County killings spike in 2006: WTF is going on ?

[hippiechick]

Economy? Culture of bullying? Lack of coping/problem-solving skills? Anyone care to guess?

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060601/NEWS01/606010448

County killings spike in 2006
Community meetings to address problem as expected violent summer season nears
By Amy Bartner

In the first four months of 2006, 41 people were slain, a 46 percent increase over the same period last year. The number of domestic violence and child abuse-related deaths has more than doubled from the same period in 2005. The killings have continued, with eight more in May.

Marion County set a record for homicides in 1998, with 162. The average yearly total over the past six years has been 108. If this year's homicide rate continues, the county would tally more than 130. The counties surrounding Indianapolis see few homicides each year. So far in 2006, the eight counties ringing Marion County have seen about 15 killings altogether.

In Indianapolis, three community meetings this week, including two today, will seek to address the issues underlying much of the violence.

... more at link ...

[LisaLynne]

1. Wow, that's really shocking.

I wonder if the economy has somtehing to do with it -- making people more desperate and either more prone to crime or those who are abusers more violent towards their own family. Other than that, I have no idea why things would be that much worse. I mean, doubling is a huge jump. It seems like there has to be a reason (or multiple reasons) behind it.

I'm really feeling shocked by this.

[melnjones]

2. I'm concerned that the trend WILL move to surrounding communities...

I live in a "bad" (other people's words, not necessarily mine) part of Anderson. We had lots of gunshots on the street corner near my house Saturday. Miracle that no one was hurt...there was already a crowd there of 50-60 people. Guess the gunman can't shoot too well while running on foot. My neighbors moved here from Indy to get away from the crime and violence, and are now concerned it will end up here too.

[Voltaire]

3. All of the above

We are in for some hard times my friends. There are people who have always been broke and some that have never been broke before and the desperation is palpable. While I would LOVE to blame Bush for this one by his lonesome, it is a manifestation of the inherent sickness of the capitalist system run amuck. Remember, in our system, the one that has made us The Greatest Country on God's Green Earth, in order for some folks to win, a WHOLE LOTTA folks gotta lose. If you ain't in the top 1%, you're a loser. And there ain't no points for second place.

[SpeedwayDemocrat]

4. Carl Brizzi - too much time in front of the TV lights...

and not enough time spent actually convicting and imprisoning criminals. He's too busy running for re-election to be bothered with actually DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. "Quick - let's plead it out, 'cause I've got to make the 6 PM news!!!"
Besides, drug busts make for better photo ops, anyway!
When the guys at the top of government are crooks, why bother to insist that the citizens follow the law. We're just following the leader...

[raccoon]

5. Check this out, if you haven't already.

Police: 7 killed in Indianapolis home

INDIANAPOLIS - Seven family members, including three children, were shot to death in their home on the city's east side, and police said Friday they were seeking two suspects.

<snip>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060602/ap_on_re_us/indiana


I posted this at the True Crime forum.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=313&topic_id=1160&mesg_id=1160


Is the unemployment rate in Indianapolis unusually high?

[hippiechick]

6. I don't think so, relative to other big cities ...

... but something's gone - and continues to go - very wrong around here.

It seems to me like a combination of several "negative" factors are all synergizing to set the city
on edge ... :(

Sliding economy ... Meth ... Immigrants ... Lack of education ... Lack of 'infrastructure' ... people seem to be reverting more to the Neanderthal defense/survival stage identified in "Prometheus Rising" (very good book, IMHO ... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1561840564/002-7302170-4810405?v=glance&n=283155 ).

[tulip]

7. We use to live on the

east side of Indy. Lots of gang problems when we lived there. So sad to hear someone felt they had the right to take someone's life...........an entire family. The blame goes straight to the idiot who made the choice to do this. No matter how desperate one is there is never a time anyone has an excuse for this kind of blood bath.

[salin]

8. Violent incidents are up in Bloomington.

I am in B-ton most weekends and read the entire weeks news in a day. In the past couple of months the number of armed robberies (banks and drug stores) seems to have spiked (often more than a couple a week) - and there were a slew of gun/shooting incidents in April/May. Have been reading the news in that area since mid-1999 - and this spike is highly unusual. Either news is slow so things like this were happening all along but noone was reading about them, or there is a definite spike. Seems to read like the latter. My gut would pin it on the economy and the overall lack of sense of economic security. Just a guess.

[hippiechick]

9. Three wounded in new Near-Eastside shooting

JEBUS!!!!!

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060606/LOCAL/606060488


7:31 AM June 6, 2006

Three wounded in new Near-Eastside shooting
Star report

Gunmen broke into a Near-Eastside home this morning and shot three people, just five days after a family of seven in the same neighborhood was slain in a home invasion.


The three wounded men were in stable condition this morning, Indianapolis police said.
Police said shortly after midnight two armed men forced their way into a house in the 1500 block of North Tuxedo Street. There were five adults and three children in the house, according to WTHR (Channel 13), The Star's newsgathering partner.

The gunmen were intent on robbing the victims and opened fire, striking three men, WTHR said.

[LisaLynne]

10. This study is nation-wide ...

So I wonder if this is a symptom that's being seen across the country.

http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2006/06/13/412095.html&cvqh=itn_citycrime

[DrGonzoLives]

11. Violent crime is up all over the state

n/t

[hippiechick]

12. Day Late and a Dollar Short ...

Gee, I'm thinkin' some educational opportunities, jobs, and life-skills for the folks most at risk of reverting to crime as a survival mechanism might help too, eh ? :eyes:

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060623/NEWS01/606230441/0/SPORTS0610

How city plans to slow crime
Indy will bolster patrols in toughest areas, serve warrants, aggressively enforce curfew -- plus fix potholes and cut grass

Police patrols will be boosted and cleanup crews dispatched to some of Indianapolis' most crime-ridden and blighted neighborhoods this summer as the city tries to combat an alarming increase in crime.

<snip>
As of Monday, homicides in Marion County had increased more than 43 percent -- to 63 from 44 -- over the same time last year. Burglaries were up more than 25 percent in the first quarter.

In an attempt to stem the crime surge, the city also announced that 37 police officers will be moved from desk and daytime duties to patrol neighborhoods -- in uniform and in marked cars -- at night and on weekends. Thirty-one of those will move permanently. On Friday, Spears said about two dozen police officers would be pulled from bicycle patrols to work in high-crime areas.

The city also announced these changes:
A nine-officer tactical unit will patrol hot spots at night, while "saturation patrols" will roam high-crime areas.

Police will more aggressively enforce the city's youth curfew and serve warrants on suspects.
The city will target code violators and, once a week, clean up a neighborhood, cutting grass, picking up trash and fixing potholes.


more at link ...

[salin]

13. forgive me but I just can't "see" the link between potholes, unmowed grass

and the increase in crime.

There has been an increase in armed robberies in B-ton - should I suggest to the Mayor that he increase the size of the lawn cutting patrol in order to stem the tide of rising crime?

Sorry for the nonsequitor - but it just struck me as odd. Funny, when crime rates increase - I tend to think about economic causes and factors, silly me - I never thought that perhaps road and lawn maintenance was REALLY the key factor I should be considering.