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February 5th, 2008 at 11:05 am
It would be interesting to see an overlay of all the “citiwatch 24/7 believe” Orwellian police surveillance cameras.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:17 am
I lived in Baltimore (Bawlmer) for 6 years and in a Bawlmer suburb for another 5 years, from 1990 to 2000. Before I looked at the map, I guessed that the areas around downtown would be highest in murders (public housing, drug infested areas). Bingo.
Back in the 90’s new Jamaican gangs were replacing their local rivals in distributing weed, crack, and blow. This resulted in more than one murder per day (averaged) for over a year, if I recall correctly, mostly of young black men who worked for one group or the other selling drugs on street corners. These “deaths of innocent children” were heralded as evidence that more gun control was needed to “stop the violence.”
What slowed the violence eventually was a business success – the integration of the new drug dealers into the local mix.
If you want to stop murders in Baltimore, here is my suggestion. Imprison salespersons of illegal drugs for long periods of time. Imprison users of illegal drugs for long periods of time. Imprison hookers, burglars and muggers who work to support their drug habits for long periods of time. The illegal drug trade is what fuels local crime and violence.
And before you go all libertarian “stop the war on drugs” on me, screw that idea, I’ve seen babies born high on crack and your decriminalization BS gets nothing but scorn from me.
February 5th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
From an analysis of the map, if I were a black male between 17 and 32 years of age, I’d either quit participating in activities that could lead to aggressive confrontations or move.
Seeing how I’m not a black male between 17 and 32 living in Baltimore, I’d come to a conclusion that selling or buying drugs on the street is bad for your health, m’kay?
Regards,
Rabbit.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Unfortunately, young black males don’t have to do anything illegal, immoral, or imprudent to be the targets of the gangs that infest their neighborhoods. If you aren’t in the gang, you are a potential victim. In fact, if it is known you have no gang affiliations, you are a prime target, since retribution is less likely in attacking a non-gang kid.
Likewise, the jackasses shooting from their car at the competing dealers on the corner are likely to send a round through your living room, killing you “accidentally.”
I have to agree with the idea of moving out. The laws inhibit only the law abiding, the police seem either incredibly incompetent or corrupt, the courts are a revolving door, and so on. I like Texas better!
On the other hand, the daytime attempted robbery of my Baltimore home (during a block party – the thief incorrectly thought he could grab a few purses and run) and the burglary of my suburban home were both carried out by white trash drug abusers, not African Americans. Baltimore has its problems, and nobody in their right minds should want to live there.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Baltimore is my birthplace and I spent a good chunk of my life there (west, east and downtown). Being a major hub of the heroin trade, the city has battled 300-plus homicides per year for almost three decades. The murder stats, broken down, do indeed show most victims are young, male and black.
It’s extremely tragic and Mike is correct concerning the city police department. There was a story just the other day about a city cop busted in an undercover sting using excessive force on drug suspects and non-suspects.
But, really, Baltimore is no different than any other major urban area. Ask Detroit. Los Angeles. Houston (so much for Texas being ‘safe’)…etc. I think the city has gotten more than its fair share of the pop culture limelight thanks to shows like “Homicide: Life in the Streets”, “The Wire” and the mini-series “The Corner”.
I disagree with the throw-all-the-drug-users-in-jail argument. By that logic, we should lock up every beer drinker as well since drunks kill more people every year than drug dealers/users. Can we build one of those new prisons in your backyard in Texas?