For those that play down the existence of gangs....... (Pittsburgh: crime rate, to live in)

[Pitts10yrs]

If you think gangs, and this violent behavior is going to be handled by law enforcement you are dont really understand the problem. I mean it all sounds good, send in more police, another gang, but it just continues. Consider a tour of your local juvenile detention center anytime to get a good look a what is happening in the city. They are currently over census, not enough room, to house all the kids committing crimes.

[pittsburgh,pa]

I'm sick and tired of people who say gangs and pittsburgh is no problem, the funny thing about it is that it's people from areas that dont have gangs where they live like shady side,sweckley,Point Breeze and etc and say that its not a problem. My brother was shot to death behind these gangs, My brother and My uncle is doing life and prison behind gangs in pittsburgh the worst part is that you have people on here that say its laugh able you stay a night on the street That I live on and say its laugh able There is a shooting everyday in Homewood And I didnt say someone gets killed everyday!!!!!! In front of my house taz force polls someone over everyday Matter of fact yestarday at around 11:00 there was about 15 cop cars including taz force and the swat they raided someones house and found alot of drugs and guns.

[MissShona]

Nah....I live "in da hood" by Pittsburgh standards and can't remember the last time there was any "gang activity". Same for when I went to school in McKeesport...never had any gang activity affect my quality of life.

So it's not that I'm sheltered -- no way. I had family members do prison time. It wasn't for gang-related stuff however (but breaking the law is breaking the law). However, the vast majority of the Pittsburgh region has little or no gang activity. Yes they are here...but 90% of Pittsburghers will have no first hand account or experience...including a good portion of people who live "in the ghetto" here (like me ).

Now in many other metro areas, it's a free-for-all and you take your chances just going to work every day. Also in Pittsburgh, you have choices at least. From an economic standpoint, if you are super broke, there are safe low-income areas like Glassport and Port Vue that you can move to. Many other cities can't really say that at all.

[pittsburgh,pa]

90 % is way to high where do you live im talking about homewood

[MissShona]

Originally Posted by pittsburgh,pa

90 % is way to high where do you live im talking about homewood

Umm.....it's in my username/info thing; I'm in Clairton.

Why is 90% "too high". In all my time living in the Pittsburgh region (so 22 years) and meeting people that live in just about every area of the city, I've never known anyone who had any run-ins with gangs.

General crime is a different story however. For example, a good friend of mine was a cab driver in Pittsburgh for 8+ years. Last year (I believe it was...or maybe late 2006), he was held up in his cab and the idiot shot the gun off in the cab...damaging his hearing a bit. And that's just one story. But overall, it's not nearly as bad as some places. Heck, in 5 years living in Miami, I was a victim of crime 3 times (although nothing where I was one-on-one with the criminal, thank G-d). 2 break-ins (1 house, 1 car) and an issue with forgery/fraud with my personal information. I had several co-workers that had gang run-ins and car-jacking however (which is just crazy).

[By~Tor]

Why do we persist in saying crime is necessarily a gang thing, when we all know it has more to do with the economic viability of an area than anything else?

The choice to commit crimes is a temptation everyone has, not just the lower-income folks amongst us... but the difference, is that in more affluent areas, there are more opportunities to do OTHER things to kill time, instead of the malaise and dearth of activities that plague our inner cities and traditionally "black" neighborhoods in America.

A great move last night, "New Jersey Drive" (on IFC) drove the point home once again... if you give kids nothing to do, then you can't be upset about it, when they decide to occupy themselves by robbing you of your car, money or personal possessions.

I'm NOT sayiong that people shouldn't bear personal responsibility for their actions, of course; only, that the cities and private sector MUST come up with even more constructive ways for kids to spend their time if they are ever expected to work their way out of poverty and the inner-city cycle of dependence on government, crime and hopelessness.

[Pitts10yrs]

But, is it not up to their parents to provide their children with "things to do". I grew up in a very rural area, and we had no parks, basketball courts, swimming pools, or movie theaters. There were no malls around. Well those things existed if you could drive. But, the thing is, my parents provided direction and support to find constructive things to do with my energy and time. Many "ghetto" parents, if they exist at all, do little to supervise or invest time in their children. And, so many just watch tv, play video games, and roam the streets. I dont think money have much to do with it.

[MissShona]

Originally Posted by Pitts10yrs

But, is it not up to their parents to provide their children with "things to do". I grew up in a very rural area, and we had no parks, basketball courts, swimming pools, or movie theaters. There were no malls around. Well those things existed if you could drive. But, the thing is, my parents provided direction and support to find constructive things to do with my energy and time. Many "ghetto" parents, if they exist at all, do little to supervise or invest time in their children. And, so many just watch tv, play video games, and roam the streets. I dont think money have much to do with it.

I'm a little puzzled by some things you mentioned (like Many "ghetto" parents, if they exist at all)...but it may just be me.

{Sigh} Actually economics + class has a lot to do with it. Poor Black (I would say "minority" but this is Pittsburgh we're talking about) kids that are in cities...well, let's put it this way. Would you drop your children off to play in the projects in Rankin? The sad fact of the matter is, Black people and communities often have little pride in their communities and themselves. Sure there are exceptions to this rule...but they still have a long way to go. Part of the reason why they have so little pride in themselves is because they are told on far too many fronts that they are not equal to their non-Black American peers (not as intelligent, not as handsome/beautiful, not as employable; and no I'm not trying to blame the "White man" for our problems. The problems with Black Americans needs the attention of all Americans, regardless of race).

When I was young, my Mother lived in the projects. I lived with my Grandparents, but being that we all lived in the same town, I went to my Mother's place often enough. My Grandparents would always tell me, "Don't hang around on that playground". Now that was the late 80s, early 90s; when kids still had some innocence to them. Today it's probably worse. The cursing, the sexual language, the behavior you witness from adults, the precarious location of many of these "playgrounds", etc. In rural areas, it's much easier to know just what you're children will encounter when they are outside. In the city, you never know who will be passing through your neighborhood on any given day.

And a lot of the parents work. Although currently, I will admit that I don't know of any people living in the projects now -- but my Mother (who lived in the projects for about 6 years) always worked, and the only welfare she ever received was W.I.C. and Food Stamps. All of her friends her were parents and in the projects also worked.

You may want to check out Amazon.com: America Behind the Color Line: Dialogues with African Americans: Books: Henry Louis Gates which has a section that chronicles a bit of the "cycle of life" of a housing project in Chicago. It's very interesting to see how there was a point in time where housing projects where a step up in life for many people; until requirements, standards, and expectations changed -- not to mention general neglect of the upkeep of housing projects throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Many residents dream of the day they can escape those places.

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by By~Tor

Why do we persist in saying crime is necessarily a gang thing, when we all know it has more to do with the economic viability of an area than anything else?

The choice to commit crimes is a temptation everyone has, not just the lower-income folks amongst us... but the difference, is that in more affluent areas, there are more opportunities to do OTHER things to kill time, instead of the malaise and dearth of activities that plague our inner cities and traditionally "black" neighborhoods in America.

A great move last night, "New Jersey Drive" (on IFC) drove the point home once again... if you give kids nothing to do, then you can't be upset about it, when they decide to occupy themselves by robbing you of your car, money or personal possessions.

I'm NOT sayiong that people shouldn't bear personal responsibility for their actions, of course; only, that the cities and private sector MUST come up with even more constructive ways for kids to spend their time if they are ever expected to work their way out of poverty and the inner-city cycle of dependence on government, crime and hopelessness.

Agree, a few of our nieghbors are well known lawyers and they said the "gang" activity here is laughable at best. WHich basically means it's not much of a problem.

[guylocke]

Agree, a few of our nieghbors are well known lawyers and they said the "gang" activity here is laughable at best. WHich basically means it's not much of a problem.

Careful, that's how I started my first post in the this thread, the fact that gangs in Pittsburgh are laughable compared to REAL gangs and got an earful. I still haven't changed my opinion at all, and I think missShona is right, I think the VAST majority of Pittsburgh residents will never experience gang related violence. I know no one in my family ever has.