Official Greater Philadelphia Area Crime Thread (barber, race, stereotypes)

[MarketStEl]

A few comments:

• What am I missing? The PPD stats thedirtypirate posted show murders down 23% from last year at this time and overall violent crime down 11%. If that's the case, why is everyone else saying it's up?
  
• If the stats posted are accurate, it seems to me the current Police Commish is doing all right, then. Ramsey was outstanding, but we've had a string of competent-to-outstanding Police Commissioners over the last 15 years or so, since at least the late Rendell administration.
  
• Much has been written about how crime has exploded in America's mid-sized big cities. Pittsburgh now falls into those ranks thanks to a few decades of population loss. And note that seven of the 10 cities with the highest per capita murder rates also fall into that category (the ones that don't: Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit).
  
• Anent that last stat: Thanks, cpomp, for psyching me for my return trip to my beloved forever hometown (#4 on that list) next month.

[PHL10]

Heartbreaking story. I actually wish I hadn't read it.

Slain Spring Garden activist Gerard Grandzol's widow: City not safe, we're leaving

Slain Spring Garden activist Gerard Grandzol's widow: City not safe, we're leaving - Philly

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by MB1562

Unfortunately poverty and "old school" mentality teaches people to solve petty disputes through violence. Since this America, that way too often involves guns. It happens in the trailer parks of my quiet little hometown, and it happens in the ghettos here. The good thing is, if you aren't involved in drugs or gangs, murder is a very rare chance you don't really have to worry about. Most murders are scumbags killing other scumbags. The truly sad ones are when the innocent people of a violent neighborhood get caught in the crossfire, or ones like this where a promising young person is gunned down for absolutely zero reason.

Very true, and Philadelphia has a spillover problem more so than other major cities. There is little / no barrier between good and bad neighborhoods which makes crime more prevalent in even the best parts of the city.

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

A few comments:

• What am I missing? The PPD stats thedirtypirate posted show murders down 23% from last year at this time and overall violent crime down 11%. If that's the case, why is everyone else saying it's up?
  
• If the stats posted are accurate, it seems to me the current Police Commish is doing all right, then. Ramsey was outstanding, but we've had a string of competent-to-outstanding Police Commissioners over the last 15 years or so, since at least the late Rendell administration.
  
• Much has been written about how crime has exploded in America's mid-sized big cities. Pittsburgh now falls into those ranks thanks to a few decades of population loss. And note that seven of the 10 cities with the highest per capita murder rates also fall into that category (the ones that don't: Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit).
  
• Anent that last stat: Thanks, cpomp, for psyching me for my return trip to my beloved forever hometown (#4 on that list) next month.

Crime stats change quick, and I think they did in this case.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by kyb01

I was struck by how high Pittsburgh is.

Anyhow...

I said it a long time ago: convince Charles Ramsey to come out of retirement and pay him a LOT to do so. The other option is to appoint a commish who is not part of PPD. Every time someone from outside comes here they shake things up and results happen.

It's crazy because other crimes are going down.

And as you know there is a correlation between crime and poverty. And since Philly is the poorest top ten city, that's probably a factor.

Ramsey knew how to run a police force and he was not afraid to crack down, (the city needs that), and he was from Chicago I believe? And served in DC?

[AJNEOA]

I guess we'll see what Krasner's office does:

Slain Spring Garden activist Gerard Grandzol's widow: City not safe, we're leaving - Philly

If these murderers don't get what they deserve, it will be a very bad thing for the city.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by PHL10

Heartbreaking story. I actually wish I hadn't read it.

Slain Spring Garden activist Gerard Grandzol's widow: City not safe, we're leaving

Slain Spring Garden activist Gerard Grandzol's widow: City not safe, we're leaving - Philly

Wow, that was so sad :/

What sick and twisted animals. Also love the mention of our new DA wanting more lenient jail sentences, these incidences will likely continue if officials like him keep getting elected.

Those animals should be locked up forever. That story made me so sad and angry.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by PHL10

Heartbreaking story. I actually wish I hadn't read it.

Slain Spring Garden activist Gerard Grandzol's widow: City not safe, we're leaving

Slain Spring Garden activist Gerard Grandzol's widow: City not safe, we're leaving - Philly

All of it beyond sad. There was a discussion on this thread about it when it happened.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Wow, that was so sad :/

What sick and twisted animals. Also love the mention of our new DA wanting more lenient jail sentences, these incidences will likely continue if officials like him keep getting elected.

Those animals should be locked up forever. That story made me so sad and angry.

You know if you moved back here, well I do get why you won't for the time being, you could actually do something tangible about getting folks out of office that you don' t like.

Krasner is 100% unqualied to be where he is. I hate that he won!

[2e1m5a]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Wow, that was so sad :/

What sick and twisted animals. Also love the mention of our new DA wanting more lenient jail sentences, these incidences will likely continue if officials like him keep getting elected.

Those animals should be locked up forever. That story made me so sad and angry.

Yeah-simply bad reporting if you ask me. The "lenient jail sentences", which have yet to come to fruition and are still ultimately decided by individuals Judges, are for non-violent crimes-nothing to do with this case.


"Krasner said the new requirements-which do not apply to homicides or other violent crimes-should not pigeonhole prosecutors into seeking lighter sentences. Rather, the policy will force them to be more thoughtful about the penalties they seek".


I agree with Krasner on this 100%. Taxpayers have a right to know how much they are spending to lock up a non-violent drug addict for life, especially considering that rapists and murderers often serve much lighter sentences than drug criminals (thanks 3 strike law). It's ironic the old guard is desperately trying to incite fear in the public about murderers serving light sentences and walking the streets when that is what is going on today due to non-violent drug criminals being the priority.


His office even commented on this horrible crime specifically--saying they would never seek to move the 16 y/o from Adult into Juvenile Court.


People need to understand that cutting back on the War on "Drugs" and non-violent drug charges will allow law enforcement to focus on VIOLENT crimes---which is not the case presently-- today Police spend nearly 3/4ths of their time and resources fighting drug "crimes" and other healthcare issues that have clogged up our justice system and destroyed huge swaths of inner cities, turning them into war zones with booming illegal drug markets that would not exist if not for prohibition and the War on Drugs.


More murders go unsolved today than ever before in US history--despite advances in forensics and DNA technology--and a huge reduction in violent crime overall--specifically because Cops focus is on the drug war and non-violent criminals, because that is where the money and funding is at. It is reprehensible and it needs to change.


I feel so sad for this woman and her poor young daughter--nobody should have to go through that, and at such a young age. They need to add charges of endangering a child or something to that effect--and I hope both never see the World outside of a jail cell again.

[Redddog]

Krasner's stance is that non-violent offenders should not be institutionalized for life. His office also specifically commented on this case saying that there was no way they would move these cases to juvie.

I know that he comes off as a pro-criminal DA but this story, which is just horrible, reads as though it's a matter of time before he tries these animals as juveniles. He isn't.