Meth & Missouri (Kansas City, Columbia, Joplin: sales, apartments, sex offenders)

[Tiger Beer]

Is Meth this much of a problem in Missouri?

I was pretty shocked, as I didn't think it had got to that level in the middle of the country...

[MoNative34]

I don't think its as much of a problem as the media wants us to believe.

[lionandlamb]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Is Meth this much of a problem in Missouri?

I was pretty shocked, as I didn't think it had got to that level in the middle of the country...

Greetings,
Yes Meth is made in all portions of the state. In my area of MO. there is so many woods that they pull up make it and pull off that fast. The smell of it, is not so noticed.
If you see an ice chest they say dont touch it, could blow up.

Yes we found one. Near us, so we set traps - they never came back....

Sorry it is this way, if more folks would get involved running off these cookers, we may get a message out there - that says this will not allowed here.

Be Blessed

[ShadowCaver]

Keep in mind that statistics, esp. those created by different various States, will give imprecise and misleading data. For example: does each State have same desire, urge, and focus to attack meth production? Does each State keep and report their count the same exact way? Note that not making light of what appears to be MO's significantly higher number - but there are many variables behind the scene that will skewer these kinds of tallys.

Secondly, there was thread earlier in the year regarding this trouble in Missouri: http://www.city-data.com/forum/misso...pital-yay.html

Third, to give some evidence to my earlier point above... look at this map http://www.kmov.com/images2008/news/080206_methmap.jpg and tell me that even w/in our own state that the same focus and/or accounting is being done? Really, Wayne county has no meth labs, yet is surrounded by two other counties that have 23 and 43 "incidents"?

Also note that St Charles, St Francois, and Jefferson counties together have over 400 incidents, about a third of the entire state.

An older article, but still relevant to this discussion: Missouri: Not the meth capital - Columbia Missourian

Missouri has led the nation in meth lab seizures every year since 2001, and 2007 was no exception: 1,189 labs were seized last year, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s Web site. ... But the statistics are misleading. For one thing, they don’t measure quantity. In 2007, authorities confiscated roughly 40 kilograms of meth. Last year, California seized 221 labs, but netted 1,958 kilograms of meth, almost 50 times more than Missouri, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency Web site. ...

Note the graphics on left-panel, such as Graphic

[Gottasay]

Originally Posted by ShadowCaver

Keep in mind that statistics, esp. those created by different various States, will give imprecise and misleading data. For example: does each State have same desire, urge, and focus to attack meth production? Does each State keep and report their count the same exact way? Note that not making light of what appears to be MO's significantly higher number - but there are many variables behind the scene that will skewer these kinds of tallys.

Secondly, there was thread earlier in the year regarding this trouble in Missouri: http://www.city-data.com/forum/misso...pital-yay.html

Third, to give some evidence to my earlier point above... look at this map http://www.kmov.com/images2008/news/080206_methmap.jpg and tell me that even w/in our own state that the same focus and/or accounting is being done? Really, Wayne county has no meth labs, yet is surrounded by two other counties that have 23 and 43 "incidents"?

Also note that St Charles, St Francois, and Jefferson counties together have over 400 incidents, about a third of the entire state.

An older article, but still relevant to this discussion: Missouri: Not the meth capital - Columbia Missourian


Note the graphics on left-panel, such as Graphic

Colleges learned this years ago. They chose to be selective on what crimes to report b/c they knew it was bad for business. You've got to wonder what states/counties choose not to report all criminal activity b/c it may discourage families/businesses from wanting to move there. There are also states that report ever single criminal offense and thus may create a false impression that the place has rampant crime and sex offenders around every corner.

[lifelongMOgal]

In agricultural poverty areas of rural Missouri Meth production & puppy mills are both problems and sources of income for people with few brain cells and resources of their own. One has to only read the rural newspapers about meth related arrests to recognize the problem. Farmers cannot leave anyhydros fertilizer tanks in the field overnight lest they be discovered drained the following morning. Many home break-ins in rural areas are conducted by addicts looking for stuff to sell to support their habit.

New methods of producing meth may decrease anyhydros thefts and make meth labs more diffucult to discover. The laws of limiting over-the-counter pseudepherine (sp?) sales I believe has had a positive impact against Missouri's war on meth.

[sixtwobaldguy]

I don't think meth is a big problem in MO *except* for those people who choose to use it or associate with those who do. In MO, your risk for crime basically depends on who you associate with and what neighborhoods you go into. Although anything could happen anywhere, the reality is outside of a few bad areas of the few bigger cities, crime isn't much of a problem in MO.

[lifelongMOgal]

Originally Posted by sixtwobaldguy

I don't think meth is a big problem in MO *except* for those people who choose to use it or associate with those who do. In MO, your risk for crime basically depends on who you associate with and what neighborhoods you go into. Although anything could happen anywhere, the reality is outside of a few bad areas of the few bigger cities, crime isn't much of a problem in MO.

How does one explain the recently over-full Howard County jail in Fayette? A month or so ago their local newspaper related that a significant ratio of the jailed population was from meth busts by the Sheriff's Dept.

No disrespect intended sixtwobaldguy; but, do not think crime only happens to those who go looking for it. While Missouri is not the largest Meth state there is a problem. Ask your local sheriff's dept. how much of their budget and resouces go towards fighting meth, meth related arrests, or in solving meth related crimes vs. the rest of their budget. You mught just be suprised.

[northbound74]

Meth might not seem like a big deal, at least until it hits close to home.
I didn't go searching for it, I didn't seek it out, it came to me. Two family members, one on my side, one on my wife's.
Look, Missouri has a huge problem with the stuff. Sugar coat it if you will. Maybe this state tries harder to fight it, therefore the higher numbers. Maybe we're not really the meth capital. Still, it is a very real problem.

Don't be fooled, meth is a major issue in every county of the state. Virtually everyone who lives here is affected by it in some way or another. Look at all the small towns. If you live in one, chances are your town isn't as nice, as well kept, or as safe as it was 20-30 years ago. Part of that could be 'brain drain' to the cities, but a lot of it is just meth. People who do meth don't keep jobs or take care of themselves or the things they have.
They often resort to crime.
Personally, I don't feel any safer in Boondock south-central Missouri than I do in an inner-ring suburb of Kansas City. Oh, the stories of brutal beatings and murders that have taken place in recent years out in the sticks. Not an excessive amount, but much more than what should be taking place in the middle of nowhere.
In one county, the county judge was known to be one of the biggest dealers around. The police forces were aware of it, and sometimes in on it. He eventually was convicted and sent to jail.

Be careful not to fall asleep on this, folks. Chances are you'll have to deal with this problem in some capacity or another if you stick around long enough.

[Mollym313]

Originally Posted by sixtwobaldguy

I don't think meth is a big problem in MO *except* for those people who choose to use it or associate with those who do. In MO, your risk for crime basically depends on who you associate with and what neighborhoods you go into. Although anything could happen anywhere, the reality is outside of a few bad areas of the few bigger cities, crime isn't much of a problem in MO.

I agree with that. I would have never thought SW MO had the Meth problem that it has because I don't use it, make it, or hang around those that do. I took a Social Work class in College a couple of years ago and we had 2 under cover narcotic officers come and speak to the class about drugs in our area.

I live in Joplin and it attracts certain bad elements because of Interstate 44 but also SW MO is largely rural which makes it easier to hide Meth labs. However, labs have been found in the city inside houses and apartments.

The agents could not really say that certain parts of MO were worse than other states but they did say because of smaller populations it does get more publicity. The last few large drug busts in our area had connections with trafficing from California, Texas and Mexico.

I am still trying to understand why the undercover officers would come to a very public college campus to speak to a college class in the same county that they work. Now that I know who they are, I see them at the store, dropping their kids off at school etc.

I am hoping that the Crack/Meth heads are so burnt toast that they don't attend classes on a college campus and find out this tidbit of info.