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Homicide rate has dropped in most major cities in the USA over the last 30 years.
I stand corrected...
looking at charts homicides peaked in the 90's and are now trending downward...
So why do so many people think crime is up? Is it the news?
Even when stats show crime is down overall in Charlotte compared to last year people don't believe it.
Why is that? It has to be the news and the internet. We hear about a shooting and instead of it being local everyone thinks it happened on their street or in their neighborhood.
I think one does have to keep things in perspective. Accepting crime and expecting it are different things. Nobody accepts crime here. That’s why Darrell Stephenson was run out of town. But to expect Charlotte to be Mayberry is ridiculous. Charlotte is a big city along the lines of Nashville or Jacksonville, and our crime rate mirrors our peer cities. And compared to many peers we’re actually performing better on crime. And let’s clarify “opportunity crimes”. Most property crimes are crimes of opportunity just given their nature. But the vast majority of the violent crime here is between people who know each another. That’s a fact. People here shouldn’t worry about just walking down the street. Its not that type of city. But posters want to distort the truth to push their agenda which is to discourage people from moving here. A couple of threads recently started were about violent “domestic” incidents. Seriously? Domestic incidents? That’s the kind of tomfoolery some posters engage in on this board.
Totally agree w/ you that the domestic violence shouldn't be considered on the same level as other violent crimes. I don't even think gang crime (when b/n rival gang members) rates up there w/ home invasions, for example - only b/c these are folks targeting each other. Not saying it doesn't count as "real crime!!!" And of course, it concerns me b/c innocent bystanders can be caught in the line of fire.
And I don't blame our police force for the thuggery, either, and get upset when it appears they are being blamed in some way. I do get upset about repeat offenders being let out on the streets over and over - but that is a sentencing guideline problem - and in many cases - a problem w/ the DA's office allowing repeat offenders to plead down to a lesser offense.
My disguntlement, in this particular thread, is with the portrayal of 4th Ward. This is an area ripe for gentrification. Well, maybe that is not the right word - maybe "rehabbing" - but whatever you wanna call it - the thugs are making it difficult to clean up the area and make it a safe, decent place to live for those who are willing to upgrade the community. That is my frustration.
PS> Just for the record, I am not looking for Mayberry. I grew up in Mayberry. It was great as far as leaving one's doors unlocked, but everyone knowing everyone's business wasn't so wonderful, lol. I couldn't wait to get to the "big city" - and wanna see Charlotte grow, grow, grow.
looking at charts homicides peaked in the 90's and are now trending downward...
So why do so many people think crime is up? Is it the news?
Even when stats show crime is down overall in Charlotte compared to last year people don't believe it.
Why is that? It has to be the news and the internet. We hear about a shooting and instead of it being local everyone thinks it happened on their street or in their neighborhood.
It’s a combination of things. There’s a small gang of posters who’ve each said at one point, in so many words, they think Charlotte’s growth has caused the city to decline. So they post negative information in an effort to discourage people from moving here. As if the thousands who move here every year even read this site, LOL. And you're right, it is partly the media. Over the past few years news outlets nationwide have moved to more sensationalism in their reporting to try and boost overall declining ratings. And here is no exception. Watch the news any night and every story is the end of the world. Also just count how many incidents they talk about that are outside of Mecklenburg County. They’d make you think it happened right next door to you.
I find it hard to tell if crime is up or down. With the amount reported you'd think it is up but then you read reports that numbers are down. Then there are reports that say numbers are down because less crime is reported or that numbers are being massaged.
It’s a combination of things. There’s a small gang of posters who’ve each said at one point, in so many words, they think Charlotte’s growth has caused the city to decline. So they post negative information in an effort to discourage people from moving here. As if the thousands who move here every year even read this site, LOL. And you're right, it is partly the media. Over the past few years news outlets nationwide have moved to more sensationalism in their reporting to try and boost overall declining ratings. And here is no exception. Watch the news any night and every story is the end of the world. Also just count how many incidents they talk about that are outside of Mecklenburg County. They’d make you think it happened right next door to you.
Definitely true... especially when the local media does nothing but regurgitate "scary news" from other sources. CO is a perfect example - they don't write an "article". All they do is pull stuff off of the wires and re-purpose the data without any reporting of their own. It's their low cost business model.
fbi.gov has a unified violent crime report. They make it easy to see what crimes are being committed by city and it's easy to do comparisons over time.
Just as I thought....I little over a year here and you have valuable opinions on Charlotte crime?
Would you take a 20 min. stroll after dinner around 9ish where you work and give us an update on safe areas by your workplace?
I love to hear more about your opinions.
Never said my opinion was valuable.. it's just my opinion.
If you need me to go to an unsafe area at night to prove how crime ridden Charlotte is you already lost the argument.
Ask me if I feel unsafe downtown at night... ask me if my car has been broken into.. ask me if my house has been invaded... ask me if my wife feels safe when she is out at night by herself.... ask me how many people I know in Charlotte have been victims of a crime.
Asking me to leave my car running with the window down and a bag full of cash in the passenger seat in a bad neighborhood proves nothing.
I've lived in rough neighborhoods in Philly, Richmond and NYC. I know how to conduct myself in rough areas but I don't walk down the worst streets to prove a point. If 47th street in West Philly is known to have problems I walk down 49th.
I'm smart enough to not go looking for the crime... but I'm also smart enough to realize Charlotte isn't as dangerous as Richmond, Brooklyn, Pittsburgh and Philly/Camden or DC.
Here's where things fall apart. Charlotte's murders (danger) are the same as every other city. Danger is danger, pal. In the 30 years I have been here, this cities crime has increased to extreme levels. In my opinion, our violent crime is the same as any city you describe, with the exception of us have more sunny days and less concrete.
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is with the portrayal of 4th Ward. This is an area ripe for gentrification. Well, maybe that is not the right word - maybe "rehabbing" - but whatever you wanna call it - the thugs are making it difficult to clean up the area and make it a safe, decent place to live for those who are willing to upgrade the community. That is my frustration.
