[Lincolnian]

Four more people involved in a shooting. Another three people shot dead in less than a week within the past two weeks. Is Hartford the equivalent of the Wild West?

Only a 30% graduation rate, one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the nation. Tons of money spent on education, social services, etc., the problem marches on.

What's the solution?

[skytrekker]

Social Problems exist in Hartford and many other areas of the nation. With an economic recession they are likely to spread, not only in a poor city like Hartford to elsewhere, to even the struggling middle class.

RE; 'tons of money' being spent- IMO tons of money has been spent to bail out big banks whose greed got the best of them- at whose expense? The tax payers- and money continues to flow into a '100 year war'.

It cuts both ways. There is no easy solution for crime in Hartford or anyplace else. Social problems exist- and have since the beginning of civilization. We have only begun to seek solutions that can at least reduce them in the future.

[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by Lincolnian

Four more people involved in a shooting. Another three people shot dead in less than a week within the past two weeks. Is Hartford the equivalent of the Wild West?

Only a 30% graduation rate, one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the nation. Tons of money spent on education, social services, etc., the problem marches on.

What's the solution?

That's an easy one: their parents need to be made accountable. If their children end up on state aid, then their wages should be garnished until the child reaches 18. Also, the age at which one can be tried as an adult should be lowered to 16.

In Friday's Hartford Courant, results of the writing competency tests were published. I can't imagine how these individuals intend to function in the real world with the following results:

27% - Hispanic
27% - Black
52% - Asian
63% - White

State's 8th-Graders Tie For Writing Honors -- School Examinations, New Jersey -- Courant.com

If this is indicative of the next generation, there will be a much greater divide between the haves and the have nots. From the looks of it, the divide will be along racial lines.

I don't mean to come across as judgmental, but every other industrialized nation is raising the bar as evidenced in their high-end exports, lower obesity rates, and longer life expectancies.

[TiZZ]

Why do we bash Hartford on these forums in so many threads?

[nico7]

Originally Posted by TiZZ

Why do we bash Hartford on these forums in so many threads?

Because shootings are bad. If you can construe it another way, go ahead.

Maybe the shooters are really just liberating bullets?

[uconn99]

The shootings and murders in Hartford are for the most part concentrated in a few bad areas of the city. Unless you go looking for this troube, the average person will never see this violence.

Sure, cars get broken into and stolen in downtown, but what major american city doesn't have this happen? Just last week a friend of mine had their car stolen in old Town Scottsdale, does this mean Scottsdale is unsafe?

Why don't we comment on all the shootings and murders in cities like Phoenix, L.A., New York, St. Louis, ect.... The list goes on. For a metro area the size of Hartford, the crime is lower than most in this country. Hartford is not unsafe, stay away from the areas that are troublesome and you will have no problem, just like any major american city.

[Lincolnian]

I do go to Hartford. My wife works in the downtown. I like Hartford but the violence is a problem as are the schools. My college room-mate grew up in Hartford and went to Buckley High School. He took many AP courses in started out as a Freshman with a number of college credits. Many of these programs are now gone since they can't get enough students capable of meeting the requirements.

Social programs and money are not the answer. Personal responsibility, promotion of family, and appreciation of educational opportunities are the key.

[Srib]

Originally Posted by Lincolnian

I do go to Hartford. My wife works in the downtown. I like Hartford but the violence is a problem as are the schools. My college room-mate grew up in Hartford and went to Buckley High School. He took many AP courses in started out as a Freshman with a number of college credits. Many of these programs are now gone since they can't get enough students capable of meeting the requirements.

Social programs and money are not the answer. Personal responsibility, promotion of family, and appreciation of educational opportunities are the key.

Amen to that!

[cool_mommy]

Originally Posted by uconn99

The shootings and murders in Hartford are for the most part concentrated in a few bad areas of the city. Unless you go looking for this troube, the average person will never see this violence.

Sure, cars get broken into and stolen in downtown, but what major american city doesn't have this happen? Just last week a friend of mine had their car stolen in old Town Scottsdale, does this mean Scottsdale is unsafe?

Why don't we comment on all the shootings and murders in cities like Phoenix, L.A., New York, St. Louis, ect.... The list goes on. For a metro area the size of Hartford, the crime is lower than most in this country. Hartford is not unsafe, stay away from the areas that are troublesome and you will have no problem, just like any major american city.

I won't comment on the cities you have mentioned because the population in such areas is 5 to 10 times greater than that of Hartford. Instead I found some info on The FBI's web site I felt was comparable to that of Hartford:

FBI Uniform Crime Reports from 2007
Cities with population rates similar to Hartford, CT. The first number is population, followed by Violent Crimes and Murder rates.

Hartford, CT 124,203 – 769 – 14

Burbank, CA - 105,046 – 140 – 1
Irvine, CA - 188,535 – 71 – 3
Pasadena, CA - 145,025 – 364 – 5
Pueblo, CO - 105,452 – 356 – 1
Clearwater, FL - 110,520 - 452 – 4
Hollywood, FL - 148,085 – 416 – 10
Cedar Rapids, IA – 123,773 – 246 – 2
Topeka, KS – 122,807 – 378 – 5
Lowell, MA – 103,729 – 517 -2
Springfield, MA – 152,644 – 963 – 11
Manchester, NH – 110,106 – 132 – 3
Elizabeth, NJ – 125,905 – 489 – 7
Syracuse, NY – 142,062 – 676 – 9
Fayetteville, NC – 132,521 – 610 -8
Eugene, OR – 146,885 – 219 – 1
Providence, RI – 175,452 – 438 – 5
Abilene, TX – 118,009 – 270 – 3
Waco, TX – 123,879 – 529 – 3
Provo, UT – 117,156 – 67 – 0
Alexandria, VA – 136,686 – 164 – 5
Green Bay, WI – 101,574 – 295 - 0

[cool_mommy]

If anyone is interested in seeing more in depth information the web site is Federal Bureau of Investigation - Uniform Crime Reports