Increasing Violent Crime Rates (Indianapolis: 2013, renting, credit)

[Concerned Aunt 936]

How do you feel we can decrease the increasing crime rates in Indy?

[IndyGoat]

Only going to get worse.

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by Concerned Aunt 936

How do you feel we can decrease the increasing crime rates in Indy?

Execute all of the gansters?? Public hangings??

[shayloure]

Increase funding for community outreach programs as well as increasing the police force.

This is what they're doing in Chicago Chicago Peace Basketball Tournament Brings Out NBA Stars To Help Rival Gangs Make Peace

Obviously there isn't any one answer but regardless of whatever initial steps they take, something needs to be done.

[sweetana3]

Do an indepth analysis of who, where, why, when and then address the issues. This is actually what the police are doing.

As the public, we do not get enough accurate and complete news to do this accurately ourselves. We know generally where the shootings occur and can avoid it if we have enough money. We know who is generally doing it, the young men without other things to do. We know that in many of the worst ones, drugs are involved. But all these assumptions are generalities.

There are some truly huge social issues involved. Poverty, lack of intact family units, lack of jobs, drugs and gangs are very big issues.

[todd00]

Originally Posted by shayloure

Increase funding for community outreach programs as well as increasing the police force.

This is what they're doing in Chicago Chicago Peace Basketball Tournament Brings Out NBA Stars To Help Rival Gangs Make Peace

Obviously there isn't any one answer but regardless of whatever initial steps they take, something needs to be done.

That tournament was back in the fall of last year. I don't think it's done a thing to decrease the gang related shootings in that city. Look too at the punishments given out for violent offenses, a lenient sentence will be little deterrent to juveniles and young adults involved in crime. The 15 year old kid in Chicago that brought a gun to school and took photos of himself with it in the rest room had a previous conviction for armed robbery in 2013. That light sentence obviously did nothing to wake him up. It's lucky no one was injured. I don't know how kids today would react to the scared straight tactics, I think that can still be a positive tool. I bet they would have this young 15 year old plenty shook up.

For those on assistance I think their benefits should be tied to their children's behavior, in both positive and negative ways. If the kid gets arrested the parent is faced with losing a percentage of benefits for a specified length of time based on the severity of the offense. Which could include eventually being removed from public housing assistance. The parent may then be more concerned where their kid is, what he is doing and with whom, if it means loss of dollars to the household. On the positive side, if a child stays in school with passing marks and a good attendance record, provide a small stipend to the student at the end of the year. Give them the opportunity to meet a celebrity role model that will talk to the group on the importance of staying in school and speaking up when one needs extra help with a particular subject. This could possibly be someone from one of the sports teams that came from the area. It may help increase the high school graduation rate. It doesn't seem to be cool to ask for help or be book smart. Maybe college students could be recruited and given credit for helping students that need extra tutoring. I read when asked what they want to be many kids will say a rapper, a pro ball player or a gang leader. I do wonder if these kids might be more disenchanted with school when they see the number of unemployed and underemployed educated folks in this country today.

These young kids are often under a lot of pressure to join a gang. They need positive male role models in their life. Gangs recruit these kids early, providing a family of sorts. There needs to be more people willing to mentor and more unified involvement from the parents, the neighborhoods and the civic leaders. Of course good hearted professional types don't want to be robbed or shot either. I think that keeps some from volunteering for these programs. Some communities have tried to use sports as a means to give kids something positive to do and mentor them as well, but they often seem to have funding problems and not enough volunteer staff. You would think like with Little League they could find a local sponsor. The parents behavior and the structure they provide is still the key to curbing juveniles from turning to crime and violence. Certainly it's a multifaceted problem that will not be easily solved but must be attacked in new ways and with more commitment from the neighborhoods and parents.

[Concerned Aunt 936]

I'm not really sure. The crime statistics in Chicago have been decreasing. Indianapolis (increasing) went above Chicago in 2013 for murders and violent crimes. According to everything I've read lately. I moved from Indy because of the increasing crime. I couldn't even work my second job because the store kept getting robbed. I was held at gun point twice. When my home was burglarized and I called the police, they responded late due to going to the wrong address initially. I was chased out of my home and shot at.

I do read the statistics, I am very aware of the neighborhoods. It's getting more dangerous everywhere. Indianapolis just added to the police force, 50 more officers to be exact. I just don't think that's going to be enough.

[missik999]

Originally Posted by Concerned Aunt 936

I'm not really sure. The crime statistics in Chicago have been decreasing. Indianapolis (increasing) went above Chicago in 2013 for murders and violent crimes. According to everything I've read lately. I moved from Indy because of the increasing crime. I couldn't even work my second job because the store kept getting robbed. I was held at gun point twice. When my home was burglarized and I called the police, they responded late due to going to the wrong address initially. I was chased out of my home and shot at.

I do read the statistics, I am very aware of the neighborhoods. It's getting more dangerous everywhere. Indianapolis just added to the police force, 50 more officers to be exact. I just don't think that's going to be enough.

The new IMPD recruit class begins in May, so they aren't on the street yet. At least 50 IMPD officers retire or leave every year so more than that are needed just to stay even.

[IndyGoat]

Not to mention, those 50 new officers won't be done with their training until next April or May. By then, the IMPD will be down another 50-70 officers.


The Mayor, Sheriff and Council have put their heads in the sand and sold the city short on public safety.

The merger of the MCSD and IMPD was supposed to add officers to the street, it has done the opposite.

In the meantime, the MCSO budget has soared PAST premerger levels. WHY?

The MCSO budget should be significantly smaller, to a tune of 30-40 million dollars which would fully fund IFD, IMPD and leave 10-15 million for other city projects like paving.



The biggest problem with public safety isn't the number of officers, nor the lack of prosecution, nor incarceration. It is societal, and not easily fixed. Maybe impossible to fix.

Don't listen to all the big wigs throwing out hiring numbers, or conviction rates (I would rather see high case filing rates-you never see those because they are loooooowww).


Whether you blame the welfare state, a shift in values and norms, the biggest problem is broken families. It has become common for unmarried couples to have children in which the father isn't in the home. Young women birthing multiple kids by multiple fathers, with no one showing responsibility in parenting the kids. Many times older family members step up, but when kids are raising kids, and not working or too busy working to spend quality time with their children, then you end up with juveniles running wild. Of course, you would expect there to be consequences when those kids run afoul of the law. Sure, put them on informal house arrest and send them to an alternative school for a half day. Who will watch them, the parents that didn't care in the first place, or the parent too busy trying to make ends meet that they are working two jobs. So now you have kids, who have even more freedom, kicked out of school and at home with no supervision.

Fact is the system is set up to give problem children less supervision and discipline rather than more. The lack of caused this problem in the first place. Whether through negligent parenting or parent(s) working hard to make ends meet, this is the root of the problem. Not an easy fix. Look at the age of these offenders, do you actually think they started their criminal enterprise at that age. They have been in training for a decade, at 20.

So how do you fix the family, got me. I don't trust the government to do so, heck the welfare state has done nothing but enable the destruction of the family. I know more police, more money into failing schools, more courts and more prosecution won't fix it. All of those will only help stem the tide of the erosion of society and victimization by criminals.

Getting rid of welfare, why not. At least the money earned will be kept in the hands of those who earned it. People would revolt if they knew how much money goes to people committing crimes, able bodied, just released from jail and last for years and generations. Free housing, free food, EBT to shop at restaurants, SNAP, WIC, Hoosier Care Cards, Phones (multiple phones), pizza, etc etc.

Teach a man to fish.

[IndyGoat]

People would be smart to carry a mindset of protecting themselves and their families wherever they are.

Arm yourself for self preservation, protect your property and stay aware. Teach your children, family, friends and co-workers to do the same.

As the Boy Scouts say, Be Prepared