Increasing Violent Crime Rates (Indianapolis, Highland: to live, safe, bars)

[jammwill]

Originally Posted by Concerned Aunt 936

I'm the OP.... I've been sitting back and watching this thread and reading everyone's various opinions. As I've said earlier, I was shot at twice in Sept 2012 and held at gunpoint twice, once in April 2013 and again in May 2013. I've been noticing throughout the thread one particular opinion that keeps coming up and that's low income people. I may not be the most educated person (which has also been mentioned), I'm also Caucasian (which race has also been mentioned). I'm a single mother supporting 2 children. Times are rough throughout the year, especially Christmas time. I don't go waving a gun around and threating/ killing people because of desperation. Honestly, I've never even touched one.

Everyone has a choice in life on what road to follow. That is THEIR choice. I was raised in poverty, with the single mom on welfare. I was abused mentally and physically growing up. Once I reached a certain age, I CHOSE TO BE DIFFERENT THAN THOSE AROUND ME. Do I consider myself "better" than anyone, NO I don't. I choose to work two jobs, I choose not to be on welfare, I choose not to follow in the same steps that were laid before me. I am however the minority, I always will be, and therefore will always be "judged" as "part of the problem" because of my education, upbringing, and income level.

This thread has, IMO, become very disturbing to me.

You are not part of the problem because you support yourself by working and don't commit crimes. I think most rational people know that just because someone is "low income", doesn't mean they're a criminal.

[Huckleberry3911948]

with early parole and increased reluctance on officers to arrest and process comes greater criminal boldness
throwing our officers under the bus everytime a violent criminal is shot in the act does not help either.
here the over the top latest is pleading simple burglary for home invasion and criminally and civilly prosecuting the home owner for excessive use of force.
in a word injustice under the mask of mercy. --- without justice there is no true mercy

[Serious Conversation]

Poor people, of all races, tend to be less educated and have fewer constructive "outlets" for their often numerous frustrations other than violence. Most poor people aren't criminal, but the most violent areas are often the poorest ones.

I'm from the very poor, very white hills of Appalachia. We have many of the same issues as Indy, but on a smaller scale. A lot of the population is uneducated and borderline illiterate - these people don't have much of a chance for the few jobs that are available. Because it's hard to get honest work (and the work that is available is typically low paying), and even harder if you don't the education/skills to compete, people realize they can make a quick buck peddling pills and other drugs, and it's usually more than they'd make working honestly. Most of the violence back home, as it likely is here, is over drugs/drug money/drug territory. People are protecting their turf and their livelihood.

That's bad, but it's usually contained within the addict/dealer community. It usually doesn't bother regular, law-abiding people. However, random street shootings can harm anyone who is just in the wrong place at the wrong time. The more those kinds of things happen, the scarier it is.

[MaxLMG]

Originally Posted by Emigrations

The worst thing about the BR shootings, IMO, is that they are random. People were just shot on the street. If only a few neighborhoods or streets are bad, you know to stay out of those places, but when there is a large amount of random violence, that's terrorism.

You are correct that it is random. There was a shooting last year, and usually it's just a scuffle, I bet the people didn't even live there. They just happened to be in Broad Ripple when they had their argument and the violence occured.

I remember in 2012, my friend asked me to come out for St. Patrick's day. I wanted to go downtown and I was kind of irritated he wanted to go to some place in Lawrence out northeast instead. Eventually I caved in b/c he was a male nurse and invited several of his female coworkers to go.

Later on I remember watching on tv at the place we were at this news story:

Five teenagers shot, at least one critical, in downtown Indianapolis | New York Post


It was by the canal not far from my office before and they were all teenagers.

The downtown area is not really inhabited by young teenagers, or suburban families. It's just where the violence occured.

Another happened in 2010 downtown during the black expo:

Man convicted in 2010 Black Expo shootings arrested after police chase | Fox 59 News – fox59.com


Same thing. Just where the violence happened to occur.

Broad Ripple has really thinned out over the years, so any kind of violence is really bad for business there. I'm guessing a lot of college kids now just have house parties instead of buying overpriced drinks. Surprisingly the drinks here in Orange County are similar to Indianapolis. Los Angeles is different, but here is pretty reasonable. I went out to a place near Newport Beach and I expected to pay Chicago prices for alcohol, but it was fairly reasonable.

[MaxLMG]

I am a gun owner and I personally own several guns and had my carry permit when I was in Indiana, but the laws are very lax in Indiana. You can walk into a gun store, buy as many guns as you want, then leave within 15 minutes. You just filled out some paperwork, they run a quick check and you are out the door.

I bought my Glock 19 in summer 2012. It is the same issue that IMPD officers carry. They either carry the 19 or 17, not sure, but I thought it was the 19 which is a compact 9mm. I then went to Wal-Mart (back when they actually had ammo in stock) and bought 1,000 bullets of 9mm and 5,000 .22LR rounds. Some guy at the gun store bought (I think) 23 guns, and 4 of them were assault rifles. Same deal, out the door in a few minutes.

The ammo they just rang up didn't even check my ID and I left. When I was in the parking lot, one of the plastic bags tore b/c it was heavy and the box of 9mm fell on the ground and several rounds rolled on the pavement. An old woman happened to be nearby and started freaking out haha.

[X-Greensboro Resident]

I love how every thread on this forum becomes a pissing match between the Marion County and Hamilton County residents. As a Hamilton County resident who works in Marion County and spends a lot of time not just working but also hanging out in Marion County, I always get offended by the regular Marion County posters here grouping us all in one box and saying stuff like "Hamilton County folks are horrified by Indy and never go south of 96th street." etc etc... Come on, that's a silly statement. I like what Indy has to offer and spend a lot of time inside the 465 loop. There are some areas I avoid, but generally I never feel unsafe really in Indy and enjoy spending time there. I live in Hamilton County because of the school system, my house, neighborhood and all the amenities Hamilton County has to offer to families with children like mine. It's a choice, I like it.

We are all one metropolitan area, if it wasn't for Indy and Marion County, Hamilton County would be nothing and we clearly benefit from Indy. On the other side of the argument, Hamilton County is a part of Indy Metro and does a lot for Indy Metro. The two areas complement each other very well to make this a great city. One without the other would be very average at best but probably far worse for Hamilton County.

[MaxLMG]

A lot of people commute into Marion County. Usually people with average to above average income typically live outside of Marion County (Indianapolis), unless it is right on the edges like I did on 86th/Allisonville, or immediate downtown area. i only know a handful of people when I lived in Indianapolis, who would fall into living in Marion County, most commuted in from Hendricks, Johnson, Hamilton, even Pike.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by MaxLMG

Broad Ripple has really thinned out over the years, so any kind of violence is really bad for business there. I'm guessing a lot of college kids now just have house parties instead of buying overpriced drinks.

Broad Ripple has a lot more competition these days. They used to be the only show in town for night life. That's not the case anymore. The fact that BR has thinned a bit speaks more to the efforts of other areas of Indianapolis to offer more.

[patroll]

I know from police friends in IL (sorry im from IL but a universal problem)

and my scanner

one huge one is budget cuts

then outdated dying equipment my state they have radio failures

my city cops at least once a week or more call in something wrong and have to switch cars out

my county one time called i need a tow truck dead had to use hand held to call

there out numberd out gunned and dying equipment

they cut jobs and budgets all the time

so what can any state or city do

expensive but needs to be done tear down unsafe abandoned houses

they are used to do or sell drugs

this is one that angers allot so dont beat me please

stand up stop complaining and all the other crap about cops and crime

start neighborhood watches

no matter how bad the area ghetto wherever start groups

get reflective vests or and coats

flashlights now before you jump listen

in groups no less than 3 start walking around your area day and night

if there is a group or any trouble dont shine lights on then and don't get cell phone

walk away then call unless in trouble

the roaches hate light your walking and watch is the light they cant find privacy they move

get enough neighborhoods involved they may move out

but numbers its unsafe to be one or two just use sense and be safe

you can put cameras up and encourage your neighbors to put them up

ip cameras in Home Surveillance | eBay

they dont cost allot ip cameras you can check watch anywhere just use a very good password

hint to forum passwords i dont have problems 20 some years use caps numbers symbols a combo of all these will make a very tough password to many use names dates etc so easy 5 min

some of these cameras follow motion a person walking is followed and recorded

get a few depending on house size

secure your house

window ac as simple as putting a boar on the inside over top of it and others ways to make it tight and unmovable

they kick hang yank etc if u cant move it you should be good

its easy cheap and not the scam prices they give alarms are useless allot of states have fines for false alarms

get those slide bold you pick the size use them on windows to lock the window and also drill a few holes and they can hold the old windows up

slide bolts on doors

dead bolts i recommend high security kwickset Best Lock Brands

if you have sliding patio just get a thick piece of wood

its easy and can be done really cheap im sure you can think of ideas my porch a eye hook to hold the screen door

also alternating timers or they have home automation you can use you phone for

the point there used to timers if the lights switch looks more real

example a kitchen or bedroom on off same with living room if possible a radio or tv

the key is random as close as you can get to your normal at home habits

motion lights

you say i have no wiring and electricians are expensive

well there's a solution solar powered spot lights

solar motion light in Yard, Garden & Outdoor Living | eBay

work with your city if possible on all this

and the possibility of juvinials going around painting cleaning etc instead of locked up all the time

the same if your town has a jail the safe prisoners make them clean up the town help disabled elderly with home repairs

the better cleaner areas are the less they like it this may mean walking and picking up trash yourselves

it wont be overnight it wont be easy but it can happen and be done

sorry about butting in on another state and best wishes good luck

[MaxLMG]

^ Troll post in the form of a haiku.....................interesting.