Maybe some of you are older and consider smaller things crime.

I understand that yes, you have some crime. Any city will have crime.

Yes, you have some drug problems, maybe some murder, maybe some prostitution, and maybe some small home grown wanne be gangs.

I am just saying compared to many other cities, this city is VERY safe.

Coming from a larger city and seeing heavy crime, the crime you have hear is incomparable.

I don't read stats because they can be altered and many things that happen are not reported on them.

Yes, I will agree that you have racial tension here. It appears that there is some prejudice and racial profiling here.

All I have to say is... personally I laugh at people who think that there is a serious crime problem here.

I have lived in places with serious crime problems and I feel completely safe in Cincinnati. It is not about school yard boasting or whatever it was that someone said about me, it was truth that the crime here is laughable compared to real "ghetto" areas as someone else put it. And yes, I understand that some of you are saying that you have groups of guys who grew up together and not large "name brand" types of gangs. Chicago has COUNTLESS amounts of those also. I could start naming hundreds of those gangs too. Those larger gangs are more dangerous because they are run like a business, a corporation. They are more organized and lethal. All I am saying is that although you have SOME crime in Cincinnati, it really is NOT serious.

I keep hearing about the crime on my side of town, Price Hill, Westwood, etc. I go through College Hill and by the University all the time where there is a supposed problem. I have volunteered by the community center that is in the projects. I have gone to community meetings where the biggest issues are loud noise and how high the grass is. So, I am involved in my community and know that there really is not a high crime issue or high gang activity. I am involved in my surroundings, I volunteer in areas of the city some people here seem to be afraid of, and to tell you the truth.. have not witnessed a crime yet.

And Mr. Hillside who keeps saying that Chicago does not have the gang problems that I spoke of and who wants to quote stats, have you followed the news or the papers lately and heard about the over 20 school children that have died in crossfire from gang fights? Do not make light of all those victims. My heart goes out to the families who have to deal with those senseless deaths. The reason that the crime rates are starting to go down in Chicago is that they are tearing down many of the low income housing and moving a lot of those people out to the suburbs...where the crime rate is going up. So, look at all the statistics. I was just making a point that Chicago has a much higher problem than here. And yes maybe it is because it is a bigger city with a much higher population count. More people means more bad people that start trouble. My point was that for anyone who has ever lived in a large city that has experienced high levels of crime, the crime rate here is very low.

My heart goes out to those who have lost people in crimes. I have lost people I love in senseless crimes also. So, I am not making light of those actions that have taken place. I really do feel horrible that innocent people die for no reason, it is infuriating.

I responded to a question. The question that was originally asked was are there gang problems here, is Cincinnati safe to live in.

My answer still stands, No I do not believe that Cincinnati has a serious crime problem. Yes, every city has crimes, but there is not a major problem or epidemic here. And Yes, I think that Cincinnati is a safe place to live and raise a family. I think the school system is way better here than in other cities. I think that Cincinnati is beautiful, unpolluted, low crime, and a wonderful place to live.

unpolluted? safe? this is too funny. you go to avondale and ask the folks out there if there's a socio-epidemic in cincinnati, and they'll look at you like, "where have YOU been?". i grew up in the city of cincinnati in places the bloggers on here would not like, so my convictions are there. i've heard it straight from ohio state officials about how bad cincinnati is. why would i change my view over some bloggers?

[Hartwell Girl]

You know Hillside, what is your beef with Cincinnati? I am probably going to get booted from this site for saying this but someone needs to. Almost every post you get on this blog about, you want to argue/debate about what a bad City this is. Obviously you stated you moved away, but your aguement is that you grew up here. If you care at all for this City, try to be a little open to the fact that the City is NOT as bad as you would like to make it out to be. Stats this and stats that... People who currently live here and fight for our communities are the stronger voices over someone such as yourself who only wants to try to find or remember negatives from their pasts and NOT move towards the future.

[goyguy]

Hear hear!
For all their differences, Greater Cincinnati and the Boston area have in common a much smaller gang problem relative to those of Chicago, LA, etc. A whole lot of what is construed by adult and/or - yes - White people as "OMG, gang activity" is really just kids doing what people in their life stage have always been skilled at doing. That would be finding what rattles the nerves of their elders, then leaning on it. In my day it was wearing raggedy clothes everywhere, never cutting your hair, cranking hard-rock on the stereo, etc. Now, except maybe for body graffiti aka tattoos - and piercings - nothing succeeds quite like amplified "gangsta rap" and acting out scenes from the movies and music videos that it accompanies. Use a verb like "pimp" in place of something more accurate/appropriate, call your also-pale-colored friends "dawg" and "ma *****" and watch the parents cringe. "Yo, where ma ho's at?" - works every time too, as does uttering "mf." Spray fake "gang tags" on the local elementary school and hear the calls to action it brings on. LOL, what a joke. As for the urban AA, Hispanic, Asian, etc youth who are sold on the culture the same way, they need a strong unified voice in their schools and communities to let them know what really is "wassup." It's Hollywood profiteering pure and simple: Churn out miles' worth of film depicting a glamorous life filled with "fly girls" and flashy "rides" and opulent "cribs," sit back and listen to wallets flip open from coast to coast to buy into it. Jazz up "tha thugg life" knowing full well that the average parent in Middle America has nightmares about "those people" and that their restless offspring, eager to shock and defy, are ready to lap it up.

What needs to happen nationally (I'm not holding my breath) is to have the film and recording industries take a serious look at what the crap they're pandering causes: frustrated adolescents rendered homicidal...young women believing the height of cool is to be a hooker...racial paranoia writ large...big daddy pimp perceived as the epitome of success instead of CEO...on and on. Alter the lingering and pervasive view of academic achievement as "acting White," "selling out," et al. There are clearly root causes of what is an actual and major problem with gangs in far too many places. It's high time we get real leadership in Washington (no campaigning, I promise lol) and some serious backbone in the entertainment industries to attack at the roots and kill the poisonous growth. Here and now, parents need to love their kids by taking sincere interest in what they do and how they think - and everybody needs to cut out the mentality of "Crips, MS-13, and so on are baaaad, y'all just wannabe's." None of that sh*t should be given any kind of positive recognition WHAT SO EVAH. And START snitchin'.

BTW point of information, Zinsle lies entirely within the corporate boundaries of Cincinnati (Kennedy Hts) but bumps up against Silverton. Last I checked, Kennedy Hts was more about who has the best-landscaped yard - Aikenside Ave seems to rule in that regard lol - than where the most shootings perpetrated by middle-schoolers are taking place. What am I missing?

[BelieveInCleve]

Originally Posted by hillside

large cities. why compare cincinnati to youngstown and trenton? dowsn't make sense. and just because you think that, doesn't mean every one does. the world is bigger than you. morgan quitno is bogus, imo. the fbi list is more credible.

Hillside, I understand what you are trying to say. I have said this time and time again. Cincinnati has its problems, but its not as bad as most people would put it, and there are many cities worse than Cincinnati. Cincinnati doesnt have any crime issues that most other cities dont have. Okay, then I will name cities over 250,000 that are no doubt worse than Cincinnati in stats and in most peoples minds: Detroit, St. Louis, Cleveland, Baltimore, Newark, D.C., Baltimore, Atlanta, Memphis, Kansas City.

I find it funny that everytime the stats say something that somebody doesnt like than they say that the stats are wrong. How is the FBI list more credible? Obviously it makes mistakes because it got Clevelands homicide total wrong by 44 homicides (they said 75 and we had 119 in 2006), is that not a HUGE error?

[SynMelRN2007]

The main point here is that YES there is Gang activity in Cincinnati, its neighboring cites, and the cities within the city. Regardless of what street lies in what district, or what people are doing in their backyards we must face the fact that there is activity here and it will become a bigger problem than what it is now if it's not acknowledged or even handled correctly. You have wannabe's and real gangs. They all need to be taken seriously so that it doesnt become worse than what it is. Cincy could be a beautiful place...it once was. It has changed alot over the years but a lot of that stems from other issues that someone previously posted about. There are pockets in N.Avondale, NCH and others that have some beautiful homes...go around the corner and WOW what a difference. Not everyone thinks that the boys in baggy jeans and white tee's are involved in gang activity. People automatically stereotype them which this city seems to have a problem with. There are still neighborhoods that police run my plates or stop me for no reason. Thats an entirely different post....LOL

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by SynMelRN2007

Cincy could be a beautiful place...it once was.

It is now and will always be a beautiful place. Like I've said before ... I live a stone's throw from "one of Cincinnati's most dangerous neighborhoods" ... hell, 3/4 of the skyline is visible from one of my windows. I feel extremely safe and am looking forward to raising my family here. The worst that I have ever experienced was ONE car break in and that can happen anywhere at any time (by the way; I have lived in the city and city center for a total of about 3.5 years).

[SynMelRN2007]

Like I said before there are NICE pockets in every neighborhood. Cincy isnt as beautiful as it used to be and I dont nec mean the views. The City has alot of work to do but it needs to work on making it beautiful inside & out...which means changing it views on ALOT of things and fixing the gang problems in certain neighborhoods which have gotten outta control.

[hillside]

Originally Posted by Cle440

Hillside, I understand what you are trying to say. I have said this time and time again. Cincinnati has its problems, but its not as bad as most people would put it, and there are many cities worse than Cincinnati. Cincinnati doesnt have any crime issues that most other cities dont have. Okay, then I will name cities over 250,000 that are no doubt worse than Cincinnati in stats and in most peoples minds: Detroit, St. Louis, Cleveland, Baltimore, Newark, D.C., Baltimore, Atlanta, Memphis, Kansas City.

I find it funny that everytime the stats say something that somebody doesnt like than they say that the stats are wrong. How is the FBI list more credible? Obviously it makes mistakes because it got Clevelands homicide total wrong by 44 homicides (they said 75 and we had 119 in 2006), is that not a HUGE error?

major cities 300,000+ on top 25 quitno list

1. detroit
2. stl
3. oakland
4. memphis
5. cleveland
6. baltimore
7. cincinnati
8. kc
9. philly
10. atlanta

the fbi is the gov't. quitno is a think tank. who's word matters in the end? either way, cincinnati ranks pretty high.

hartwell girl,

me being from the city allows me to be honest and as credible as you can be as an anonymous blogger concerning experiencing far below-substandard housing, healthcare, living conditions, schools, a lack of political and social power as well as surviving the epidemic that is the young black male in cincinnati. i defend the city all the time, but crime is not one of those issues. you say it's not that bad and i should stop bashing the city. i say it is that bad and the proof is evident. now tell me, who's attempting to muzzle and who's not?

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by hillside

major cities 300,000+ on top 25 quitno list

1. detroit
2. stl
3. oakland
4. memphis
5. cleveland
6. baltimore
7. cincinnati
8. kc
9. philly
10. atlanta

I'd live in STL, Cleveland, Baltimore, KC, and Philly in a HEARTBEAT without a bit of worry in regards to crime.

[unusualfire]

Im not sure what that list has to do with gangs. I never heard of any of the 22 murders in the city of Cincinnati this year or last year, saying it was gang related.