Letter: Crime rate deplorable in BR

My letter is to address crime here in Baton Rouge. There seems to be an alarming rate of young black males who are victims of homicide or are committing the homicide. The victims and the perpetrators are getting younger and younger these days. These incidents are alarming and frightening.

On Dec. 1, 2004, my brother, 25, was victim of an home invasion and homicide. The accused murderer was sentenced in 2011. Though that was a painful chapter in my life, the fact still remains that crime is still on the rise. Many residents are becoming more afraid of the violent crimes surrounding their communities.

I think that there should be more crime prevention and crime “watch” groups within the communities. I feel that more police officers should be hired and work within the communities and neighborhoods and also in the local elementary and high schools.

The more secure the neighborhoods are, the safer the residents will feel. Another thing that may help with decreasing the crime rate is the punishment being given to the criminal. Many criminals seem to get a “slap-on-the-wrist” punishment, which often leads to them becoming a habitual offender.

A juvenile committing a crime often figures that because of their age, they won’t be punished — and in some cases they’re not. This, however, results most times in them becoming a habitual offender at a young age. The dropout rate of juveniles leaves them with much idle time to participate in negative activity. There should be workshops and programs for youth discussing crime prevention and furthering education.

There are other contributing factors to crime, such as drugs and guns. It will take crucial law enforcement and the help of the community to keep these negative forces out. It is sad and heartbreaking to say that the majority of people killed in the parish are young black men. Most of the perpetrators are also.

I would like to see the crime rate decrease tremendously. I would like to see the communities and law enforcement come together and prove to these criminals that their acts of violence are totally unacceptable.

If everyone adhered to the law, then there will be less crime activity.

Without a solution, crime rates are going to keep rising and go beyond the point of no return. This will leave many families sad and heartbroken and a lot of them will be left with unanswered questions. There will also be a lot of black males lost to the prison system, never being able to lead a normal, productive life.

TAMECO CHINN

• urse

Baker

Comments

1) Comment by firefly225 - 02/01/2013

I am so sorry for your loss, Tameco. I, too, lost a friend to a homicide that happened in BR. It was completely random and the murderers were 2 black males. I think the biggest issue that no one ever wants to address is these people's upbringings. It seems like a cultural problem that few kids in the black population are being raised by their own married mom and dad until they reach adulthood. When kids are abandoned by their parents and left to be raised by the grandparents, or dad leaves, or mom doesn't know who the "baby- daddy" is, etc.. it leads to situations like this. It seems like an epidemic that is happening to this particular race and then look who 15,16,17,18+ years later is committing most of the murders here--- black males. It seems like a correlation to me. Now, I will not make a sweeping stereotypes because I recognize Adam Lanza and most mass murderers lately have been white. All races have their fare share of crime. However, just watch the local news and you cannot deny that most local murders are happening at the hands of blacks. It's popular to quickly say just have more police. That is a reactive "solution." Until the heart of the matter is addressed and these kids are being raised to be civilized, educated and productive members of society, no amount of police force will help a culture crisis.

2) Comment by bourbon-soda - 01/01/2013

Society is replete with idiots-savant who are competent in one circumscribed endeavor but crazy otherwise.

3) Comment by Whatnow - 31/12/2012

Attila, I wouldn't either.

4) Comment by Whatnow - 31/12/2012

****Comment Removed for Violation of Terms of Use****

5) Comment by Attila - 31/12/2012

@spqr: Not a cheap shot...just an observation gleaned from the comments of the writer. Your personal opinion on my status as an adult is just that. You have a right to yours and I have a right to mine. Who is to say which one is right....However; when someone makes comments that are blatantly wrong, and ill informed, in a public forum they are subject to being called on it. I stand my statement based on what I read of Twinkie's comments...I did not say she was a bad person...I have no knowledge of what kind of person she is...However; based on what I have read I would not want this person teaching my children.

6) Comment by shutupandthink - 31/12/2012

@Atilla spqr is correct Twinkie may be an excellent educator if she sticks to the curriculum, and not inject her personal views. But I am quite sure Twinkie has never been the victim of a serious crime otherwise her faith in the police would not be quite so strong, TWINKIE our police force is REACTIVE to crime there simply is not enough police personnel to be in every neighborhood to prevent crime from happening. In fact in your moment of need an officer in more than likely several minutes away if you get the opportunity to call for help. I hope you never find yourself in that situation cause then it is too late to grab your gun you had banned to protect yourself, your family or my grandchildren in your classroom!

7) Comment by DMJ - 31/12/2012

Here's the thing....those that commit violent crimes tend to be the kind of people who don't think about the consequences of their actions. If they did....they wouldn't commit violent crime. What's another 5 years if (you think) you're not going to get caught? And where to put these criminals? More for-profit prisons? How about... let's not swell the ranks of the inmate population with non violent drug offenders like every other civilized country? Just a thought...

8) Comment by spqr - 31/12/2012

Relax, Atilla. Twinkie's opinion does not make her a bad educator. But your cheap shot at her does make you a poor excuse for an adult.

9) Comment by Attila - 30/12/2012

Thank God that Twinkie never had the opportunity to indoctrinate, I mean attempt to teach my kids. I say "attempt" because it is obvious by many of her posts that she is clueless, but more than likely an incompetent teacher.

10) Comment by bourbon-soda - 30/12/2012

http://www.scribd.com/full/45641922?access_key=key- 1hjnk9vx8y6t7jo2ns21 or google [the color of crime report]

11) Comment by Whatnow - 30/12/2012

twinkie1cat correlates every article into her fight to keep her job and extra gravy. As a teacher, you would think she would do some research on topics that she knows nothing about. And I would like her to research how many killings of whites on whites done in Ascension Parish. The last mass (how many in a mass? ) murder was the Marchand's who had their throats slit by knives. No guns there, and the murder was not done by whites. The_Host is right. This is not about guns, it's about government control. I don't care how many people you fingerprint or make register their guns, it's only going to affect the good guys and never the bad guys. They will still have the big bad guns, twinkie1cat. Making the law abiding citizens register their guns and fingerprinting owners may be the first step in confiscating all guns. The government will know where to find them easier. And there are just too many government advocates that want all gun control. "Among the many misdeeds of British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest." - Mohandas Gandhi

12) Comment by bourbon-soda - 29/12/2012

"That abundance of Thefts and Robberies are daily committed in and about the City, and great Numbers yearly suffer Death for those Crimes is undeniable: But because this is ever hooked in when the Usefulness of Charity-Schools is called in Question, as if there was no Dispute, but they would in a great measure remedy, and in time prevent those Disorders, I intend to examine into the real Causes of thosea Mischiefs so justly complained of, and doubt not but to make it appear that Charity- Schools, and every thing else that promotes Idleness, and keeps the Poor from Working, are more Accessary to the Growth of Villany, than the want of Reading and Writing, or even the grossest Ignorance and Stupidity." - An ESSAY on CHARITY, and Charity-Schools. - Bernard Mandeville, The Fable of the Bees or Private Vices, Publick Benefits, Vol. 1 [1732]

13) Comment by Springer98 - 29/12/2012

I don't think twinkie1cat has even a clue as to the caliber or velocity of an "assault rifle" compared to a high powered "hunting" rifle! The typical AR 15 is calibered in .223 or 556 NATO. The typical high powered rifle is capable of much more destruction to the meat of an animal than a so called assault rifle! Also, every time that black on black killing comes up for discussion, she comes out with the same old story of all of the crime committed by white folks in Livingston & Ascension parishes. If there is any question of the disproportionate amount of homicides in the black community, just look at the homicides map that is shown daily on this site! Look at the killings in the black parts of town & then look at Central!! I guess if you ignore the problem, then it will go away!

14) Comment by The_Host - 29/12/2012

True Assault Weapons are rarely used in crimes. All guns were originally created for one purpose, to kill. Your post only shows your total ignorance of not only guns but hunting and freedom/liberty. Aren't you married to a black guy or something? I want to "adjust" the 13th Amendment to mean I can keep 1 slave, you know just like a single shot gun. Oh and I want to adjust the 1st Amendment so that ignorant fools such as yourself that want to tax ammo can pay for each word you say with your 1st Amendment. Wow to read your post is truly to understand how little some people like yourself understand. Twinkie have you ever shot a deer before? Have you ever shot a gun? I am thinking NO and you couldn't even spell the word ballistics much less comprehend it's meaning.

15) Comment by twinkie1cat - 29/12/2012

BigHug guns do contribute to crime. Assault rifles are often used in crimes and those types of guns were created for one purpose, killing human beings. If you shoot a deer with one the meat will be scattered all over the woods. If you shoot a rabbit, there will be no rabbit. Assault weapons belong with the military and the police only...... Rifles and shot guns, if a person gets a thrill out of going out and killing God's animals and then prepares and eats the animal it is not against the Bible. Let them have them and single shot pistols. And all guns should be registered, microchipped and tracked so the federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms office knows who owns them and where they are. The license should be renewed regularly and the owner required by law to report within 48 hours if a gun comes up missing. If the owner fails to do so and the stolen gun is used in a crime, the owner should be fined and the fines used to pay for the licensing enforcement. Meanwhile, tax the ammunition to pay for the supervision.

16) Comment by twinkie1cat - 29/12/2012

Problems with crime are the result of schools that don't meet the needs of the children by providing only fully certified teachers and a variety of paths to graduation and the kind of support they need to see dropping out as not being an option. It also is the result of the faith community not doing its job and enticing children and youth into quality churches that don't chastise them for the clothes they where but support the PUBLIC schools. I do not agree that people don't get cruel enough sentences in Louisiana. If anything they go overboard......... Now as for the mention of crime being mostly with black folks, every night we see folks from Livingston Parish on the news, white people, on the news for cooking meth, domestic violence, and driving drunk. Just last week a mostly white group that worked for the Clerk of the Courts' office in Baton Rouge was accused of redistributing drugs that had been taken as evidence. The same goes for mostly white Ascension Parish, plus they also shoot each other. The problems are not racial but they have a socio- economic component. Where people feel hopeless and the government refuses to create the programs that provide repeated quality opportunities to have a better life because they are full of selfish conservatives, crime increases.

17) Comment by HerbF - 29/12/2012

Host: Well said.

18) Comment by jdk944 - 29/12/2012

President Johnson's War on Poverty is a major culprit in what we now see. This "good intention" idea has created "poverty mentality". It has created a lack of accountability and responsibility. He created having babies for money. It created depending on someone else ALWAYS for what YOU SHOULD be primarily responsible for. Bottom line, it's contributed to the breakdown of the family. Hello!!! Man's ideas will not work for he has become arrogant and turned away from God because he KNOWS BETTER!! And then we are surprised by this????

19) Comment by spqr - 29/12/2012

Ouch, "Host"! That hurt. But it is the truth. And the black leadership is very quiet on this issue.

20) Comment by The_Host - 29/12/2012

How about instead of all these government fantasy programs and having the tax payer figure out new creative ways to blow money we try to place the blame where it belongs on the PARENTS! How about more than the occasional "March" and some real action. No one in the white community can do it for you. The fix is not going to come in the mail like a welfare check from the government. We can't afford to have 4 different public learning systems for people of all ages who decided to screw off the first time around while everyone else got educated. Oh and if you are looking at living a life in prison you probably weren't going to be a great productive member of society in the first place no matter what color you are. If every city that had BR's problems like New Orleans, Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore, DC and Philly etc etc take your pick would have the exact same amount of black males dying due to KKK lynchings I bet we might hear more about the problem from so called black leaders. But since this is blacks killing blacks, crickets is all we ever hear. Kind of makes it hard to play the down trodden society is out to get my race games when all you have is blacks killing blacks. No race card to play in that deck just a Personal Responsibility Card no one seems to want to touch!

21) Comment by [e-mail] - 29/12/2012

The only immediate solution is to arm a neighborhood patrol and get them before they get another of you. Of course, this solution is a hard choice because if one should harm or interfere with any one of these "children" wandering around in the late hours of darkness one would doubtless wind up like the guy in Florida, i.e. on trial for causing that young black male to assualt him and force him to defend himself. Just cower and hope none come your way.

22) Comment by Hello Baton Rouge - 29/12/2012

Kip Holden disagrees. He says crime is not out of control http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwTtSl-Ayc0

23) Comment by Bighug - 29/12/2012

Sorry about the loss of your brother, but guns don't contribute to crime. I have owned guns for over 60 years, and not a single one of them ever caused a crime. There were two incidents in which they actually prevented crimes.

24) Comment by tradewinns - 29/12/2012

"If everyone adhered to the law, then there will be less crime activity". there would be no crime if everyone adhered to the law. while there are some homicides where a totally innocent individual is killed, for the most part the murders in BR are criminals killing criminals. may sound horrible, but i don't care if one drug dealers kills another. they clean the street much better than our "justice system". when an innocent is killed there should be no stopping our police and our already failing justice system. the murderer should be caught, convicted and executed in minimum time. curently that is a joke in our "justice system".