What happened to Jackson? (Meridian, Indianola: apartment, insurance, crime)

[Made_it_To_the_Metroplex]

From what I've always heard from good friends who were long-time Jackson residents (and now live in Texas, go figure!), is that although Jackson is the state's capital, it seems lawmakers from everywhere else in Miss. have it in for Jackson for some reason, and block spending on infrastructure (the God-awful streets, etc) and other things in favor of other parts of the state. Don't know if it's true or not, but could explain some things.

Jackson as a city has great "bones", but they need nourishment! There has to be a sense of pride and local identity by politicians, citizens and business owners so everyone feels they're on the same "team" to get things done for the city.

[jacksonian]

Originally Posted by UpstateBooster

From what I've always heard from good friends who were long-time Jackson residents (and now live in Texas, go figure!), is that although Jackson is the state's capital, it seems lawmakers from everywhere else in Miss. have it in for Jackson for some reason, and block spending on infrastructure (the God-awful streets, etc) and other things in favor of other parts of the state. Don't know if it's true or not, but could explain some things.

Jackson as a city has great "bones", but they need nourishment! There has to be a sense of pride and local identity by politicians, citizens and business owners so everyone feels they're on the same "team" to get things done for the city.

There are plenty of us citizens and business owners who are proud of our city. It's the politicians that I wonder about sometimes.

[OneJackson]

Originally Posted by MORPHEUS311

I'm white and would like to say that, at least from my point of view, the reason for "white flight" has nothing to do with race but rather higher taxes, the change/lack of leadership, and overall safety issues. I drive through areas of Jackson and wonder why it looks so bad. Who gets the blame? What was the difference when there were more whites living in Jackson? Were there better city leaders during that time? I doubt it.

I don't live in Jackson but it is still my home. I want to see change. I want to see what is bad become good. Where should it start?

In my town, I see police all the time. I rarely see them in Jackson. I see potholes, major speeders, cars parked everywhere instead of where they belong. I counted about 5 abandoned cars one day on I220. Pitiful!

I have to agree with you 100%. It wasn't about race, it was all about the leadership.

I put the blame squarley on the shoulders of the City Council and the Mayor's office. THE most pitiful bunch of yahoos I've witnessed in all of my days. and it like they continue to get their kind in office. it sucks.

[grindin]

I wish there were term limits for the city council. My dad grew up on Mobile Ave in Georgetown and I've seen that neighborhood go from bad to worse. I am NOT impressed by Kenneth Stokes and his 'leadership' in Ward 3. The Medical Mall was a great achievement, but other than that, he's been a councilman for 25 years and all I see him do is yell at people and give away proclamations. While 'sticking it to the Man' may be good for earning cool points with your constituents, it does nothing for the viability of a city.

The only councilman I liked was Marchand Crisler. He seemed like he had some sense.

[JDC266]

So, what, is there just not enough police, as well as city upkeep? I've heard things that like south-west jackson is controlled by gangs, as well as I know that Jackson is a large drug distribution area. (driving from new orleans up the trace to jackson, the using it as a hub to the other major cities)

[jacksonian]

Originally Posted by JDC266

So, what, is there just not enough police, as well as city upkeep? I've heard things that like south-west jackson is controlled by gangs, as well as I know that Jackson is a large drug distribution area. (driving from new orleans up the trace to jackson, the using it as a hub to the other major cities)

Most of the drug busts that occur in/near Jackson are on I-20 - drug runners between Texas and Atlanta mostly. I would like to see more focus on the local drug trade by the local PD. Citizens want to see proactive police work like drug busts and raids on the news. Citizens do not want to see just the bad news, we want to see solutions to prevent these crimes in the future. There's a lack of communication b/w the city government and the people. Most everything that we hear is "after the fact," whether it's a robbery or the water mains breaking across the city. The people want to see and hear ACTION, not reactions.

I don't doubt that there are "gangs" in Jackson, but from my perspective, they are not anything near like the west coast gangs. In California, you know what the names of the gangs are - here in Mississippi, I can't name one. Most of the violent crime that occurs in Jackson is not random, and most of the victims know the suspects, some way or another. It boils down to who you hang out with and just using common sense. If an area looks sketchy, don't go there.

[covedweller]

Originally Posted by JDC266

So, what, is there just not enough police, as well as city upkeep? I've heard things that like south-west jackson is controlled by gangs, as well as I know that Jackson is a large drug distribution area. (driving from new orleans up the trace to jackson, the using it as a hub to the other major cities)

I was at a training conference in Jackson a couple of years ago. My vehicle was broken into during broad daylight in a parking lot next to a high traffic road. After placing 3 calls to 911, a cop finally showed up. She proceeded to fill out a brief report, then gave me a phone number. She said I could ask around to see if anyone saw anything, and if I found out anything I could call the number and give them the info. I asked around, and of course nobody saw anything. A couple of the hotel employees said they had each had their vehicles broken into while at work and nothing was done about it. I did call the number a couple of days later to add an old cell phone I had forgotten was in the vehicle to the report. The person I talked to said they couldn't find any information on the case, that it probably just hadn't been turned in yet, but she'd put the info on a sticky note and add it to the report whenever it did come in. Needless to say, that was the last I heard about the case.

In short, the police department is understaffed, and as a result tolerates officers who shouldn't be there just to be able to get someone on the street. It is a major problem in my opinion.

[jacksonian]

Originally Posted by covedweller

i was at a training conference in jackson a couple of years ago. My vehicle was broken into during broad daylight in a parking lot next to a high traffic road. After placing 3 calls to 911, a cop finally showed up. She proceeded to fill out a brief report, then gave me a phone number. She said i could ask around to see if anyone saw anything, and if i found out anything i could call the number and give them the info. I asked around, and of course nobody saw anything. A couple of the hotel employees said they had each had their vehicles broken into while at work and nothing was done about it. I did call the number a couple of days later to add an old cell phone i had forgotten was in the vehicle to the report. The person i talked to said they couldn't find any information on the case, that it probably just hadn't been turned in yet, but she'd put the info on a sticky note and add it to the report whenever it did come in. Needless to say, that was the last i heard about the case.

In short, the police department is understaffed, and as a result tolerates officers who shouldn't be there just to be able to get someone on the street. It is a major problem in my opinion.

+1

[OneJackson]

Originally Posted by JDC266

I will admit that I am not that familiar to the Jackson area, being from the coast I just never really found too many reasons to go above Meridian (I mean, why when we have Gulfport/Biloxi, NOLA, etc, ya know?) So, I have heard that South Jackson, particularly south of 20 and west of 55, is an extremely dangerous place due to the gangs and that I should never, ever be there?

Not all of it is bad. most the crime is kept to the interior neighborhoods of the city like, Virden Addition, Washington Addition, Maple Street, etc... all of these areas are "inner" city. the areas directly butted up next to I-55 on the west side of the highway is Fondren and it's one of the premier areas to live in, in Jackson. From the county line by Madison All the way down to downtown. that immediate westside of the highway is prime real estate. but like I said, as you go deep interior, the "hoods" are there.

so, what about the local universities? I mean, there are, what, 9 universities/colleges there? Belhaven, Hinds CC, JSU, Millsaps, Mississippi College, Reformed Theological Seminary, Tugaloo, UMC, and Wesley Biblical Seminary? I mean, these are places full of people that want to make a change, so why not utilize them?

Oh that's easy...We are conditioned on all the campuses by our peers to "flight" to greener pastures once we graduate because we are very informed and realize that we would be wasting their time trying to find a good job in Jackson or in Mississippi for that matter after all that schooling. The irony to that is, Mississippi has some of the best halls of education in the country but the state drops the ball when it comes to the retention of it's best and brightest after graduation by not bringing enough industry to the state. This slow progression is what turns off a lot of graduates who want more.

[OneJackson]

Originally Posted by jacksonian

I don't doubt that there are "gangs" in Jackson, but from my perspective, they are not anything near like the west coast gangs. In California, you know what the names of the gangs are - here in Mississippi, I can't name one.

Gangster Disciples(Folks) and ViceLords mostly run Jackson. Chicago based.

Vicelords are mostly Northside -
(Virden Addition, Bailey Ave, Queens, Medgar Evers, some South Jackson etc..)

Folks are mostly Westside -
Ellis Ave, Georgetown, etc..,
Downtown (Farish, Gallatin, Doodyville),
and some North(Presidential Hills, Northwest Hills, Tougaloo, etc..)