EXCERPTS: Violent crime in Detroit shadows the landscape like its rows of abandoned buildings, but now the city faces a new precedent, even as gun-related killings decline nationwide: More people were killed here last year than at any time in the past 20 years. "America has a problem with guns, but the epicenter seems to be here in Detroit," Interim Detroit Police Chief Chester Logan said at a news conference Thursday, as city officials reported 386 criminal homicides in 2012, the highest since 1992. "As the chief of police in the city of Detroit, I take a certain amount of blame for the spiraling gunplay in the city," he said, "but one of the things you should realize, and everybody here in this room should realize, is that gunplay is a national problem.” ....... Other city officials and urban crime experts say the problem is not just guns. "At least two-thirds of the homicides in Detroit are related to drug sales, disputes between people selling drugs or disputes between people owing people money about drugs," said David Martin, director of the Urban Safety Program at Wayne State University in Detroit. ........ Detroit reported 411 homicides in 2012, 25 of them deemed "justifiable" by FBI crime reporting standards. Still, the remaining 386 represent 54.6 homicides per 100,000 residents, according to the Detroit Free Press. In 1993 the rate was 57.6 homicides per 100,000 residents. Detroit Mayor Dave Bing also pointed toward community-based causes and, potentially, solutions, but he stopped short of singling out drugs or guns. "The release of annual crime statistics reminds us of the senselessness of crime and violence in our community; the challenges facing our police force; and the need to improve conflict resolution and other anti-crime initiatives," he said in a statement. ....... "Groups of thugs have taken over the neighborhoods, and they can do what they please," Martin said. "It's like the Wild West out there." ....... Possible solutions addressing the homicide problem could be found in working with that age group, Bing said. "We've got to wrap our arms as best we can around these young folks and let them know that when they get into these kinds of situation it doesn't necessitate a gun; it doesn't have to necessitate a fight." The mayor said he would meet with Detroit public school officials to try to engage young people in the city. He also promised more communication with local media in 2013 to address the problem. ........ Detroit reports highest homicide rate in 20 years - Yahoo! News --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (It seems that a new mayor would be a step in the right direction. "We've got to wrap our arms as best we can around these young folks ....." Is he kidding? When entire neighborhoods are simply ceded to the thugs, there needs to be a total rethinking of enforcement policies, and the politicians responsible for them. They also might want to rethink their gun control policies. Oddly enough, after decades of gun control, the criminals of Detroit still aren't obeying the rules. Who would have thought?)
w00t! Do you know why we don't have school massacres? Because those attending are better armed than the police force. Plus they have the SGM pose. hella scary bro.
Don't tell anyone but that's just the people that died. If it weren't for our excellent medical facilities (I'd put our trauma centers up against anything in the sandboxes. Plus the staffs treat more than the sandbox on a daily basis) there would be way more than one a day. I love this place!
Detroit should open its doors to Hollywood to film movies there. It looks like a few cities during wartime or when a superplague has hit and everyone has be dead for 10 years. I know someone wants to do a sequel to Escape from L.A. This movie would be a little different though: when you Escape from Detroit, you can read and get a job.
We use to invite the film industry in. generous tax incentives. republican gov. nixed it. hollywood went away. but hell ya, go 4-5 blocks from the arts or sports centers, the library, other 'attractions'. Whoa dude, are you sure this isn't berlin during the raids? Reminds me of that 'World after people' about 20 years out. Oh wait .. some of these areas are just that. cement road ways with brush growing in pavement cracks. no lighting after dark Coyotes and deer in the city? Yeppers. Definite pucker factor in some areas. Ergo, run flats and welded bully bars are great investments plus level 3+. No sense in chootin' back. Just push your way through.
Detroit needs to put the blame where it belongs, like Obammy's best pal Rahm .... it's the fault of the Mississippi hillbilly guns .....
We've been going down hill since 67 riots. after that I'd blame the car companies that brought us Gremlin, Pacer, Citation and the 73 infernomobile (aka pinto)
Soooo glad I moved to the great white north... If anybody is interested in testing their preps, go spend a week in the city.
I agree, any city that can produce the Pacer and Pinto was DOOMED. Seriously, though, it all a great mystery. Who could possibly understand why crime is so high in socialist Utopia Detroit? Certainly more hugs for thugs is in order. And more gun laws. In fact, they need more of the same they have been doing, but much moar and much faster. Moar and fast makes even stupid ideas brilliant. Do you think we could trick the Indians into taking Detroit back? Slightly used, lots of owner potential.
erm, they are. You see, we in Michigan seem to be enamored with casinos, and they are run buy the Indian Tribes. So in essence they are. I think that they are the 3rd largest private employers (if you group them together) in Detroit. GM and Quicken Loans being the first two spots.
Had to dig deep, but here's the top ten employers in Detroit, from the 2010 City Annual Report. I was interested, Visu, after your post. Employer Detroit Public Schools City of Detroit Detroit Medical Center Henry Ford Health System U.S. government Wayne State University State of Michigan General Motors Co. Chrysler Group L.L.C. U.S. Postal Service
I once wandered outside of Greektown with a girlfriend around '93. Tried to make a shortcut through a field to get back to my car and was approached by a couple of guys. Reminded me of that movie Falling Down with Michael Douglas. ... I made it to my car.
@CraftyMofo Got to love how much of Detroit's employment base are Public Servants (.gov & .edu) if they ever run out of money to pay their people, the are going to be in trouble, wait? .. what? Oh that's right, Detroit IS broke. Well thank goodness for emergency managers and the obummer administration are here to help. I think I've finally convinced my oldest that Detroit is not the cool big city that she once thought it was. Took her about a dozen blocks off main route from Wayne state campus and said: You do not want to take a short cut or make a wrong turn around here. It was daytime so she didn't miss anything . She said, OK I love Chicago then. That being said. I still love Detroit for all it's good and bad points. It was a Great City (ok it was still a decent city in the late 70's) Maybe I'm just reminiscing about going to ball game and the Michigan State fair with the grandparents (long since past) Good times, good times. Ok, nevermind. Let's burn it down and start over. It would make a great paintball venue!
And, before too long when Detroit completely depopulates and move to Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Georgia. We will have the lowest murder rate in the world!!!