[tablemtn]

It seems like Michigan has an unusual number of smaller towns with extremely high crime rates - Saginaw, Benton Harbor, Flint, and others. How and why did things get that way? Small towns are supposed to be refuges from the 'big, bad city.'

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by tablemtn

It seems like Michigan has an unusual number of smaller towns with extremely high crime rates - Saginaw, Benton Harbor, Flint, and others. How and why did things get that way? Small towns are supposed to be refuges from the 'big, bad city.'

I just moved to Michigan 1 year ago, so I can't pretend to have any insider knowledge. But it seems that each of these towns have been hit very hard in the employment sector; BH by Whirlpool, and Flint and Saginaw by the auto industry. Unemployment=problems.

[conovercourt]

Flint and Saginaw never used to be small towns by Michigan standards, Flint has, at times, been Michigan's second largest city.

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by conovercourt

Flint and Saginaw never used to be small towns by Michigan standards, Flint has, at times, been Michigan's second largest city.

Regardless of Michigan's standards, they are towns, not cities. Maybe Flint could qualify as a small city...but the point is, they aren't doing well, no matter what we call them!

[and the]

Saginaw: GM

Flint: GM

That's why.

[M TYPE X]

True, but the midsize cities of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio are not far behind in terms of crime. Illinois is better, but you might be surprised at the number of towns/cities in Illinois and Iowa with crime issues.

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by M TYPE X

True, but the midsize cities of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio are not far behind in terms of crime. Illinois is better, but you might be surprised at the number of towns/cities in Illinois and Iowa with crime issues.

I'm not surprised. I lived in Waterloo, IA for a bit as a kid and that's a pretty bad town...

[kaypurdue]

The population of Flint proper is still hovering around 110,000... so though people are leaving, we're not quite to small town status just yet.

Per capita, at last check we have one of the highest violent crime rates in the country (right up there with Detroit, St. Louis, New Orleans). However, there are safe areas within the city proper - the crime is concentrated within certain pockets. Unemployment certainly is a factor - also drugs, poor education, poor family values, low expectations for our young people... among many other things.

Personally, I think stopping crime starts with teaching our children to keep a cool head in a bad situation, and that thefts, shootings, fistfights, etc. don't solve anything. You can give unemployed Joe Schmoe a job, but if Joe Schmoe is still angry enough at Jack Schmoe to get a gun and shoot him, he will do it whether he has a job or not. Just my two cents.

[M TYPE X]

Flint and Youngstown have lost > 50% of their peak population. That's bad no matter how you slice it.

Originally Posted by jeffncandace

I'm not surprised. I lived in Waterloo, IA for a bit as a kid and that's a pretty bad town...

The Iowa forums, as well as comments I received by asking around Iowa City, have informed me on this. That's why I mentioned Iowa ... I had no idea about this until a few weeks ago.

[tablemtn]

However, there are safe areas within the city proper - the crime is concentrated within certain pockets.

Those pockets are just ridiculously bad, though. Is it a failure of police funding? Social services? Schools?