Crime in Houston is out of control... (Dallas, Austin: to move, best)

[utche96]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

If you are basing your decision on crime alone yes.

I would choose Austin for many reasons including crime. Im probably biased as I graduated from UT Austin.

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by utche96

US and Europe are apples to oranges. We have a 2000 mile porous border with a lawless and violent drug cartel state. As a result we have far more issues with drug trafficking and addiction and gang violence.

Well we do have more issues with gang violence. Europe has far more lenient laws on drugs and drugs are still trafficked there. But in terms of addiction, that would imply that the cartels have to market their drugs and that isn't the case. The US:

1) Has a culture where indulgence is supreme relative to Europe. We are much more extravagant and we tend to worship ourselves in a way that is very individualistic as opposed to for concern for community. I always get a chuckle at the idea that the US is a Christian nation. In reality, we worship ourselves, fame, power, and money more so than any other Western Nation.

2) There is a much bigger gap between rich and poor in the US. When you are poor and have no hope for life, people need to escape by whatever means they can.

3) We have much more loose views on the marketing of prescription drugs. What happened with opioids here could not have happened to the same degree in Europe. Once that was out of the bag and prescriptions were harder to obtain, the demand for heroin and fentanyl skyrocketed.

I do agree with you on gang violence. However our problem with addiction is not one a foreign force did to us. We did that completely to ourselves without any help.

But going back into strategy for safety, I think we can have two thoughts at once:

1) Yes, Houston has a crime problem and violent offenders need to be locked up for lengthy sentences.

2) Locking people up for minor offenses in the name of "putting more criminals in jail" does nothing for society.

PS calling all of Mexico a lawless drug state is very much over the top.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by PSBlows

Question - how does Houston compare to Austin safety wise? I am considering both cities and so far I keep hearing that Austin, despite the homeless problem, is generally safe especially compared to other deep blue cities. Houston OTOH I keep hearing the same response of "But every big city is dangerous" which to me is a red flag because I hear that defense for cities like NYC and San Francisco.

It might be enough to wear I can deal with the higher cost of living (I'm not looking for a place to settle permanently, just a city to try out for up to a few years)

I for one would love to have NYC's crime rate in Houston, at least on a per capita basis - it's far better! SF is usually considered much better than Houston too, crime-wise, despite the homelessness and other related unpleasantness. Now, if that defense was being applied to places like NOLA, St. Louis, Memphis, Detroit, etc....not so much.

Houston's defense has traditionally been that it has always been a high-crime city by national standards (which is pretty true, in my lifetime at least - it was actually the nation's murder capital when I was young). Which I guess isn't much of a defense.

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by utche96

Yes, thats because they don't want to be incarcerated again. Incarceration works.

If incarceration works, why do thieves reoffend more than killers?

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by utche96

There is plenty of proof. More police and more criminals incarcerated in the 90s is exactly what got the crime rate down. You can gaslight all you want. The numbers are clear for anyone to see.

OK, so for Houston you want 100,000 police officers and construction of 300 new prisons. You will get your 400% higher property tax bill next week.

There is no proof. None.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

I for one would love to have NYC's crime rate in Houston, at least on a per capita basis - it's far better! SF is usually considered much better than Houston too, crime-wise, despite the homelessness and other related unpleasantness. Now, if that defense was being applied to places like NOLA, St. Louis, Memphis, Detroit, etc....not so much.

Houston's defense has traditionally been that it has always been a high-crime city by national standards (which is pretty true, in my lifetime at least - it was actually the nation's murder capital when I was young). Which I guess isn't much of a defense.

I have literally never heard this. The defense you generally hear is either what OP said or “we aren’t the safest but we aren’t near where St Louis/NOLA/Bmore are”.

Of course if we ever were the nations capital as you mention (I’m guessing in the 80s), that probably wasn’t said back then

[Seguinite]

Originally Posted by WRM20

How many convicted killers kill again after being released? Very few is the answer, and the next question is should all killers be locked up forever on the remote chance they might kill again?

How long should someone be locked up for killing someone? Life with no parole in every case, regardless of circumstances?

I think they shouldn't be locked up at all. Bullet in the back of the head on the courthouse steps. No more killing from that guy (or gal).

'Very few' is the answer because the number of convicted/released killers is lower than other offenders to begin with. Recidivism stats don't lie.

Don't tell me prisons don't work... because they sure as hell do work.

[utche96]

Originally Posted by WRM20

If incarceration works, why do thieves reoffend more than killers?

Less harsh punishment would be my guess. In Harris county, the sheriffs don't even waste their time with property theft (other than taking a report) so there really is no punishment unless the thief is somehow apprehended by luck.

[utche96]

Originally Posted by WRM20

OK, so for Houston you want 100,000 police officers and construction of 300 new prisons. You will get your 400% higher property tax bill next week.

There is no proof. None.

Why do you keep jumping to cost? Cost is a completely different issue. I think most taxpayers are more than willing to pay more in taxes if it meant reducing crime.

You claimed that incarceration doesn't work. How do you explain the sharp decline in crime rates in the 90s? Just pretending the data doesn't exist is not compelling.

[utche96]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

PS calling all of Mexico a lawless drug state is very much over the top.

Call it what you will. The Cartels control much of Mexico and that spills over to the US. I agree with some of the rest of your post. We should prioritize incarceration of violent criminals.