Official Greater Philadelphia Area Crime Thread (Canton, Republic: finance, classroom, investments)

[Penna76]

3 homicides.

Not even an hour after the year started.

[DXBtoFL]

I now live in Maryland. Baltimore, despite experiencing the same pandemic, didn't see any increase in crime or murders. The already high rate remained the same, although actual murder count dipped ever so slightly. Baltimore's demographics are also fairly similar to Philadelphia, just on a smaller scale.

Philadelphia's crime and murder explosion is not directly due to COVID but a breakdown of law and order related to the BLM/defunding/riot crisis. It's as simple as that no matter how much some people attempt to spin it otherwise, although I would agree that the shutdowns and large scale unemployment last spring/early summer served as a catalyst.

[ilovephilly79]

Originally Posted by DXBtoFL

I now live in Maryland. Baltimore, despite experiencing the same pandemic, didn't see any increase in crime or murders. The already high rate remained the same, although actual murder count dipped ever so slightly. Baltimore's demographics are also fairly similar to Philadelphia, just on a smaller scale.

Philadelphia's crime and murder explosion is not directly due to COVID but a breakdown of law and order related to the BLM/defunding/riot crisis. It's as simple as that no matter how much some people attempt to spin it otherwise, although I would agree that the shutdowns and large scale unemployment last spring/early summer served as a catalyst.

Things like this are never simple. The only things like this that are simple or over-simplified assessments.

In my opinion, below are the major factors that I think contributed to a higher-than-normal murder rate. Note that each of these could be broken down into sub-categories themselves, and ALL of them are related and have an impact on one-another. Nothing happens in a vacuum.

Drug epidemic epicenter being in Philly
Shrinking crime centers due to investment and gang territory issues
Anti-Police sentiments and targeted opportunistic activities
COVID-19
Entitlement, lack of accountability, and hypocrisy by general public
Too many guns on the streets
Multi-generational poverty and continued disillusionment on both sides

[Penna76]

Originally Posted by DXBtoFL

I now live in Maryland. Baltimore, despite experiencing the same pandemic, didn't see any increase in crime or murders. The already high rate remained the same, although actual murder count dipped ever so slightly. Baltimore's demographics are also fairly similar to Philadelphia, just on a smaller scale.

Philadelphia's crime and murder explosion is not directly due to COVID but a breakdown of law and order related to the BLM/defunding/riot crisis. It's as simple as that no matter how much some people attempt to spin it otherwise, although I would agree that the shutdowns and large scale unemployment last spring/early summer served as a catalyst.

I can't say this is accurate.

In terms of rioting. It was overall over a handful of days and resulted in no major injuries.

While I in no way thought it was appropriate, I do not think that BLM has nothing to do with the increase in crime.

This is not specific to just Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Police Department was not defunded for 2020.

You are seeing crime rise in cities all across America, including cities with low minority populations and why I argue the BLM movement is not the driver at all.

I think this is due to drugs mostly. Drug crime is a very high percentage of violent crime in the USA.

And the pandemic has increased the abuse of substances. This has been verified and while the stock and RE markets are on fire. Millions of Americans are suffering from unemployment and low income and an all time high of drug abuse.

Very similar to the crack epidemic of the 90s.

[ilovephilly79]

Originally Posted by Penna76

I can't say this is accurate.

In terms of rioting. It was overall over a handful of days and resulted in no major injuries.

While I in no way thought it was appropriate, I do not think that BLM has nothing to do with the increase in crime.

This is not specific to just Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Police Department was not defunded for 2020.

You are seeing crime rise in cities all across America, including cities with low minority populations and why I argue the BLM movement is not the driver at all.

I think this is due to drugs mostly. Drug crime is a very high percentage of violent crime in the USA.

And the pandemic has increased the abuse of substances. This has been verified and while the stock and RE markets are on fire. Millions of Americans are suffering from unemployment and low income and an all time high of drug abuse.

Very similar to the crack epidemic of the 90s.

Unfortunately, you are right. BLM does not have anything to do with the crime rate (rising or dropping) at all. They have more specific interests than helping black communities overcome the current circumstances.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by ilovephilly79

Things like this are never simple. The only things like this that are simple or over-simplified assessments.

In my opinion, below are the major factors that I think contributed to a higher-than-normal murder rate. Note that each of these could be broken down into sub-categories themselves, and ALL of them are related and have an impact on one-another. Nothing happens in a vacuum.

Drug epidemic epicenter being in Philly
Shrinking crime centers due to investment and gang territory issues
Anti-Police sentiments and targeted opportunistic activities
COVID-19
Entitlement, lack of accountability, and hypocrisy by general public
Too many guns on the streets
Multi-generational poverty and continued disillusionment on both sides

This is a good list and some of these items are looked over.

I would add you have a mayor who turns his head, a city council largely uninterested in addressing these issues, an incompetent DA (at least to me), and a police commissioner in over her head.

What is interesting (maybe its not) is that Philadelphia continues to grow, and development is still ongoing and booming in certain areas, notably University City and Northern Liberties. I hope 2020 was a bad year in general and we will see some level of crime stabilization in 2021? These trends cannot continue like this, something has to be done, whether its a tough love approach or a major crime fighting plan.

[MB1562]

Originally Posted by DXBtoFL

I now live in Maryland. Baltimore, despite experiencing the same pandemic, didn't see any increase in crime or murders. The already high rate remained the same, although actual murder count dipped ever so slightly. Baltimore's demographics are also fairly similar to Philadelphia, just on a smaller scale.

Philadelphia's crime and murder explosion is not directly due to COVID but a breakdown of law and order related to the BLM/defunding/riot crisis. It's as simple as that no matter how much some people attempt to spin it otherwise, although I would agree that the shutdowns and large scale unemployment last spring/early summer served as a catalyst.

Simple (and inaccurate) explanations for even simpler minds.

[KoNgFooCj]

Originally Posted by cpomp

This is a good list and some of these items are looked over.

I would add you have a mayor who turns his head, a city council largely uninterested in addressing these issues, an incompetent DA (at least to me), and a police commissioner in over her head.

What is interesting (maybe its not) is that Philadelphia continues to grow, and development is still ongoing and booming in certain areas, notably University City and Northern Liberties. I hope 2020 was a bad year in general and we will see some level of crime stabilization in 2021? These trends cannot continue like this, something has to be done, whether its a tough love approach or a major crime fighting plan.

Even if Philadelphia has over 500 homicides again this year, the city will continue to experience economic and population growth. Philadelphia is poised like almost no other city in the northeast for economic expansion and growth. 700 homicides wouldn't stop that. Look at Chicago. Nearly 800 murders some years and supertall skyscrapers are still going up in the loop.

[JakeinChina]

I think the best thing to do might be to defund the police, and hire a bunch of traffic only officers and a few community mediator officials to patrol things in Philly. Perhaps maybe do some self-policing or just have a bunch of mobs run out into the streets when a crime is committed.

Sounds like a good plan no? What could go wrong?

[ilovephilly79]

Originally Posted by JakeinChina

I think the best thing to do might be to defund the police, and hire a bunch of traffic only officers and a few community mediator officials to patrol things in Philly. Perhaps maybe do some self-policing or just have a bunch of mobs run out into the streets when a crime is committed.

Sounds like a good plan no? What could go wrong?

We already have a high school counselor for a DA and a hall monitor for a police commissioner. I guess that would leave the mayoral office with a talking horse.