Gang violence in Scranton: this city is going to the dogs (Wilkes-Barre: low crime, buying a house)

[Mr Yuk]

http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/west_scranton_students_alleged_shooters_in_ganglan d_hit (broken link)

Even high school students are in gangs and shooting people. This is getting scary...I really resent what these people are doing to my city. Why don't they just stay in the inner cities rather than bringing the inner city here? Everyone who voted for Doherty should be ashamed....he keeps weakening the police force, and recent news tells us we need a much stronger police presence to deter these scumballs from coming to Scranton. Treehouses at Nay Aug will not keep the schools and neighborhoods safe for our kids. But I doubt the mayor really cares if West Side becomes a ghetto. So I'm faced with 2 choices, attempt to sell my house, which might be impossible in Scranton, especially with the economy...or have to shell out big bucks to send my kids to Catholic school. Its not right.

[bloominscranton]

While I do blame the mayor for his actions regarding public safety I do not blame him for gangs. A community must stay strong and not give in...if gangs are made to feel uncomfortable ( get to much "heat") they can not estblish a strong foot hold in an area.

Parents need to be proactive, and stay on top of the school board! Scranton is a small city, people talk...let them talk about what is going on in their neighborhoods, the schools, playgrounds...most Scranton Police officers live within the city...it will be effecting their children too...so talk talk talk...an informed public is always the best defense! Apply pressure to city council DO ANYTHING BUT WALK AWAY!

I speak from expierence, my former home town was a sleep at the wheel and the next thing you knew...we had gangs in the high school because we were all caught with our pants down...involved in our own day to day lives and were not proactive.

[Mr Yuk]

Originally Posted by loveinbloom

While I do blame the mayor for his actions regarding public safety I do not blame him for gangs. A community must stay strong and not give in...if gangs are made to feel uncomfortable ( get to much "heat") they can not estblish a strong foot hold in an area.

Exactly, I agree, but I do blame the mayor because he has done nothing to make these criminals feel uncomfortable. Gangs and criminals will move into areas where the police presence is weak, and Doherty has done all in his power to weaken the police force. We need a much stronger police force...at this point, we need the National Guard.

What will encourage more people to stay in or move into Scranton...treehouses and tax-free Irish pubs, or safe neighborhoods? A treehouse will not convince me to stay here, but a strong police presence and low crime will convince me to stay. At this point, I regret buying a house in Scranton. It will be hard to sell, and if I can't sell it, I will have to choose between sending my kids to a high school with gang members and drug dealers, or paying through the nose to put them in Catholic school. Its not right that I, and other working productive taxpaying law-abiding Scranton residents, should have to be forced into such scenarios because of the inner-city scum that is moving here and taking over our city!

[bloominscranton]

Originally Posted by go phillies

Exactly, I agree, but I do blame the mayor because he has done nothing to make these criminals feel uncomfortable. Gangs and criminals will move into areas where the police presence is weak, and Doherty has done all in his power to weaken the police force. We need a much stronger police force...at this point, we need the National Guard.

What will encourage more people to stay in or move into Scranton...treehouses and tax-free Irish pubs, or safe neighborhoods? A treehouse will not convince me to stay here, but a strong police presence and low crime will convince me to stay. At this point, I regret buying a house in Scranton. It will be hard to sell, and if I can't sell it, I will have to choose between sending my kids to a high school with gang members and drug dealers, or paying through the nose to put them in Catholic school. Its not right that I, and other working productive taxpaying law-abiding Scranton residents, should have to be forced into such scenarios because of the inner-city scum that is moving here and taking over our city!

I agree with you...but I have lived through for lack of a better term "white flight" and that is what would truly destroy the city. Please remember I just bought our home here in Scranton and I have an 8 year old so believe me I have the same fears. BUT this city which took me 15 years to convince hubby to come back to, is where I draw my personal line and will not allow myself to have anyone cross it. I will fight for it...that is all I am saying. I AM SO HAPPY WE MOVED HERE, you have no idea, and I will not allow low lifes to ruin it for my family.

[returningtonepa???]

Gangs and criminals will move into areas where the police presence is weak, and Doherty has done all in his power to weaken the police force. We need a much stronger police force...at this point, we need the National Guard.

that in a nutshell is the number one reason gangs move into an area----i do have some doubts bout these kids being real gang members though----another area of attack would be to train officers to recognize gang activity AND GO INTO THE SCHOOLS TO EDUCATE TEACHERS----schools r the prime recruiting areas--just a few tips from someone that worked with kids in gangs(retired)

[Slammin' Scrannin']

Originally Posted by go phillies

low crime will convince me to stay.

That should be easy then.

Scranton's crime index is low-- well below the national average according to data from a few years ago. I'd like to come back here whenever 2009's data is released to see if violent crime has objectively gotten worse. What one reads in the newspaper and hears on the police scanner (if someone is actually paranoid enough to do such a thing) is not necessarily representative of the overall crime rate. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the crime rate has dropped. Wouldn't that make you feel a little silly?

[Mr Yuk]

Originally Posted by Slammin' Scrannin'

That should be easy then.

Scranton's crime index is low-- well below the national average according to data from a few years ago. I'd like to come back here whenever 2009's data is released to see if violent crime has objectively gotten worse. What one reads in the newspaper and hears on the police scanner (if someone is actually paranoid enough to do such a thing) is not necessarily representative of the overall crime rate. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the crime rate has dropped. Wouldn't that make you feel a little silly?

Sure, keep telling yourself that crime is low...keep those rose-colored glasses on....restoring the pride..24/7 downtown....low crime, no gangs...treehouses, KOZs......

You live in fantasy land, I'll stay here in the real world, and what I'm seeing is disturbing....a huge recent influx out of out-of-town ghetto types, especially in West Side...listening to a scanner, I hear even what the paper doesn't report, and its scary....the scanner also tells me how stretched thin the police department is, most nights, there are not enough officers on to respond to calls, there is a backlog....and the officers on duty are constantly responding to calls, which means there are no police available to patrol.

[live_in_nepa]

The area has changed.. no doubt and has changed for the worse. years ago you did not see the violence like you do today. The influx of population brought criminal minds and criminal behavoir. Some argue that the area is closed minded and now you see why, we do not want your big city attitude or lifestyle. When people move from large city's where the comunity is populated and you do not know many of your neighbors, you become numb to their issues, problems and cares.

I stay out of the city and enjoy my peace in the country where the bigger issues there is a seldem bar fight or two, not murder and random stabbings. The heck with the city and to all of you who think you can "Change" it.. good luck.

Better secure your concealed weapons permits now and start exercising your right to protect yourself.

[W-B proud]

Just to keep things in perspective (this should make all you Scrantonian's feel a little better), my Wilkes-Barre neighborhood, Northend, again just one neighborhood in the city of Wilkes-Barre, not the entire city, has had 5 murders so far this year! That is more then the entire city of Scranton, the entire city of Hazleton, and the entire city of Williamsport combined! AND THAT IS JUST ONE WILKES-BARRE CITY NEIGHBORHOOD!!! So while this isn't a good thing for Scranton, and that city is headed in the wrong direction, I'd count my blessings up there, it could be much worse, and sadly I think Scranton is heading in that direction too.

[Magritte25]

ITA with everything GP said. BUT weren't these kids born and raised here?