Does anyone else find garbage like this disturbing? (Houston, Austin: best neighborhoods, crimes)

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by Philip T

Well, most major fraud and theft crime DOES involve white men in business suits.

Actually no. Those would be the highest profile and involve the largest amounts by individual case, but the majority of fraud and theft crimes involve identify theft and internet scams in shear numbers and overall dollar amounts. This was stated on an investigative show I watched on one of the big channels where they were doing an expose on internet scams and id theft.

[radiolibre99]

Houston crime rate is not that normal. It's pretty high. I think, but I'm not 100% positive, that it has a higher crime rate than NYC and LA.

I don't think it has to do with a lack of education either but a lack of opportunities, desperation, and economic conditions. Of course there are those in Texas that think it is all a matter of choice so they blame it on culture, lack of education and even race sometimes.

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by Philip T

Well, most major fraud and theft crime DOES involve white men in business suits.

Yup.

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

Actually no. Those would be the highest profile and involve the largest amounts by individual case, but the majority of fraud and theft crimes involve identify theft and internet scams in shear numbers and overall dollar amounts. This was stated on an investigative show I watched on one of the big channels where they were doing an expose on internet scams and id theft.

Actually, no. Who do you think is running those banks, insider trading schemes, Congress, and corrupt major companies (like Enron)? These huge frauds and thefts tend to have much more detrimental effects for everyone, IMO. It's not to say that people who run a successful business are evil, but there are lot of issues. To say otherwise would contradict financial data.

[radiolibre99]

Exactly most people tend to really focus on lower level property crime coming out of poorer areas but focus less on the white collar business crime that occurs daily too.

Look at the media page of the Texas Securities Board. It's filled with financial frauds being caught in the State, yet none of it's reported in the local news where the crime was committed. One major crime I read abotu involved a huge financial scam that took the savings of several elderly couples.

On the national level it's even worse. Big companies violate regulations daily and are fined massive amounts of money. I am always shocked that we never hear about these huge corporate crimes that affect whole communities of people but we hear all about the local petty crime going on in the bad areas.

[Htown2013]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

Yup.



Actually, no. Who do you think is running those banks, insider trading schemes, Congress, and corrupt major companies (like Enron)? These huge frauds and thefts tend to have much more detrimental effects for everyone, IMO. It's not to say that people who run a successful business are evil, but there are lot of issues. To say otherwise would contradict financial data.

Do you think that the disintegration of moral and ethical values and pricinples (i.e. traditional family values) plays a role? I think it absolutely does. That transcends education, race, or other common categories used to divide people.

With that said, education or upbringing may influence the TYPE of crime committed (i.e. robbing banks or stores, ID theft, unethical businesses, or ponzi schemes).

Fostering a society of hardworking, principled, ethical people with attitudes of gratitude that stay true to their values and having positive role models that exhibit these characteristics would significantly help ALL types of crime, from the burglaries/ robberies to the Enron types. This treats the ROOT of the problem and not just the SYMPTOMS. The quality of life, stress levels, and wellbeing of all would dramatically improve.

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

Actually, no. Who do you think is running those banks, insider trading schemes, Congress, and corrupt major companies (like Enron)? These huge frauds and thefts tend to have much more detrimental effects for everyone, IMO. It's not to say that people who run a successful business are evil, but there are lot of issues. To say otherwise would contradict financial data.

Ok, here is my data the number of fraud cases and the overall cost: FTC Releases Survey of Identity Theft in U.S. 27.3 Million Victims in past 5 Years, Billions in Losses for Businesses and Consumers

Just last year's losses to identity theft ($53 billion) was greater than Ernon's total investor losses ($50 billion and by far the largest in history). 9.9 million Americans incurred losses due to ID theft.

Can you show me your data that white business men in suits (aka business executives and owners) are committing crimes in greater numbers with greater losses? I'd like to see how they compare.

Oh, and keep in mind that ID theft is considered a white collar crime; therefore, a blanket "white collar crime" stat won't work.

[texas7]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

Houston crime rate is not that normal. It's pretty high. I think, but I'm not 100% positive, that it has a higher crime rate than NYC and LA.

I don't think it has to do with a lack of education either but a lack of opportunities, desperation, and economic conditions. Of course there are those in Texas that think it is all a matter of choice so they blame it on culture, lack of education and even race sometimes.

Lack of education = lack of opportunity for many. I'm not buying desperation leads to crime except in some cases. I know many people who live below the poverty line and they have enough moral conscience and values that they are honest and hard working and deal with the blows of life without public assistance. Lack of values, lack of conscience, lack of education and a thug life sense of entitlement contribute to Houston's climbing crime rates. Look at the trash on the evening news committing most of these crimes, most are too young to know real desperation. They are lazy and feel entitled to take the things of others. Stealing is their "job". Desperation makes them criminals - not buying that.

Houston, for you newcomers to the city, differs so much from other major cities. It used to be known for not being a pretty city but one of affordable housing (rapidly dwindling with all the newcomers) and a city where those who are willing to work hard have opportunities to make it. It's those not willing to work hard part that has thugs cruising your neighborhoods looking for their opportunities.

[Philip T]

Pedro --

ID theft is on the petty end of things, and while yes it occurs in the numbers of millions, there are rarely in any large number of zeros.

But it could be cured by tomorrow. Just sloppy business practices that allow it, and the general community and country that tolerate it.

Look, the white men in business suits (WMIBS, for some brevity) know where to target and it aint in chump change ID theft. As you noted about just one WMIBS hit is equal to a whole year of chump change hits.

[PedroMartinez]

I just interpreted your post wrong. When I thought "major", I thought overall numbers and overall amount. You meant "major" in terms of dollars per crime, and yes, you are correct in that regard.

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

I just interpreted your post wrong. When I thought "major", I thought overall numbers and overall amount. You meant "major" in terms of dollars per crime, and yes, you are correct in that regard.

Exactly. And the former is what really matters because the one-time impact is so large. Obviously identity theft, fraud etc. is huge and over time is the largest source but big boys play with big numbers. It's like someone stealing a pen or two from the office versus just taking the whole damned box; the audacity is astonishing.

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

Sorry,

I use the oven to toast on broil to toast the bread. Once I put the ham and salami on the freshly toasted bread and then the pepper muenster cheese. I put it back in the oven, but only for about a minute, because the muenster melts quickly. I generally like to use romaine lettuce, and I slice the tomatoes as thin as possible. Onions and peppers really set off the flavor, but be careful not to overpower the sandwich. You don't have to go too thick with the pesto spread, because the tomato will help moisten the sandwich, and much like the onions and peppers, can be a bit overwhelming if you use too much. Sometimes, instead of using peperoncinis, I will use a little olive oil and saute up some red and yellow peppers instead. A little more time consuming, but it can be worth it.

I hope that clarified my sandwich.

Sounds delicious.

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

Exactly most people tend to really focus on lower level property crime coming out of poorer areas but focus less on the white collar business crime that occurs daily too.

Look at the media page of the Texas Securities Board. It's filled with financial frauds being caught in the State, yet none of it's reported in the local news where the crime was committed. One major crime I read abotu involved a huge financial scam that took the savings of several elderly couples.

On the national level it's even worse. Big companies violate regulations daily and are fined massive amounts of money. I am always shocked that we never hear about these huge corporate crimes that affect whole communities of people but we hear all about the local petty crime going on in the bad areas.

Lower level is the most easily understood and the most visible, plus, many of us, well some of us, deal with lower level crime all the time. (Retail people?) Sometimes when the general public finds out about these huge schemes, they may not even understand how it was possible at first given the immensity of the crime, but it's because people are focusing on low level crimes, or don't believe that in reality, anyone is capable of committing a crime, but some are more capable, the conditions just have to be right. I remember reading about a guy who started a business and he started off honestly but eventually realized that he couldn't sustain his business honestly and he had put everything he owned into it, so he kept lying and cheating. Not that it was right, but it was what I think a lot of people would do given the situation.