What can be done to lower Baltimore crime? (crime rate, home)

[freeazabird]

I'm curious about your thoughts. What do you think can be done to lower crime in Baltimore? Also, what types of things would you like to see take place to make the city a better place in general?

[PurpleHaze1100]

As of right now theres a Drug War going on in the city. Much in result of the Heroin Trade and Drug Gangs in East and West Baltimore conflicting with each other. If I were the police commisoner I would implement more blue light police patrol cameras in high crime hot spot areas of the city to scare off predators and dealers from the zones. Maybe even having "free zones" like in the wire. Where the police set up zones in neglected, abandoned, and uninhabited blocks in East and West Baltimore and allow the legalization of the illegal drug trade, and incidentally prostitution with monitoring by local officers.d Doing this would drastically decline the overall crime throughout the city and have these activities confined to one strict area . The posited benefits of this strategy in season 4 of the wire, were reduced street crime, city-wide, and increased outreach of health and social services to at-risk populations. The free zones in the episode were called "Hamsterdam" because of the drug dealers mishearing Herc when he refers to Amsterdam.

[Infinite_heights77]

Reparations!

[bmoregrimey]

Crime is a complex issue with complex answers. I would focus law enforcement on the most violent offenders and hopefully secure a prosecution by the courts that would give maximum sentencing. I would invest in drug treatment centers. Invest in real job training that gives people skills especially in the vocational fields. Job training should target youth and people returning to the streets from jail. Invest in the rec centers, these places are wonderful and keeps kids occupied and constructive. There needs to be some kind of merging of the charter and public school system. Kids who do not attend charter schools are being left behind at an alarming rate. This plan would take years to see results but it would be an effective long term solution to a very complex problem.

[baltplanner]

Of the last 100 murders in Baltimore City 90 were black men, 5 were black women, 2 were Asian, 2 were White, and 1 was Hispanic (you can do the math for yourself at Baltimore Homicides - baltimoresun.com). Of the non-black murder victims, both Asian folks were killed by black men (one was killed at his own store during a stickup and another at her family's nail salon), 1 of the white victims was killed in her own home by two black teenagers (14 and 16 years old) and the Hispanic victim was also killed by a black man (who was trying to rob his store). Furthermore, in the US roughly 93% of black murder victims were killed by other blacks (Bureau of Justice Statistics Contacts between Police and the Public, 2008).

Baltimore is a concentrated case study of the disproportionate social dysfunction within the U.S black population.

[PurpleHaze1100]

Originally Posted by baltplanner

Of the last 100 murders in Baltimore City 90 were black men, 5 were black women, 2 were Asian, 2 were White, and 1 was Hispanic (you can do the math for yourself at Baltimore Homicides - baltimoresun.com). Of the non-black murder victims, both Asian folks were killed by black men (one was killed at his own store during a stickup and another at her family's nail salon), 1 of the white victims was killed in her own home by two black teenagers (14 and 16 years old) and the Hispanic victim was also killed by a black man (who was trying to rob his store). Furthermore, in the US roughly 93% of black murder victims were killed by other blacks (Bureau of Justice Statistics Contacts between Police and the Public, 2008).

Baltimore is a concentrated case study of the disproportionate social dysfunction within the U.S black population.

Why do you always have to bring up the race card. Its a predominately Black city. Theres plenty of whites in pigtown killing eachother also. Don't start stuff.

[baltplanner]

Originally Posted by bmoreboy25

Why do you always have to bring up the race card. Its a predominately Black city. Theres plenty of whites in pigtown killing eachother also. Don't start stuff.

Because it's relevant. Blacks are 13% of the US population but account for 49% of murderers, 33% of rapists, 55% of robbers, and 34% of aggravated assault perpetrators (http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr...decoverviewpdf). Saying that black people are more likely to be criminals, and by extension threatening to the general population, isn't just racist pandering, it's a statistical fact. Asking why that's that case and developing realistic, obtainable solutions is the real issue at hand. I'd say that raising your kids properly by putting a value on education, work ethic, and social responsibility would be a good start. At the same time appreciate that generations of community and family destruction within the black community were implicitly carried out by white people (for white people acknowledge the shame of this legacy and for black people learn to accept that younger generation of white people want to do better).

What I'm trying to say is that it's your fault (common black social moores) and ours (the history of white on black oppression). As such we both should be trying to do something about it.... but denying the gravity of the situation, as you were trying to do in your post, will not help solve things. Accept that the black community has higher rates of crime, poverty, out of wedlock birth, and consistently ranks lower in IQ, educational achievement, median income, and health... and then get motivated enough to do something about it... don't live down to the statistically supported stereotypes.... tell us to go fu#% ourselves and then do what it takes to get a job as our boss and CEO.... I'll be the first one to applaud you for it. Overcoming hardships like those that are all too common in the black communities in Baltimore is inspiring, and I know I'm not the only one who's deeply moved when they see it.

[PurpleHaze1100]

Originally Posted by baltplanner

Because it's relevant. Blacks are 13% of the US population but account for 49% of murderers, 33% of rapists, 55% of robbers, and 34% of aggravated assault perpetrators. Saying that black people are more likely to be criminals, and by extension threatening to the general population, isn't just racist pandering, it's a statistical fact. Asking why that's that case and developing realistic, obtainable solutions is the real issue at hand. I'd say that raising your kids properly by putting a value on education, work ethic, and social responsibility would be a good start.... and so would reversing the generations of community and family destruction within the black community which was implicitly carried out by white people.

What I'm trying to say is that it's your fault (common black social moores) and ours (the history of white on black oppression). As such we both should be trying to do something about it.... but denying the gravity of the situation will not help solve things. Accept that the black community has higher rates of crime, poverty, out of wedlock birth, and consistently ranks lower in IQ, educational achievement, median income, and health... and then get motivated enough to do something about... don't live down to the statistically supported stereotypes.... tell us to go fu#% ourselves and then get a job as a CEO.

You are very ignorant. You turn a thread into an argue over race. Typical white transplant stereotype. And you CLAIM your an urban planner for the city but have this mindset of removing blacks from the city to reduce crime? I should report you. Who's the other 50 percent?!!!!

[PurpleHaze1100]

Balt Planner has nothing to say about the numberous poor white areas of South Baltimore with the same rates of crime as Sandtown-Winchester. Come on man. Just Stop. The city has had a crime problem since the 1700's. Don't blame it on the Blacks. Its the drug trafficking of heroin that's causing this. Drug wars, Blocks against blocks trying to get territory all over the city.

[baltplanner]

Originally Posted by bmoreboy25

Balt Planner has nothing to say about the numberous poor white areas of South Baltimore with the same rates of crime as Sandtown-Winchester. Come on man. Just Stop.

This is factually inaccurate. There isn't a single majority white neighborhood in the City with a crime rate as high as sandtown-winchester... see for yourself (Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed)

As for the rest of it, you're totally missing the point. Disproportionate social pathology does exist in black communities, especially poor black communities... it can be measured in a lot of ways but it is statistically undeniable....acceptance is the first step towards creating a solution...