Crime in Philadelphia discussion (York, Oakland: to eat, thefts, small business)

[Hermit12]

Originally Posted by AshbyQuin

He was the aggressor. This is just another example of a 'Dindu Nuffin' portraying the victim.

But where did you see that? Where did you read he attacked a woman?

[selhars]

Originally Posted by Flyers Girl

Couldn't happen to a more deserving person!



Yeah, because that's what stops high crime, focusing on racism and gender discrimination in the police force.

Another example of failing up? If so, she's not the only one.
New gig likely pays comparable more and should/could be cushier.

Any one of us would consider a move like that. Not that particular job. Just a cushier/easier job, even at same pay.

I won't miss her.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by Hermit12

But where did you see that? Where did you read he attacked a woman?

There were several accounts of this guy starting something up at that party. I'm not saying he didn't have a legitimate reason to - that party was apparently a recurring event that got rowdy and went late - but the lesser reported scenario makes plenty of sense.

[Hermit12]

Originally Posted by Redddog

There were several accounts of this guy starting something up at that party. I'm not saying he didn't have a legitimate reason to - that party was apparently a recurring event that got rowdy and went late - but the lesser reported scenario makes plenty of sense.

Where are these accounts?

[Duderino]

Great article in Billy Penn about crime "perceptions" for those interested:

https://billypenn.com/2023/09/10/phi...me-statistics/

[Muinteoir]

Originally Posted by Duderino

Great article in Billy Penn about crime "perceptions" for those interested:

https://billypenn.com/2023/09/10/phi...me-statistics/

Thanks for posting this. I appreciate the writer recognizing that of course there is an ongoing gun violence epidemic (in Philadelphia and elsewhere in the USA), while also underlining the outsized negative role media has in shaping perceptions. It is important to criticize the "news media ecosystem that prizes quick-hit articles designed to shock people into sharing them, exacerbating fear and prejudice instead of providing insight."

It's true that homicides are often discussed in such dehumanizing terms. So often I see people using such tragedies to relish in saying, "See! Told you so!" Really, those who feel a need to weigh in should be quick to express empathy for the victim/victim's loved ones, along with a fervor to put an end to gun violence through whatever legal and cultural means necessary.

I'm not sure I agree with how Rueben Jones framed the problem as, "but let’s count how many rec centers we got open for them. How many jobs do we have for them? How many safe havens?" I agree with addressing structural problems, but I think it's a bit less straightforward than that. We should all understand the labor shortage in the wake of COVID-era monetary policy. And honestly I am all for more public amenities, but I don't think rec centers will really do it. I think the problem is a more pronounced cultural rot and despair in the country since COVID, and addressing that is a whole 'notha topic.

Lastly I think what the author said about a city like Dallas is really important. What drives such a drastic gap in perception can be as obvious as the more dense areas of blight and open-air drug trade in Philadelphia's worst sections, to something as subconscious as biases towards "open" built environments as feeling safer to those inexperienced with dense cities. Interestingly, the wallethub article she linked didn't exactly "suggest" that Dallas' rate is higher than Philadelphia's (yes, our rate is still somewhat higher), but rather showed Philly has some really great momentum in reducing homicides relative to 2022, whereas homicides are still on the rise in a city like Dallas. This is a development worthy of praise, and I hope the new mayor is able to capitalize on these gains in 2024.

[Hermit12]

Perception matters.

So when people who value their safety/peace see or hear about a place that's full of litter and graffiti, where the DA refuses to prosecute most criminals, where the mayor and police commissioner allowed vandals and thugs to loot and destroy, where cops aren't allowed to fully police motorists, where it's common for unchecked, aggressive people to have obnoxious noise blaring from their vehicles, where junkies and crazies are all over the place and for mobs of unruly teens and adults, whether on foot or by vehicle, take over any part of the city they want, at any time, then 'yes' a lot of people will avoid.

It's usually not about the fear of being murdered.

[Hermit12]

South Philadelphia residents voice frustrations after car meet disrupts neighborhood



https://6abc.com/south-philadelphia-...owds/13791700/

Broad and Washington and Frankford and Cottman.

A good start for law enforcement would be to just grab a few of these terrorists and impound their vehicles. Give the others something to think about.

[AshbyQuin]

Yeah, I'm kinda curious whether people's perceptions would improve if the city returned to its "heyday" of averaging 250 homicides/year between 2013 and 2017. The pandemic, protests, riots, WFH and crime wave just exacerbated negative views of cities among this generation, who already preferred that suburban lifestyle over an urban one like GenX and Millenials. Like, all the "growing" cities are basically big sprawling suburbs, i.e., phoenix, Asheville, Austin, Nashville, Houston, Charlotte, etc.;

Philly definitely has the potential to rebound and grow (it's already doing so), but it seems improbable that we'll ever achieve the same record-high peak population levels as before (at least not in my lifetime) unless a significant event like WW3 takes place and jobs will once again be centralized within the city proper and industrialization and manufacturing takes precedence over the Medical and Tech scene and employment that requires bodies at work.

[Hermit12]

Philadelphia cheesesteak shop hires armed agents to protect customers outside


https://6abc.com/jims-west-steaks-ar...phia/13788360/

Thoughts?