[wanderintonc]

Originally Posted by Fresh68

Prospect Avenue and Farmington Avenue on the West Hartford Line is what the poster asked about.

Prospect Avenue which runs perpendicular to Park St and Capital Avenue is controlled by street gangs mainly the Latin Kings.There has been numerous murders, assaults, and street robbieries right along Prospect Avenue.

Farmington avenue is also a hotbed of criminal activity because of its proximity to the North End.

Part of the problem is The Mayor making Hartford a sanctuary city(which is against federal law) which enables street vermin to proliferate.

Try taking your family walking around those 2 areas at night say around 10pm - 3 am.

Also park your car on those aforementioned streets and let me know how you make out.

I am familiar with these areas. I would not walk my family there at late night, but then I don't typically walk my family around at those hours. I also would not leave anything of value in my car, but I wouldn't worry about a typical older car parked there-it would probably be alright.

I don't agree that gangs 'control' that street. That's giving them too much credit. I'm sure they're in the area, but it's not like they are out there all day. It's actually a fairly quiet area, other than the traffic. I'm suprised it's being mentioned as a 'bad' area of Hartford-I tend to think of it as one of the better ones. It's nothign like the north end. The area around UCONN Law is quite nice and many students live there. Sadly, the South end has declined badly since my childhood, when I spent many weekends with cousins there.

I think Hartford is a rough city with tons of issues (and not much positive going on), but wow, I'm just suprised to read this view of the West End-which doesn't match with what I have seen for myself. It's city living, yes, but it's not like gangland or the wild west. It's actually a fairly pretty, treed, somewhat tidy residential area. Many folks take good care of the older homes there.

I followed the link above this post, for the murder stats-only 2 were in the West End-one was a murder-suicide, and the other was domestic as well. It's not like they were random.

[JViello]

Recently I made the hard decision that my service company will no longer serve residential customers in Hartford proper.

I'm sorry, but I have had nothing but bad experiences and loss. I won't do it anymore.

I have spent a lot of time in homes up and down Prospect ave and frankly all over Hartford. For those who have never really done much more than drive through with your windows up...you don't have a clue. Trust me.

The West End IS better than the rest of Hartford, but that's changing fast.

I do not feel the city is making improvements...in fact I think it's going the opposite direction in regard to it's neighborhoods.

We even had a big problem in Manchester with Hartfordites coming into town to cause trouble. THANKFULLY the Manchester police went overboard to get these vermin off our streets. Were they "over the top"? Probably, and frankly I don't really care.

That high speed chase that came blasting by me and took police on a romp through Manchester? From Hartford.

They always harrass the mall area - I never experienced armed guards and police hog tieing people in a mall several times over in a short trip to the mall until I went on a Saturday night. I felt like I was on Albany Avenue in the middle of a thug war. All my wife and I wanted to do was stop by Macy's for something quick. It wasn't just "one time" either. We don't go near the place on Friday/Saturday nights now.

I can go on and on...but I'll stop for now.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by wanderintonc

I am familiar with these areas. I would not walk my family there at late night, but then I don't typically walk my family around at those hours. I also would not leave anything of value in my car, but I wouldn't worry about a typical older car parked there-it would probably be alright.

I don't agree that gangs 'control' that street. That's giving them too much credit. I'm sure they're in the area, but it's not like they are out there all day. It's actually a fairly quiet area, other than the traffic. I'm suprised it's being mentioned as a 'bad' area of Hartford-I tend to think of it as one of the better ones. It's nothign like the north end. The area around UCONN Law is quite nice and many students live there. Sadly, the South end has declined badly since my childhood, when I spent many weekends with cousins there.

I think Hartford is a rough city with tons of issues (and not much positive going on), but wow, I'm just suprised to read this view of the West End-which doesn't match with what I have seen for myself. It's city living, yes, but it's not like gangland or the wild west. It's actually a fairly pretty, treed, somewhat tidy residential area. Many folks take good care of the older homes there.

I followed the link above this post, for the murder stats-only 2 were in the West End-one was a murder-suicide, and the other was domestic as well. It's not like they were random.

The Jewish neighborhoods are still intact...but the lower West side is getting rough.

[uconn99]

Fresh, do you feel scared in Boston, Manhatten, or L.A.?

People like you should move far far away from any city. It seems as though you can't handle urban areas. Hartford has its fair share of violence but it doesn't impact area's where a normal non criminal would be. Do I feel scared when I go downtown for a concert or dinner, in no way. Do I watch around myself Yes, I do. I would do that in any american city in this country at night. I watch around myself walking to my car in Scottsdale, Arizona. I actually feel safer in parts of Hartford than I would in some parts of Scottsdale and Tempe.

If Hartford had a l;arger footprint with say 250,000 people, we woudn't even be having this discussion.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by uconn99

Hartford has its fair share of violence but it doesn't impact area's where a normal non criminal would be.

I disagree...There was a time when you could point to a housing development and say "trouble" but it's spreading all over the city and getting worse now.

I went to church in downtown Hartford last Sunday and learned that a man had been shot and killed across the street in the church's parking lot at 1:30 a.m. on the preceding Saturday.

The victim was identified as Joel Hightower, who may have been celebrating his 20th birthday downtown. The young man's death attracted nowhere near the publicity that the brutal mugging of former Deputy Mayor Nick Carbone and the hit-and-run assault on 78-year-old Angel Arce Torres did earlier in the month, but it had one of the same themes. It was in a place not usually associated with criminal mayhem.

The conventional wisdom is that most violent crime in Hartford is among rival drug dealers battling at certain hot spots. That's only partly true.

More:
Spreading Crime: A Wake-Up Call -- Courant.com

[skytrekker]

Just a question to the social issues in Hartford

I know this is off topic- but what can be done to reverse these social issues that exist not only in Hartford- but elsewhere. Perhaps we can move and run so far- but in the end these problems remain- and in the end act like a vampire on society- just my thoughts. There is obviously no easy answer to the social issues in Hartford, New Haven, Philly, and other large American cities. Think.

[goldenband]

Personally, though I acknowledge that there are many other causes, I'm still not convinced that a lot of this stuff isn't caused by lead poisoning, at least in part. How ironic that what did the Romans in, might have a major impact on us as well.

[Fresh68]

You notice that Uconn9997 "pops" into Hartford for a quick movie or a bite to eat, or a concert.But would she put her children in the Hartfod public school system?Or maybe buy a home on Sigourney st.? I would say no.Just a hunch.

As to what can be done to address these issues?Well Fresh brings up a good point regarding Sanctuary Cities.These are in clear violation of federal law.When you bring in illegal aliens with no vested interest in this country you bring in trouble.

Community policing is also working.And instead of electing former gang members as Mayors of these cities, let's pass some laws regarding this.

People like uconn9799 are a major part of the problem in the cities.Similar to the illegal alien, popping in to the city for a quick bite to eat, then quickly retreating into suburbia and claiming"hey Hartford is safe I saw a concert there and never once did I get my car broken into"

No vested interest in the cities problems.

In order to solve this problem you must have these that are screaming how great the city is to actually live there day to day.

puuleeeeeeeeeeeeeze

[Uconn97]

Originally Posted by Brown6

You notice that Uconn9997 "pops" into Hartford for a quick movie or a bite to eat, or a concert.But would she put her children in the Hartfod public school system?Or maybe buy a home on Sigourney st.? I would say no.Just a hunch.

As to what can be done to address these issues?Well Fresh brings up a good point regarding Sanctuary Cities.These are in clear violation of federal law.When you bring in illegal aliens with no vested interest in this country you bring in trouble.

Community policing is also working.And instead of electing former gang members as Mayors of these cities, let's pass some laws regarding this.

Since you can't read, I'll reiterate that I already lived in Hartford for 14 years. I'm not sure what enrolling my kids in the school system has anything to do with. I never said that hartford didn't have problems and that the system wasn't a disaster. If you feel the need to be ignorant that is fine, but please don't put words in my mouth.

[skytrekker]

Lets keep the discussion civil without personal acrimony.