[nj_tanya]

None of my children have EVER been involved with gangs. How dare someone suggest that. This problem started after we moved to Connecticut.

I'm here to ask everybody to become more involved with the community. We need to make sure our young people are involved with the church. They must have God in their lives. We need them to focus on education and positive thinking.

I bet that if the boys that pointed a gun at my son had positive role models in their lives they wouldn't be running the streets like that.

If we work as a community we can make this a safer place for our kids.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by nj_tanya

None of my children have EVER been involved with gangs. How dare someone suggest that. This problem started after we moved to Connecticut.

I'm here to ask everybody to become more involved with the community.

That's very noble of you.

Originally Posted by nj_tanya

We need to make sure our young people are involved with the church. They must have God in their lives.

Oh, right. Gotcha.

Originally Posted by nj_tanya

I bet that if the boys that pointed a gun at my son had positive role models in their lives they wouldn't be running the streets like that. If we work as a community we can make this a safer place for our kids.

Very inspirational posting. I'm still missing your answers to my earlier questions though.

Stratford, Ct. Resident Asks:

Which school did this occur at?

When and at which schools did these unreported incidents occur?

What area are you in? Why did you not report these multiple shootings?

A "friend"? Without a name here, your statement above sounds pretty ridiculous. Does this "cop" have a name?

You're claiming that you feel your son's life is at risk here, yet you're still here? I wouldn't be capable of putting my faith in god's hands under these circumstances that you're describing.

[Seattle's Best 28]

Originally Posted by nj_tanya

None of my children have EVER been involved with gangs. How dare someone suggest that. This problem started after we moved to Connecticut.

I'm here to ask everybody to become more involved with the community. We need to make sure our young people are involved with the church. They must have God in their lives. We need them to focus on education and positive thinking.

I bet that if the boys that pointed a gun at my son had positive role models in their lives they wouldn't be running the streets like that.

If we work as a community we can make this a safer place for our kids.

People don't point guns at you for NOTHING. I have met people from Stratford who lived there their entire life and have never said anything like this. OOh and we're not in the Bible Belt so don't preach religion to us. Get with it lady.

[usmcfamily]

Originally Posted by Seattle's Best 28

People don't point guns at you for NOTHING. I have met people from Stratford who lived there their entire life and have never said anything like this. OOh and we're not in the Bible Belt so don't preach religion to us. Get with it lady.

Right, and the kid who gets bullied is asking for it and victims of crime deserve what they get because they must have done something? Is that what you are saying?

I agree very much with the OP's point "it takes a village", and that there is a nationwide lack of morality among our youth today.

To the OP - I am sorry for your struggles and I would recommend getting advice and support from people who have been in your situation. Start with the school, the police, and get your son in some safe activities/work.

[Seattle's Best 28]

Originally Posted by usmcfamily

Right, and the kid who gets bullied is asking for it and victims of crime deserve what they get because they must have done something? Is that what you are saying?

I agree very much with the OP's point "it takes a village", and that there is a nationwide lack of morality among our youth today.

To the OP - I am sorry for your struggles and I would recommend getting advice and support from people who have been in your situation. Start with the school, the police, and get your son in some safe activities/work.

There is a difference between getting bullied and claiming someone is after you with guns. Think REAL LIFE here. Gangs just don't just come after you toting guns. It doesn't happen at random. Research how gangs work.

And to your last paragraph: EXACTLY. Don't come to a freakin relocation message board and post that the Bloods are after you. Foolish!

[MetsNY]

Originally Posted by brasscitybluenwhite

nah I wasnt tryin to dispute u Mets, I'm just sayin, I was always taught that only a coward would pull out the cooley at a fist fight.

Kid, I know that its wrong to assume, but even on this website there is a big difference with comparing the price of homes in the larger cities in fairfield County (excluding bridgeport) to the prices of homes in Waterbury or Bridgeport. Look at them. City-data.com says that the average value of a home in Stratford is $300,000. Norwalk-$507,000.. Now look at Waterbury, where the average is $165,000 and Hartford-$173,000.

My point is that there is obviously a difference in lifestyle here. What's the source of the problem in Stratford and Norwalk? Their poverty levels are no where near that of Hartford, Waterbury or Bridgeport. It can't be that bad if there's an area where someone would buy a home for $300,000.

Go on the website and take a look at the poverty levels between Norwalk and Stratford and then look at Waterbury and Hartford. Uncomparable.

There's a big difference between crazy kids that will rob u because theyre stuck in their ways and kids that turned out bad because of bad parenting or they simply try too hard to be cool.

Stratford, Norwalk, Stamford all have higher home values because of their location on the water. Waterfront properties, even in Bridgeport are in the millions. Secondly, location and proximity to NYC all towns mentioned have direct access to NYC, the center of this nations wealth via 95 and Metro North. Don't judge on poverty levels because, in LA and parts of Brooklyn/Queens homes cost millions and those places still have large concentrations of horrible crime infested areas.

Also, Stamford, Stratford and Norwalk can't be judged on crime issues by the average home price. In the hoods of these cities their is no different lifestyle. It's rob, steal, shoot, fight cause they have nothing...

...and also let me put it this way...if you live in the projects in a smaller hood, and two minutes away there are Bentleys and Benz S-Classes driving to their mansions, who has more of an ambition to commit a crime. A person who has absolutely nothing and sees that, or someone from Waterbury or Hartford who knows everyone else in their city is in the same damn situation...

[usmcfamily]

Originally Posted by Seattle's Best 28

There is a difference between getting bullied and claiming someone is after you with guns. Think REAL LIFE here. Gangs just don't just come after you toting guns. It doesn't happen at random. Research how gangs work.

And to your last paragraph: EXACTLY. Don't come to a freakin relocation message board and post that the Bloods are after you. Foolish!

Gangs work by fear and intimidation. They do "randomly" select who they recruit and gangs do not let someone just walk away. They do not approach someone and say "would you like to be in our gang?" No, ok, have a great day!" Many gang members reluctantly join for fear of their lives.

And that is REAL LIFE, honey!!!

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by MetsNY

Also, Stamford, Stratford and Norwalk can't be judged on crime issues by the average home price.

They can be judged by doing research. Here's the crime data for Stratford, as listed by City Data. 320.9 is listed as being average. If the number is greater than 320.9, crime is higher. If the number is less than 320.9, crime is lower. Stratford's #'s run from 204.2-256.5 over this span.

Yep, it's a true hellhole allright. LOL.


Crime in Stratford by Year

Type 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Murders 1 0 1 2 2 0 1 0
per 100,000 2.0 0.0 2.0 3.9 4.0 0.0 2.0 0.0
Rapes 12 12 10 11 8 8 12 5
per 100,000 24.5 23.6 19.9 21.7 15.8 15.9 23.8 10.0
Robberies 52 58 53 61 73 58 49 58
per 100,000 106.2 114.0 105.4 120.1 144.5 114.9 97.3 116.3
Assaults 26 43 41 40 31 49 54 35
per 100,000 53.1 84.6 81.6 78.8 61.4 97.1 107.2 70.2
Burglaries 240 272 233 294 314 296 212 209
per 100,000 490.0 534.9 463.6 578.9 621.7 586.5 421.0 419.1
Thefts 986 921 813 975 1,290 1,224 1,067 1,070
per 100,000 2013.2 1811.0 1617.5 1920.0 2554.3 2425.1 2119.1 2145.8
Auto thefts 257 275 246 201 218 196 218 262
per 100,000 524.7 540.8 489.4 395.8 431.7 388.3 433.0 525.4
Arson 8 20 9 9 5 6 2 2
per 100,000 16.3 39.3 17.9 17.7 9.9 11.9 4.0 4.0

City-data.com crime index (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 320.9) 223.0 223.1 204.2 226.0 256.5 235.7 222.6 214.2

[toddb]

Originally Posted by MetsNY

...and also let me put it this way...if you live in the projects in a smaller hood, and two minutes away there are Bentleys and Benz S-Classes driving to their mansions, who has more of an ambition to commit a crime. A person who has absolutely nothing and sees that, or someone from Waterbury or Hartford who knows everyone else in their city is in the same damn situation...

So it's ok to go steal or kill to get the nicer car or bigger house, just because you don't have it? How about actually working for it? THIS is the problem with many inner cities - take what you want from those around you if they have more. People spend way too much time worrying about who around them has what. If you have enough to keep you happy, then shut up and let everyone else live their own damn lives. If you want more, whether its a car, house, food, security, or whatever, then go out and work for it instead of looking on others with envy and then grabbing what you can with violence.

I know that it's harder to get a good education and advance your situation when you don't start with much, but there are plenty of kids who are able to overcome these odds and succeed in life. My folks both grew up poor in a bad area of the Bronx, and somehow they managed to get a job after high school, put themselves through community college at night, and save enough to move to a safer neighborhood to raise their family. And, somehow, they managed to get that life where they could afford the S-class if they wanted it, without actually stealing or killing to get it.

There's an overwhelming sense of entitlement in our world today, especially with our youth (note: I'm only 32, so I guess I'm the older part of today's youth), in that everything is owed to them, and they shouldnt have to work hard to get whatever their goals are. You see it in sports (steroids, HGH), business (don't get me started on those Finance crooks), personal lives (sleep with whatever you want and damn the consequences), interpersonal relationships ('surface' friendships on places like facebook), etc. Nobody works for anything anymore, whether it's working hard at a job or working to keep a friend or make a marriage work, and that is where the rot is coming from. Terrorists don't need to waste their times or lives on our country - we're doing a fine job destroying ourselves on our own.

Sorry, I know I went a bit off topic, but I'm just sick of hearing about how people shouldnt feel guilty by stealing or killing to get ahead. As for the OP - if the Bloods really are roaming the halls of Stratford schools, then my advice to you is to sell your house and take a loss if you must, and move to a town that doesn't have these problems (and don't leave a forwarding address at the post office). Unless your child did some drastic offense or is a high up member of the crime organization, they wont bother tracking you down if you just get the hell out of dodge.

[JayCT]

Please refrain from insults or attacks. The OP is coming to this Board for advice and that is what should be given. If you question the motives or what is said, do so in a respectful way. If not, infractions will be issued. Thank you, JayCT, Moderator