Baltimore sets new record!

I once heard a statistic that if Baltimore had NYs population they'd be clocking 3,000 murders per anum.

Just a note, "the city's jumpin' bad."

http://wjz.com/local/murder.rate.baltimore.2.619872.html

Still can't beat Detroit.

About beating Detroit... According to Wiki:

According to crime statistics there were 269 homicides in Baltimore in 2005,[48] giving it the highest homicide rate per 100,000 of all U.S. cities of 250,000 or more population.[47]

Though I stand corrected about the record:

Though this is significantly lower than the record-high 353 homicides in 1993, the homicide rate in Baltimore is nearly seven times the national rate, six times the rate of New York City, and three times the rate of Los Angeles.

Yeah, and Washington DC had the record for ten years or so back in the eighties.

Oh, how I miss the DC-Bal'mer area

If you read the ones where they do it per capita smaller cities seem to beat out larger ones quite a bit.

100 murders in a city of 250,000 is huge per capita but 1,000 murders in a city of 9 million seems like nothing.

Ouch...

well, its mostly bad people killing other bad people, so...I think its the DC pushers killing the NYC mules trying to move in on the local market ...

Except when it's a drive by hitting a girl in the stomach, (happened this summer) or a guy sitting on a neighbors porch (happened to me) or it's the "you're not from here, lets get him" (again happening to me) or my personal favorite of shooting you gun in the air for NYE.

Detroit had about 1 murder for every 2,596 people.

yeah, there sure are a lot of whack-os out there. One of my old friends lost it and started firing his .38 at the pigeons sitting on the power lines over his truck. But I really don't think Baltimore is much different from any other megalopolis on the east coast, we just have a lot of traffic. The DC-NY corridor is a dangerous place.

Baltimore has had that traffic for a long time, but Baltimore murder rates are climbing, while the murder rate in other major cities (like NYC which has something like 4 times as many people per square mile as Baltimore) is dropping. You can maybe blame high murder rates on Baltimore's location (though I don't really buy that), but not rising rates.

I don't care...I still love Baltimore.

I'm looking in your direction, John Waters. . .

I think not. First of all, 'bad people.' I'm not saying people who are in gangs are saints but neither am I willing to call them bad people. Some people are just born predators, many gang members are victims of their enviroment. Not that it makes it any level of alright. I'm just saying 'bad people' is stronger language than I'd use. Secondly, almost 30 of those nigh 300, let's round it all out to 10%, were under 18. Some were innocent bistanders and some were just kids swept into the game. But I think that your statement is a sad oversimplification and shows an ignorance of what it's like in gang territory. No harshness or insult intended.

As I said, "most".

dont care about life in gangs. they made their choice. if they get killed, boo hoo. harsh? maybe, dont care. Tonight, guy tried to buy an illegal gun for $500, he tried to pay only $300, one of them shot the other. For $200 someone took someone elses life. I just wish they shot each other. Harsh? dont care. what was the guy trying to buy the gun for in the first place? target practice? doubt it.

I think "bad people" is quite appropriate.

as for the "victim of their environment", others come from those environments that CHOOSE not to get involved in gangs. Not saying the choice is easy, but it is still a choice. playing the victim card is hollow.

Dude, I spent the first 18 years of my life in DC and Detroit respectively. I win! Now I just need to move to Dallas to complete the trifecta.

Wow, two cities that got a lot richer over the last 40 years beat out a city that got a lot poorer over the past 40 years. I'm pretty shocked!

I've seen a lot of random violence , including a home invasion of a friend where the attacker assaulted a friend inside a house, i've seen people walk up to cars with open windows and assault drivers, etc etc. We are the home of "Stop Snitching". It's seriously fucked. The criminals aren't afraid, because nobody is armed, and the police don't care. They are too busy hitting up the suburbs for revenue.

I thought this had something to do with The Wire!

Last night I was a bit pissed thinking about this when I had an epiphany. I though, one of the largest contributers to deviant violence is the movie industry (TV included). I'd like to see s "Civic Responsibility Tax" on movies containing excessive violence, the proceeds going to local law enforcement and anti-crime education (or education in general). Then maybe the police and school systems could get the financial support they need to reduce crime. Maybe a sliding tax, 3% for violence, 4% for gangs, 20% if the movie stars Tom Cruise...

I thought it was video games. Or rock and roll musics. Or coloured people. I'm so confused!

I am booking my vacation right now!

Hard to imagine that this could happen in a state where corrupt politicians disarmed the populace, and the police don't care to stop any of it.

I'm surprised we haven't seen any vigiante justice, as that's usually what happens when the justice system doesn't do its job

So true. I would have moved. Of course, New Orleans just hit 209 for the year ( good luck figuring out haw many people actually live here to convert that into per capita) and I haven't given up on this city yet.

The 'victim card' is hollow, I agree. But only when it is played in a way that excuses all crimes. I was explaining, not excusing.

I don't believe in 'bad' people existing. I don't presume all involved in the drug trade to be bad at heart. Nor should you presume that they even see a choice. For many, that is the life and world they know. There's a lot of hopelessness in a lot of these neighborhoods. Slinging isn't about good or bad to most, it's about living a life where you aren't living paycheck to paycheck like many Americans have been. The fact that it has been glorified is a product of society, but judging masses of the population as 'bad' , a highly subjective term, just sounds ignorant and... Bushian.

What a mindblowingly callous and hateful statement. You must be a joy to be around.

Can the rest of us agree to lose the idiotic "playing the _____ card" in 2008? Please?