[tablemtn]

You can watch his report in six parts online. Here is part 1; you can follow the links to the others:

Law and Disorder - Philadelphia (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD36JmK4q4I)

Philly looks like a lawless hellzone in this documentary.

[hollow man]

I watched this a few weeks back on TV in the UK. Pretty interesting stuff, Philly looks dangerous.

That said, in the second part of this show he was in Johanesburg and the problems there were 100 times worse than Philly.

[tablemtn]

Joburg has its own set of problems, but it's pretty shameful for a state like Pennsylvania to neglect its largest city until conditions like this are rife. That really shouldn't happen in a supposedly first-world country.

[hollow man]

Joburg has its own set of problems, but it's pretty shameful for a state like Pennsylvania to neglect its largest city until conditions like this are rife. That really shouldn't happen in a supposedly first-world country.

I agree.

[TexasPlaya]

Joburg has its own set of problems, but it's pretty shameful for a state like Pennsylvania to neglect its largest city until conditions like this are rife. That really shouldn't happen in a supposedly first-world country.

I agree.

Every major city has serious crime issues, some worse than others. Especially when you do a documentary on gangs, they are going to make gritty and dangerous. History channel has a show about different gangs. I was watching one about gangs in Chicago's southside and they made it look like the worse place in the world. Then again, every Gangland episode makes the particular area in which the gang operates look like hell.

[bryson662001]

I guess the gang problem in L.A. was a little more than he could handle by himself. Actually Philly's problem is more like what you find in South London then it is gang related.

BTW calling him a "journalist" is a stretch. I think the term is "presenter"

[krudmonk]

That said, in the second part of this show he was in Johanesburg and the problems there were 100 times worse than Philly.
I just watched both, and the Joburg episode really put Philadelphia into perspective.

[CentralGrad258]

I live blocks away from where the program was filmed. It might as well be a different city though. Just goes to show what a difference a couple of blocks can make. Honestly, I feel pretty safe...most of the murder and mayhem takes place between drug dealers battling over turf. It was a fascinating program, just for showing the mentality that drives people into the drug dealing, don't snitch culture. The Joburg episode eye opening. The sheer level of violence and lawlessness in the slums was overwhelming. Philly, rough as some area may be, as long as you stay away from the drug game, you're generally gonna be alright.

[SHiRO]

I guess the gang problem in L.A. was a little more than he could handle by himself. Actually Philly's problem is more like what you find in South London then it is gang related.
Sorry, I love Philly to death but its "problem" is not "what you'll find in South London"...It's more like 2,5 times what you'll find in all of London, despite it being only 1/5 of its size if you know what I mean...

YTD 2008
London (7,2 million): 137 murders
Philadelphia (1,5 million): 325 murders



BTW calling him a "journalist" is a stretch. I think the term is "presenter"
Yeah a "presenter" with a degree from Oxford...:rolleyes:

Call him a broadcaster or tv personality then, but he's certainly no worse then what goes for a journalist in the US these days...


Oh and btw... LA (4,1 million) is at 371 murders...

[Jaroslaw]

Every major city has serious crime issues, some worse than others.

Corrected: every major city in the United States. Or, major cities in blue statess..

I feel pretty safe in my big city, in any case.

[volguus zildrohar]

I've successfully avoided being shot to date and I'm a lifelong Philadelphian. You'll find more than a few of my fellow citizens who can say the same. It's quite easy to avoid when you're not giving anyone a reason to.

[DAVID JOHNSON]

Volguus,

As always your comments are insightful. I have lived in University City since 1993 and my biggest crime problem is children throwing ice cream at my motorcycle.

[EastSideHBG]

I've successfully avoided being shot to date and I'm a lifelong Philadelphian. You'll find more than a few of my fellow citizens who can say the same. It's quite easy to avoid when you're not giving anyone a reason to.
But what about robberies at gunpoint, muggings, getting hit w/ a stray bullet? All of the incidents I just mentioned happened to people I know and in various parts of the city. Even if you're not in the drug game or giving someone a reason to go after you (for serious things like, you know, stepping on someone's shoes or bumping into them :rolleyes: ) you can still be at "the wrong place at the wrong time". And like it or not, that could be a decent chunk of Philly right now (or many of its 'burbs, like where I currently live unfortunately).

It's really sad and it needs attention. But much like Harrisburg, Baltimore, etc., you won't get a full buy-in and you won't see massive change until you change the mindset in the communities, and especially in the young black community. Now, I do think that Philly is better today than it was when I first moved to the area, and I do see it continuing to improve [as long as the current administration doesn't screw up the momentum]. But it still has a long way to go.

[alexjon]

There was seriously a drive-by every night for two years (just shy of 2 years, actually) with no nights off in my old neighborhood at this one house kitty corner from my place. I'm still here!

Bystanders and innocent victims get picked off sometimes, but it's generally those who know eachother offing eachother.

[philadelphiathrives]

YTD 2008
London (7,2 million): 137 murders
Philadelphia (1,5 million): 325 murders

Oh and btw... LA (4,1 million) is at 371 murders...

But most of those additional people live in middle class, suburban-like areas because London and LA have a much larger land area than Philadelphia. If you were to reduce London and LA down to 135 inner-city square miles, like Philadelphia, you would have a much smaller population in these cities, but largely the same number of murders. So the murder rate would be much higher in these cities, relative to population, if these cities had the same, smaller, land area as Philadelphia.

But what about robberies at gunpoint, muggings, getting hit w/ a stray bullet? All of the incidents I just mentioned happened to people I know and in various parts of the city.

Who do you hang out with? :shrug:

[krudmonk]

But most of those additional people live in middle class, suburban-like areas because London and LA have a much larger land area than Philadelphia. If you were to reduce London and LA down to 135 inner-city square miles, like Philadelphia, you would have a much smaller population in these cities, but largely the same number of murders. So the murder rate would be much higher in these cities, relative to population, if these cities had the same, smaller, land area as Philadelphia.
And now we slip back into the mindset of the urban environment being romantically gritty. The fantasy world has crossed a line somewhere. Murder does not make a "real city."

[EastSideHBG]

Who do you hang out with? :shrug:
Good, decent, hard-working business people. One was mugged in CC in broad daylight during her lunch break, screaming at the top of her lungs while NO ONE stopped to help her. To add insult to injury, people passing by her told her to "suck it up" and "get over it" while she stood there crying, waiting for the police to arrive while blood was dripping from her head. Two were a husband and wife who were robbed at gunpoint going into their homes in a "nicer" part of Philly, and one is a guy who was getting into his car when a fight suddenly erupted near him and a stray bullet rung out and hit him in the hand. NONE of these people are thugs, hang out in rough areas or could in any way, shape or form bring on or "ask for" what happened to them.

And I am just telling you the stories of those I knew directly and could attest to their horrible and sad incidents. Imagine if I included all of those people who I know through a mere 1 degree of separation. Like the former Philly forumer Awkab for example, who right before moving to DC was also robbed in CC in broad daylight...

My point is crime isn't limited to those who are "asking for it", and danger can effect ANYONE at ANYTIME. In Philly, like it or not, the stats show that you do have a higher risk of that vs. in some other places.

[goat314]

Sorry, I love Philly to death but its "problem" is not "what you'll find in South London"...It's more like 2,5 times what you'll find in all of London, despite it being only 1/5 of its size if you know what I mean...

YTD 2008
London (7,2 million): 137 murders
Philadelphia (1,5 million): 325 murders



Yeah a "presenter" with a degree from Oxford...:rolleyes:

Call him a broadcaster or tv personality then, but he's certainly no worse then what goes for a journalist in the US these days...


Oh and btw... LA (4,1 million) is at 371 murders...

Crime in the UK is a joke in comparison.....America has serious problems. Our murder rates are more comparable to poorer countries (maybe its the abundance of guns, pathetic poverty rates for the richest country, violent culture). St. Louis has more murders than London in its city limits, about 40 more and it only has a population 350,000 (2.8 million metro).

[tablemtn]

Sounds like you'd be pretty foolish to walk around Philly WITHOUT a firearm!

[BigDan35]

There was seriously a drive-by every night for two years (just shy of 2 years, actually) with no nights off in my old neighborhood at this one house kitty corner from my place. I'm still here!

Bystanders and innocent victims get picked off sometimes, but it's generally those who know eachother offing eachother.

Where? In Seattle? Impossible.

[volguus zildrohar]

But what about robberies at gunpoint, muggings, getting hit w/ a stray bullet? All of the incidents I just mentioned happened to people I know and in various parts of the city. Even if you're not in the drug game or giving someone a reason to go after you (for serious things like, you know, stepping on someone's shoes or bumping into them :rolleyes: ) you can still be at "the wrong place at the wrong time". And like it or not, that could be a decent chunk of Philly right now (or many of its 'burbs, like where I currently live unfortunately).

It's really sad and it needs attention. But much like Harrisburg, Baltimore, etc., you won't get a full buy-in and you won't see massive change until you change the mindset in the communities, and especially in the young black community. Now, I do think that Philly is better today than it was when I first moved to the area, and I do see it continuing to improve [as long as the current administration doesn't screw up the momentum]. But it still has a long way to go.

There's no such thing as risk-free living, anywhere. Just because I haven't been shot doesn't mean it will never happen just like like living in a small town doesn't mean it isn't something one has to worry about.

As long as there are lots of poor people with poor job access and good gun access there's going to be an unnecesarily high crime rate. I don't have to repeat that this city isn't the world of Death Wish but....seriously.

[EastSideHBG]

There's no such thing as risk-free living, anywhere. Just because I haven't been shot doesn't mean it will never happen just like like living in a small town doesn't mean it isn't something one has to worry about.

As long as there are lots of poor people with poor job access and good gun access there's going to be an unnecesarily high crime rate. I don't have to repeat that this city isn't the world of Death Wish but....seriously.
Yep, I agree. Crime in this metro is not limited to just the city, and one would be foolish to believe that. Heck, case in point, you should see where I live and how far down it has gone! And hence why we will not be here any longer after the lease runs out. :laugh:

[sciguy0504]

It all has to do with culture.

[Strange Meat]

YTD 2008
London (7,2 million): 137 murders
Philadelphia (1,5 million): 325 murders

Philly IS bad, no question, but murder numbers between the US and other cities internationally isn't quite fair, due to gun laws. What would Londons numbers look like if you added in, say, knife assaults, GBH, etc?

[BigKidD]

Joburg has its own set of problems, but it's pretty shameful for a state like Pennsylvania to neglect its largest city until conditions like this are rife. That really shouldn't happen in a supposedly first-world country.
It's not necessarily neglect, but a city that has changed. Such crime was not common place when my dad visited Philadelphia when he was young; yet that was over forty years ago. Or when my grandma grew up there.
It all has to do with culture.
A lack of education, decency, and so forth.

[sharkfood]

The problem in Philadelphia is the crime is not isolated. It's spread pretty evenly throughout the city. You can pull up a map of muggings and it's like salt on an egg - - evenly spread between South and North and Central Philadelphia. Only a few areas can be described as trouble free - - far Northwest Philadelphia, far Northeast, far South Philadelphia and maybe Bridesburg.

Compare this to Washington DC. Even when Washington was racking up 400 murders a year, you were pretty well insulated if you were living west of Rock Creek Park. Same thing in Chicago. You were insulated in many parts of the northside.

Philadelphia is a rapidly improving city. However, it's improving from a starting point circa 1995 that was extremely low. So even as we go block by block weeding out the bad elements, there are thousands more blocks to go. And unfortunately the geography lacks the sort of barriers that isolate crime. Streets are narrow; there are few arterial streets; the topography is flat; there are no natural obstacles. So every time we gain a block, the bad element is still out there on the next block ready to wreak havoc.

[relnahe]

Such crime was not common place when my dad visited Philadelphia when he was young; yet that was over forty years ago.



The murder rate is lower now then it was most (not all) years during the 90's, 80's, 70's, and yes, even the 60's.

[BigKidD]

The murder rate is lower now then it was most (not all) years during the 90's, 80's, 70's, and yes, even the 60's.
Interesting. Thanks for the information.

[philadelphiathrives]

Good, decent, hard-working business people. One was mugged in CC in broad daylight during her lunch break, screaming at the top of her lungs while NO ONE stopped to help her. To add insult to injury, people passing by her told her to "suck it up" and "get over it" while she stood there crying, waiting for the police to arrive while blood was dripping from her head.

I hate to question you, but that scenario sounds very hard to believe.


The problem in Philadelphia is the crime is not isolated. It's spread pretty evenly throughout the city. You can pull up a map of muggings and it's like salt on an egg - - evenly spread between South and North and Central Philadelphia. Only a few areas can be described as trouble free - - far Northwest Philadelphia, far Northeast, far South Philadelphia and maybe Bridesburg.

This is absolutely untrue. I've seen the same crime maps and most violent and property crime overwhelmingly happens in North and West Philadelphia. The downtown police districts may include some of the rough areas in their jurisdictions, but statistics show that crime in the downtown area is very low, and considering the population density it is probably as low as you'd find in most suburban neighborhoods, and downtown Chicago or Washington. I've lived in the downtown for 11 years and watch the local news almost every day and can almost count on my hands the number of violent incidents that have occurred in the downtown area; and many of them were domestic violence, which is not the kind of random crime we're talking about. I've also walked through the poorest and most violent neighborhoods, probably more than a hundred times, and have never been a victim of violence or saw any violence. In fact, I've found most of the people in these neighborhoods to be quite friendly. :D And in case you're wondering, I am Caucasian. I don't believe crime is "isolated" in Washington or Chicago anymore than it is Philadelphia. Maybe you believe it is, but I don't.


Such crime was not common place when my dad visited Philadelphia when he was young; yet that was over forty years ago. Or when my grandma grew up there.

This is another thing that isn't true. It just isn't. Your parents and grandparents might tell you this, but they are wrong or lying. The crime may have happened in different neighborhoods, like in what we now call wealthy downtown neighborhoods, but it was happening just the same, probably more than we will ever know. People are more likely to talk about these things nowadays. And many people only notice crime when it is committed by someone of another race.

[Pennsgrant]

Yep, I agree. Crime in this metro is not limited to just the city, and one would be foolish to believe that. Heck, case in point, you should see where I live and how far down it has gone! And hence why we will not be here any longer after the lease runs out. :laugh:


There is 5,000 sq. miles in metro Philly and only a handful of areas which crime is rampant,maybe 100 sq miles of that if you include Philly,Camden,Chester Wimington,Norristown. 2% of the land area and maybe 5% of the population. You moved into the exception not the norm, thats nobodys fault but your own. Dont bring the entire metro down unfairly.

You live in a isolated little deindustrialized 3.5 sq mile sliver of a city which is surrounded by wealth in every direction. There are 3300 counties in the usa, you live in the 30th wealthiest(Montgomery) in the usa, to your immediate west is (Chester CO.-19th wealthiest) To the immediate east of you (Bucks-48th wealthiest).

[BigDan35]

Philly IS bad, no question, but murder numbers between the US and other cities internationally isn't quite fair, due to gun laws. What would Londons numbers look like if you added in, say, knife assaults, GBH, etc?

What would London's numbers look like if you added in knife assaults? Well...London's murder number would stay the same, since knife ASSAULTS are not MURDERS.

[BigKidD]

This is another thing that isn't true. It just isn't. Your parents and grandparents might tell you this, but they are wrong or lying. The crime may have happened in different neighborhoods, like in what we now call wealthy downtown neighborhoods, but it was happening just the same, probably more than we will ever know. People are more likely to talk about these things nowadays. And many people only notice crime when it is committed by someone of another race.
True, crime was certainly isolated to particular neighborhoods in the past, and still today to an extent. Although, for example, violent crime is usually isolated to certain areas in SF, but such crime can occur in other areas, the Financial District for an example.

[Strange Meat]

What would London's numbers look like if you added in knife assaults? Well...London's murder number would stay the same, since knife ASSAULTS are not MURDERS.

It's also more difficult to kill someone with a knife than a gun, and, if guns are outlawed, what do you go to, knives... The point being, that, the level of violence may not actually be that much higher.

I'd read an article a few years back that was talking about the epidemic in London of kids bringing knives to school to cut up a bully or something. That's something that, same concept in the US, a kid brings a gun and blows people away. Of course, if you're in a place where guns are illegal... see?

[EastSideHBG]

There is 5,000 sq. miles in metro Philly and only a handful of areas which crime is rampant,maybe 100 sq miles of that if you include Philly,Camden,Chester Wimington,Norristown. 2% of the land area and maybe 5% of the population. You moved into the exception not the norm, thats nobodys fault but your own. Dont bring the entire metro down unfairly.

You live in a isolated little deindustrialized 3.5 sq mile sliver of a city which is surrounded by wealth in every direction. There are 3300 counties in the usa, you live in the 30th wealthiest(Montgomery) in the usa, to your immediate west is (Chester CO.-19th wealthiest) To the immediate east of you (Bucks-48th wealthiest).
Throwing numbers out there doesn't mean a whole lot at the end of the day, and like everywhere in the US and like I have already stated, crime can happen ANYWHERE. But you can't deny the troubles in many parts of the Philly metro, though, no matter how you slice it and how many square mile figures you try to impress with (and then in turn try to minimize the issues). Camden, Norristown, Chester, Philly, Coatesville...no matter how big or small, those are names that people definitely know, and not for good reasons unfortunately either. What good does it do to say, "There is lots of crime where I live in North Philly," and then have another turn around say, "But hey, look at Rittenhouse Square!" People are concerned w/ where they are at and what is going on around them you know, and not with who has the wealth in another part of town...

You moved into the exception not the norm, thats nobodys fault but your own. Dont bring the entire metro down unfairly.
For the record, where I live definitely took a further downward spiral and is much worse today vs. when I first got here. We can debate all day as to why that is and if it has a national level tie-in, but the reasons really matter not and the point is that it has happened. And what is happening in our urbanized areas is a very nice snapshot of a metro, and nothing is "unfair" about that.

[sharkfood]

The murder rate is lower now then it was most (not all) years during the 90's, 80's, 70's, and yes, even the 60's.

Yeah, but, guess what: Prior to 1980, the total violent crime rate was about half what it is now. It was only during 1980's that the situation deteriorated.

[sharkfood]

The problem in Philadelphia is the crime is not isolated. It's spread pretty evenly throughout the city. You can pull up a map of muggings and it's like salt on an egg - - evenly spread between South and North and Central Philadelphia. Only a few areas can be described as trouble free - - far Northwest Philadelphia, far Northeast, far South Philadelphia and maybe Bridesburg.

This is absolutely untrue. I've seen the same crime maps and most violent and property crime overwhelmingly happens in North and West Philadelphia. The downtown police districts may include some of the rough areas in their jurisdictions, but statistics show that crime in the downtown area is [I]very low, and considering the population density it is probably as low as you'd find in most suburban neighborhoods, and downtown Chicago or Washington. I've lived in the downtown for 11 years and watch the local news almost every day and can almost count on my hands the number of violent incidents that have occurred in the downtown area; and many of them were domestic violence, which is not the kind of random crime we're talking about. I've also walked through the poorest and most violent neighborhoods, probably more than a hundred times, and have never been a victim of violence or saw any violence. In fact, I've found most of the people in these neighborhoods to be quite friendly. :D And in case you're wondering, I am Caucasian. I don't believe crime is "isolated" in Washington or Chicago anymore than it is Philadelphia. Maybe you believe it is, but I don't.





Take robberies (muggings) as an example. I regularly review the crime maps www.ppdonline.org. There are muggings all over the map from Lehigh Ave. or further north to Oregon Ave. No place is immune with a few exceptions:

1. The heart of Fishtown inside Norris is somewhat immune
2. Pennsport is somewhat immune.
3. Deep, deep South Philly (like below Oregon or close to Oregon) is immune.

Aside from that, they're sprinkled all over the place: Girard, Spring Garden, Walnut St., Washington Ave., Market St., you name it.

[tech12]

Take robberies (muggings) as an example. I regularly review the crime maps www.ppdonline.org. There are muggings all over the map from Lehigh Ave. or further north to Oregon Ave. No place is immune with a few exceptions:

1. The heart of Fishtown inside Norris is somewhat immune
2. Pennsport is somewhat immune.
3. Deep, deep South Philly (like below Oregon or close to Oregon) is immune.

Aside from that, they're sprinkled all over the place: Girard, Spring Garden, Walnut St., Washington Ave., Market St., you name it.

Here's a map of 500 of the robberies that occurred in San Francisco over the past year (blue markers are multiple incidents), out of a total of probably 2,000 to 3,000. The point being, robberies happen all over the place in other cities too, not just Philadelphia.

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/182/robberiesnx1.jpg

[Ardent]

Philly IS bad, no question, but murder numbers between the US and other cities internationally isn't quite fair, due to gun laws. What would Londons numbers look like if you added in, say, knife assaults, GBH, etc?

Perhaps it's because half of British Recorded Violent Crime results in no injury to anyone and most of the rest of our violent crime wouldn't even be recorded in most countries due to it's trivial nature.

http://www.anxietyculture.com/crimescare.htm

There are also discrepancies in recoprding figures relating to property crime recording between different countries. It should be noted that the all crime is recorded in the UK, and that we don't operate a system of felony or misdemeanor.

The NYPD and other police in America have been accussed of downgrading crime, for instance property theft worth less than a certain amount is downgraded from Grand Larceny ($1000 upwards) to a Non -Felony or misdemeanor. US detectives won't deem a property crime a Felony unless the victim brings in 3 estimates confirming the value of the property as being more than $250 dollars and a receipt for their property. They are simple told they can't prove it was worth more than $1,000 so it will be handled as a Misdemeanor petit larceny and not a Felony Grand Larceny. Midemeanors are not recorded, thus downgrading crime reduces statistics and keeps the City Mayor and Senior Police Officers happy.

The same is true of US Violent Crime which is only recorded in the official Uniform Crime Reports if it is an aggrevated assault which involves either serious injury or the use of a weapon. Simple Assualts where a few bruises are caused are not recorded in the US, and they certainly don't count assaults where no injury is caused what so ever like in the UK. The US Police are under extreme pressure from City Mayors to lower crime rates, and if this means downgrading crimes to non-felony or even down grading an injury then some offices will do so. As for statistics there's the old addage - lies, damned lies and statistics.

I also think you will find that crime in the UK is subject to extreme media hype, we actually have a falling murder rate, the lowest British Crime Survey figures since records began, and police figures are also falling.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/oct/23/comment.prisonsandprobation

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/apr/22/ukcrime.society

” The current UK definition of knife crime includes offences where a dart, a needle, a pin or a syringe was involved.

Sir Ian Blair (Former Commisioner of London's Metropolitan Police Service) added: “Then is added, in a rather Monty Python way, ‘this list is not meant to be exhaustive’, presumably in case someone is stabbed to death with a cocktail stick. This is absurd. Knife crime is knife crime.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4168125.ece

If anything the UK overplays it's crime figures through it's recording methods.

http://www.world-productions.com/outlaws/pages/behind_the_scenes/writers_room/criminal_justice_6.htm

Over half of violent involves less serious offences which are largely made up of common assault (no injury), other wounding (i.e. not life threatening), possession of weapons, harassment and assault on a constable (usually a minor scuffle).

You could call them "Saturday night" crimes: a punch-up outside a pub or a club or domestic violence usually fuelled by drink.

You could also call them crimes of the poor. They're not trivial, but by and large they're not pre-meditated either. So they're a long way from the public perception of violent crimes where organised gangs of thugs patrol the streets targetting perfect strangers.

They also probably involve a deal of double-counting. Let's say you go to the pub, come home drunk and start knocking your wife about. A neighbour complains, so you pop him one and when the police arrive there's a struggle.

When it comes to court, you're charged with wounding, actual bodily harm, common assault and assaulting a police officer. So it's one incident, but four offences for the record.

If your neighbour wore glasses, they might throw in a few property offences like criminal damage as well.

Thereby one offence is now numerous offences and is recorded as such, and this occurs throughout the UK System and is very different to the recording system in the US.

[Ardent]

The fact is that New York City Mayors and other US Cities have quietly brushed aside the fact that as property crime fell, police lost property reports soared clearly demonstrates how figures can be manipulated.

http://www.villagevoice.com/2005-12-20/news/something-s-missing/

Furthermore as New York Cities Violent Crime figures fell, hospital admissions due to violent crimes increased, which suggests something is not quite right.

http://www.villagevoice.com/2005-10-25/news/these-stats-are-a-crime/

Also as US Medical Services become more advanced, having had years of gun experience not dissimilar to working in a combat zone in some cases. They have developed new techniques, new technologies and new skills, and you now stand a far better chance of surviving a gun shot than you even did a decade ago, resulting in lower murder rates in parts of America.

http://www.healthleader.uthouston.edu/archive/General_Health/2003/murderrateplunges-0331.html


The figures are further distorted by differing definitions of offences. Take an offence that seems to be clear cut such as rape, in the US the only rapes recorded in the UCR are female and rape must constitute vaginal penetration.

In the UK rape crimes can be male or female, and the definition of rape includes oral penetration, having sex with a minor and may yet be extended to having sex with a prostitute who has been forcible trafficked or forced to work in the UK sex industry.

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducing-crime/sexual-offences/

http://news.scotsman.com/uk/Call-to-extend-definition-of.3838442.jp

The 2003 Sexual Offences Act has had a major impact on the recording and investigation of sexual offences in England and Wales:

The Sexual Offences Act 2003 was introduced in May 2004 and altered the definition and coverage of sexual offences. In particular, it re-defined indecent exposure as a more serious sexual offence.

[Ardent]

As for Louis Theroux himself, he was born in Singapore, the younger son of the famous American travel writer and novelist Paul Theroux and his British first wife, Anne Castle. His elder brother is the writer and television presenter Marcel Theroux. He is the cousin of American actor Justin Theroux, who starred in films such as American Psycho.

Louis Theroux holds British and American passports and has dual nationality status.

[FREKI]

Man those videos are scary :runaway:

Wouldn't it be better to empty those problem areas, seal them off and relocate the people to more livable places? :shuffle:

It's also more difficult to kill someone with a knife than a gun, and, if guns are outlawed, what do you go to, knives... The point being, that, the level of violence may not actually be that much higher.Outlawing guns doesn't mean it's out of reach to criminals - even here in Copenhagen I could probable be able to get a black market gun in a matter of a few days and a legal one in less than 2 weeks

But yes you are right that the availablity of guns in the US is a large reason for all the murders, but it isn't the only reason, the inequality and the culture is the main reason

[Pennsgrant]

Man those videos are scary :runaway:

Wouldn't it be better to empty those problem areas, seal them off and relocate the people to more livable places? :shuffle:

Thats the only hope I see for the city but then the population you move out of the ghettoes is going to destroy another area, be it another neighborhood in Philadlephia or neighboring suburbs..

The physical setting isnt the issue. Its the people who live in those problem areas who are the problem. You can build new shiny houses for HS dropouts,thugs and drug dealers but at the end of the day they are still going to be HS dropouts,thugs and drug dealers.

The state of Pennsylvania is a very rural state with extremely liberal gun laws which for the most part isnt a problem. However Philadlephia being a city in Pennsylvania is very urban and is full of criminal deviants,mix the 2 together and its a toxic mix , a paradise for criminals.

NYC has much more power over its state hence the gun and criminal laws are ridiculously tough in NYC which makes criminals from NYC make a Bee Line for Philly a quick 80 miles away.