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Referring to the latest police statistics, would you say that the majority of the crime increase took place in, or outside of, South Charlotte?
Is it hyperbole to suggest that South Charlotte is fast reaching it's tipping point - meaning that the level of crime is soon passing a level of acceptability to the middle and upper class residents of South Charlotte?
Assuming this is so, if trends continue, how far are we from seeing middle and upper class Charlotteans protesting with their feet, by moving into outlying areas?
This is precisely what happened in NYC to the 1970's and 80's: for while some residents moved to the suburbs in hopes of escaping congestion, many left the City to escape ever increasing crime. In so doing, the City lost it's producing and tax paying middle and working class, to an economic class that uses a great deal of services. For several years the City was upside down; services suffered, and it took decades to reverse the decline...
What does Charlotte's future look like? Is it headed in the same direction?
Well, this is a volatile question, b/c a large amount of tax revenue, proportionately, comes from S. CLT.
I moved to S. CLT b/c at the time I was relocating, I had known for over 30 years that S CLT was the safest area of the city.
I think property owners are going to quickly become disgusted with the rising crime rates. It is certainly discussed amongst my neighbors even tho we have been fortunate and no crime in our hood thus far (altho there have been crimes nearby). We formed a neighborhood watch three years ago. So that was the first step. Second step is -- homeowners without Firearms now own one or more. And no one in my hood doesn't have an alarm system. Most have at least one noisy dog.
Folks with kids in school may feel they don't have a choice about moving from the area. Others I have spoken with were planning to stay here and retire and have either paid off their homes or are on track to do that. With the market having affected the value of homes, that has also given people pause about selling, altho this section of the city did not take the beating that other areas may have experienced.
So there are many factors to consider b/f deciding to move.
I was being serious when I said on a different thread that once the thugs figure out that homeowners are serious about protecting their property, crime may go back down in S CLT. Yes, police presence helps. But nothing deters crime more than knowing residents will shoot thugs who break into their homes, intending to do their families harm.
So I don't see people fleeing. I do see people refusing to be made victims.
Last edited by brokensky; 05-01-2012 at 03:51 PM..
I think Charlotte will be fine. Criminals tend to follow the money, hence the crime spike in S. Charlotte. At the same time, if residents of S. Charlotte started to move, I promise you you'd see more police presence there.
I do believe that more people should arm themselves because life is too fragile and precious to not protect, imo. There also needs to be much harsher penalties for those who commit robberies.
Unfortunately, I know people in jail and prison, and they aren't even afraid of getting locked up. Human rights groups shouldn't fight for those who display anti-social behavior like criminals, not treat them like the civilized humans they refuse to be.
Sorry, but in a world where individuals insist on committing crime, only a heavy-handed approach - *tips hat to Vlad The Impaler* - will make criminals re-consider their ways.
The biggest thing the city needs to get a handle on is the sprawl. Whereas 20 years ago, few people talked about "avoiding Mecklenburg," now it seems that most upper-middle-class newcomers are being steered to the outlying counties. Newcomers with less money (sans the 1%ers in Dilworth and Myers Park and the DINKS and singles uptown) seem to land in the city. Now, more and more people are choosing not to have kids, so I think these close-in areas will continue to be quite vibrant. However, the first- and second-ring suburbs like University City (which will always have some economic vibrance due to the University), parts of East Charlotte, and parts of South Charlotte, will likely struggle.
The schools are wagging the dog here. I'm not sure when people soured on them (they were quite popular with most people 15 years ago from what I recall). But they have, in a BIG way.
I think the "crime spike" is being a bit overblown. It's a "regression to the mean" sort of situation. South Charlotte is a low-crime area and crime had been down year over year until this quarter so of course the low crime area is going to show the uptick, it didn't have anywhere to go statistically but up. I don't believe people who try to paint Charlotte as some idyllic place thirty and forty years ago. This was a ROUGH town. I remember reading it had the second highest murder rate in the US in 1968. The early 90s saw plenty of gang problems, etc.
I'm not a fan of having guns around the house or on your person. They're just not needed in an urban society. I find the American obsession with them (particularly in the South) pathological. They're most likely not going to do you any good if you get into a situation where you might think you need one. If you get held up, pulling out a gun is only going to get you shot quicker. Put it in the wrong drawer, and your kid gets hold of it, etc.
I also think the idea that South Charlotte residents somehow aren't getting their fair share of services is bunk. The public spaces, roads, and sidewalks in South Charlotte are downright pristine compared to other parts of the city (many of which are older). Of course more money is going to be spent on infrastructure improvement in the 100-year-old parts of the city rather than the 15-year-old parts. Just a ploy by Bill James in a year when he has a primary challenger. You also notice the discussion turns to residential property taxes and not commercial property taxes (which other parts of the city pay quite handily for)
The biggest thing the city needs to get a handle on is the sprawl. Whereas 20 years ago, few people talked about "avoiding Mecklenburg," now it seems that most upper-middle-class newcomers are being steered to the outlying counties. Newcomers with less money (sans the 1%ers in Dilworth and Myers Park and the DINKS and singles uptown) seem to land in the city. Now, more and more people are choosing not to have kids, so I think these close-in areas will continue to be quite vibrant. However, the first- and second-ring suburbs like University City (which will always have some economic vibrance due to the University), parts of East Charlotte, and parts of South Charlotte, will likely struggle.
The schools are wagging the dog here. I'm not sure when people soured on them (they were quite popular with most people 15 years ago from what I recall). But they have, in a BIG way.
I think the "crime spike" is being a bit overblown. It's a "regression to the mean" sort of situation. South Charlotte is a low-crime area and crime had been down year over year until this quarter so of course the low crime area is going to show the uptick, it didn't have anywhere to go statistically but up. I don't believe people who try to paint Charlotte as some idyllic place thirty and forty years ago. This was a ROUGH town. I remember reading it had the second highest murder rate in the US in 1968. The early 90s saw plenty of gang problems, etc.
I'm not a fan of having guns around the house or on your person. They're just not needed in an urban society. I find the American obsession with them (particularly in the South) pathological. They're most likely not going to do you any good if you get into a situation where you might think you need one. If you get held up, pulling out a gun is only going to get you shot quicker. Put it in the wrong drawer, and your kid gets hold of it, etc.
I also think the idea that South Charlotte residents somehow aren't getting their fair share of services is bunk. The public spaces, roads, and sidewalks in South Charlotte are downright pristine compared to other parts of the city (many of which are older). Of course more money is going to be spent on infrastructure improvement in the 100-year-old parts of the city rather than the 15-year-old parts. Just a ploy by Bill James in a year when he has a primary challenger. You also notice the discussion turns to residential property taxes and not commercial property taxes (which other parts of the city pay quite handily for)
I've been able to thwart two robbery attempts because of my gun. First of all, I'm ever vigilant. Having a gun and not being aware of your surroundings is pointless.
I saw them coming before they ever got to me. If I didn't have my gun, what would it have mattered if I saw them?
Sure, guns can be dangerous, but there are many people who have saved their own lives and the lives of others because of guns. Are you saying we should be at the mercy of criminals because there have been unfortunate accidents with guns?
I feel anyone that has a gun should undergo mandatory training, because it's pretty insane to allow someone to have a gun when they may or may not know how to use it properly.
So, I disagree...
...and I'm sure if I were to help you or someone you love by taking down a criminal you would see things a little bit differently.
I've been able to thwart two robbery attempts because of my gun. First of all, I'm ever vigilant. Having a gun and not being aware of your surroundings is pointless.
I saw them coming before they ever got to me. If I didn't have my gun, what would it have mattered if I saw them?
Sure, guns can be dangerous, but there are many people who have saved their own lives and the lives of others because of guns. Are you saying we should be at the mercy of criminals because there have been unfortunate accidents with guns?
I feel anyone that has a gun should undergo mandatory training, because it's pretty insane to allow someone to have a gun when they may or may not know how to use it properly.
So, I disagree...
This is one of those issues on which minds can't be changed so I'm going to let this post be my last one on the subject. I think rigorous training (I'm talking 100 hours or so) and mental health screenings (particularly for depression since gun suicides are so common) should be mandatory before purchasing guns.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trillion
...and I'm sure if I were to help you or someone you love by taking down a criminal you would see things a little bit differently.
Certainly I would be grateful if I or my loved one were in imminent danger of being killed or maimed and you were to shoot the attempted murderer, but chances are that's not going to happen. They're quite slim.
Here's an old article from TIME (2001). You have to read all of it to see how the story really ends.
One thing Charlotte needs to address is the walkability of some of its neighborhoods. I think it's pretty abnormal that an area centered around a college (University City) is pretty unwalkable in most areas. Some of the main thoroughfares are downright dangerous to try to walk on.
Also they should continue to push mass transit so that Charlotte doesn't end up like the sprawling and congested mess that is Atlanta. I know there will always be a large number of people who just prefer living in the suburbs and driving their cars and SUVs everywhere, but within the city limits it would be nice if you didn't have to drive to get around if you don't want to.
One thing Charlotte needs to address is the walkability of some of its neighborhoods. I think it's pretty abnormal that an area centered around a college (University City) is pretty unwalkable in most areas. Some of the main thoroughfares are downright dangerous to try to walk on.
I agree with you there. But I will give the city credit for making some great strides in this area over the last decade. When I came here in 2000, University City Blvd and North Tryon didn't even have sidewalks north of Eastway. And you can forget about a crosswalk. Also, bus service to UNCC was once an hour and limited on Sundays, now it's every 15-20 minutes from 6 am to 2 am.
I was being serious when I said on a different thread that once the thugs figure out that homeowners are serious about protecting their property, crime may go back down in S CLT. Yes, police presence helps. But nothing deters crime more than knowing residents will shoot thugs who break into their homes, intending to do their families harm.
So I don't see people fleeing. I do see people refusing to be made victims.
Thanks for taking the time to write .
Both of the above points are encouraging, for the fact that people are choosing to stay and stand their ground, shows that homeowners have a sense of pride (and find an inherent value) about where they live. If they didn't, they would've cut and run.
The only concern I have is that, should crime get worse, people might act out in a vigilante style fashion.
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