Family swarmed by teens at Inner Harbor (Baltimore: low crime, credit)

[pwduvall]

Originally Posted by choccity

What is the solution then? Curfews, sweeping lockups like what's his name, O'Malley did back in the early 2000s where people were locked up for open containers? I work for law enforcement, and am as liberal as they come and don't want to see marshal law, it was a statement, but, what are the solutions???Baltimore has been this way for years. The BCPD was suppose to be locking up the 'trigger pullers' mentioned two summers ago, working with ATF. There is still at least a homicide a day or every other day.


I have been to forums, town halls, neighborhood meetings, discuss and discuss. I was a victim of robbery, house breaks, cars broke in, then I finally moved. But, I always liked the city and want to see it get out of this mess it can't seem to get out of. I agree with others about the huge police presence in places like Philly and DC. Given the history of the crime in Baltimore I am surprised there are so few police in these public areas.

I read recently that the number of kids facing adult charges has plummeted over the past five years. Now less than 10% of juveniles arrested as adults are kept in the adult system. This means that someone arrested for an armed robbery or carjacking/assault at age 17 is almost certainly going to be sent into the juvenile system and be back on the streets the next day looking for more trouble and feeling completely untouchable. Heck, under the circumstances, I might take up violent crime if I were that age. Why not? It is probably a total rush for the kids involved and there is no short term downside.

Juvenile crime advocates tell me that it is always better for the young criminal to stay in the juvenile system. When I say, "What about public safety?" They respond that their job is to look out for the best interest of the kids. At the very least, the interests of potential future crime victims need to be part of the equation. They are not!!! You have to remember that I am considered to be a super lefty by my very conservative family. But even a liberal like me thinks the criminal justice system is badly out of balance.

[LoveToRow]

Originally Posted by pwduvall

I read recently that the number of kids facing adult charges has plummeted over the past five years. Now less than 10% of juveniles arrested as adults are kept in the adult system. This means that someone arrested for an armed robbery or carjacking/assault at age 17 is almost certainly going to be sent into the juvenile system and be back on the streets the next day looking for more trouble and feeling completely untouchable. Heck, under the circumstances, I might take up violent crime if I were that age. Why not? It is probably a total rush for the kids involved and there is no short term downside.

Juvenile crime advocates tell me that it is always better for the young criminal to stay in the juvenile system. When I say, "What about public safety?" They respond that their job is to look out for the best interest of the kids. At the very least, the interests of potential future crime victims need to be part of the equation. They are not!!! You have to remember that I am considered to be a super lefty by my very conservative family. But even a liberal like me thinks the criminal justice system is badly out of balance.

The problem is that the liberals you keep electing don't care about public safety. We know this is a fact because they never do anything about it.

[pappjohn]

The kids committing the crime are usually physically fine but morally corrupt, from what I've seen.
They know what they are doing and their minds are clear.
Lead paint has nothing to do with it. Some may be sexually abused though.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by pappjohn

The kids committing the crime are usually physically fine but morally corrupt, from what I've seen.
They know what they are doing and their minds are clear.
Lead paint has nothing to do with it. Some may be sexually abused though.

I disagree. Are you saying a mentally mature, sane, stable human being all of a sudden decides to physically assault a stranger in full view of other people?

I would posit that these individuals are developmentally delayed. They have mental deficiencies stemming from parental neglect, lack of education, and other environmental stressors. My wife is an early childhood education professional and performs developmental assessments on children.

DEvelopmentally delayed individuals exhibit lack of empathy and restraint. Much like a 3-year-old learning empathy and how their actions can inflict pain on other kids or individuals. They can't think beyond the moment how their actions have consequences. These teens are delayed in this way. You think these kids are morally corrupt, but think how a 3-year old has no idea of morality. We wouldn't blame a 3-year-old for not having any morality.

And what happens is, these developmentally delayed teens get thrown in jail. What do you think happens to teens who have developmental issues in jail? There are no programs in place to help those teens bridge the gap mentally and educationally. Developmentally delayed kids usually get special education services outside of jail. Is that the case inside the jail as well?

My point is that these aren't teens simply testing the boundaries of their parents and society. SOmething all teens tend to do. These are teens that have grown up believing there are no boundaries.

Society and their parents have failed them. And this is the result.

[Digger 68]

Originally Posted by LoveToRow

Here's a link to an article about the mayhem in federal hill last night. Keep in mind, this is supposed to be a nice neighborhood.

Teenagers with bats, boards attacked people in Federal Hill, police say

Halloween has a violent history. It's not new. Or unique to Baltimore.

https://www.theatlantic.com/national...pranks/264127/

And there is more but I don't feel like digging.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scDauKwm5ZM


I was down there on Friday (The last time Halloween fell on a Friday) night a couple years ago and there were so many police they seemed like the mob. It felt uneasy, and the central square was open with no people, and it was around 10PM. Although that would change, and fights broke out later. And a lot of violence the following year.

[LoveToRow]

Originally Posted by Digger 68

Halloween has a violent history. It's not new. Or unique to Baltimore.

https://www.theatlantic.com/national...pranks/264127/

And there is more but I don't feel like digging.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scDauKwm5ZM


I was down there on Friday (The last time Halloween fell on a Friday) night a couple years ago and there were so many police they seemed like the mob. It felt uneasy, and the central square was open with no people, and it was around 10PM. Although that would change, and fights broke out later. And a lot of violence the following year.

I've lived in Baltimore for 15 years, federal hill for many of them including the last six years. What happened on Tuesday is not normal.

[uggabugga]

Originally Posted by feck

What I don't understand is if the incident happened on the
21st why did it take more than a week to report it?
The sensationalized media has no problem reporting
crime events as "breaking news". Why did they wait a week for
this one? It is apparent that local broadcast media adheres to
a profit motive corporate agenda. Those who depend solely on
local broadcast media for information are doomed to be uninformed.

agreed. it is odd that they sat on this so long.

Originally Posted by LoveToRow

Here's a link to an article about the mayhem in federal hill last night. Keep in mind, this is supposed to be a nice neighborhood.

Teenagers with bats, boards attacked people in Federal Hill, police say

dang. kind of makes me reconsider taking my kids to the MD science center anymore..

City Councilman Eric Costello posted on Facebook that about 10-15 juveniles committed at least four sets of robberies/assaults that include:


1. 300 block of East Fort Avenue (two individuals were robbed and assaulted, at intersection of Battery Avenue)

2. 800 block of Battery Avenue (one individual)

3. Intersection of Key Highway and Covington Street (one individual)

4. Behind the Maryland Science Center (four individuals were robbed and assaulted)

but at least those terrifying statues are gone..

[LoveToRow]

Originally Posted by uggabugga

agreed. it is odd that they sat on this so long.



dang. kind of makes me reconsider taking my kids to the MD science center anymore..



but at least those terrifying statues are gone..

Yeah, and all 4 of those sites are less than 5 blocks from my house. I'm applying for a CC permit, we'll see how it goes.

[bus man]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

I would posit that these individuals are developmentally delayed. They have mental deficiencies stemming from parental neglect, lack of education, and other environmental stressors.

Such teenagers exist in all low-income areas everywhere. Yet other posters are saying that what's happening in Baltimore isn't happening in New York or Philadelphia or DC. It's not happening in rural Appalachia. (I realize that Appalachia has serious problems, but being assaulted out of the blue by a mob of teenagers isn't one of them.) It's not happening in most places. But in Baltimore, it's happening.

Developmental delay may play a role, but it's by no means the only one, or even the most prominent.

[uggabugga]

Originally Posted by LoveToRow

Yeah, and all 4 of those sites are less than 5 blocks from my house. I'm applying for a CC permit, we'll see how it goes.

good luck with that. it'll be a miracle if they issue one to you.