Richmond Coffee House

[wrldcoupe4]

True, but this is the lowest rate in decades... and there was a steady decline in crime throughout last year which continued into this year.

Also, last year by April 1st there were 28 homicides.. this year 6. Even excluding the initial abnormal occurrence at the beginning of the year, it's still significant

[vdogg]

Richmond homicide rate drops precipitously

than anyone cares to remember. The peak came in 1994 when drug wars, domestic disputes and random violence turned city streets into killing fields. That year a Richmonder fell roughly once every 55 hours, a stunning 160 deaths in all. The figure put Richmond No. 2 nationally among major cities in homicides per 100,000 residents. The city ranked third in 1995. Over the years my fair hometown has cracked the nation's Top 20 list for murders as regularly as Boston gang boss Jimmy Bulger shows up on the Most Wanted Fugitive log. Among major Virginia locales, it invariably ranks No 1.

Now this.

Between Jan. 1 and March 31, just a half-dozen deaths by homicide occurred in the city. If the rate continues (and hardly anyone dares predict such a thing), Richmond would have just 24 deaths this year, after 81 in 2006, 85 in 2005 and 95 in 2004. The best years in a long time occurred earlier in the decade when homicides dipped into the 70s

That's a staggering decline. Looks like the renewal efforts are starting to pay off.

[Cadeho]

Unfortunately we had our 7th murder on Easter. And lately they seem to be coming from arguments. We really need anger management here. Guns don't solve anything!

[wrldcoupe4]

Thanks for the link Vdogg... we'd been paying attention to it in the Richmond Coffee House. There's 2 videos that go into details of why the rate may be declining so steeply.

[Cadeho]

Should it have its own thread or should it be here?

In regards to regional cooperation, what ideas would help get rid of the "What's In It For Me" attitude between at least Henrico, Richmond, and Chesterfield? What could unite all of the metro's counties (the ones I didn't mention and Peterburg's)? While I think Richmond gets the short stick when it comes to what it wants and needs, why wouldn't all the counties like to see Richmond enjoy what they do?

[Icetera]

Should it have its own thread or should it be here?

In regards to regional cooperation, what ideas would help get rid of the "What's In It For Me" attitude between at least Henrico, Richmond, and Chesterfield? What could unite all of the metro's counties (the ones I didn't mention and Peterburg's)? While I think Richmond gets the short stick when it comes to what it wants and needs, why wouldn't all the counties like to see Richmond enjoy what they do?

This sounds like it a potentially good thread, though, I for one cannot think of any plausible solutions at this moment. I would love to see some ideas, though. Currently, I live just at the Chesterfield border and refuse to spend my money in Chesterfield due to the seperatism feel I get there.

[BreakfastPills]

One of my biggests concerns with the so-called revitalization is the eradication of low to moderate income housing in the city. Just look at the inflation of property prices and rent in Oregon Hill and Carver. Blech!

[Cadeho]

One of my biggests concerns with the so-called revitalization is the eradication of low to moderate income housing in the city. Just look at the inflation of property prices and rent in Oregon Hill and Carver. Blech!

I encourage it and the destruction of the public housing complexes. The poor aren't victims, a lot of them gave up and would rather believe in hand-outs and not snitching on criminals. I wish they'd make the east end the most expensive place to live and smoke out the roaches.

[rusthebuss]

Unfortunately we had our 7th murder on Easter. And lately they seem to be coming from arguments. We really need anger management here. Guns don't solve anything!

Guns aren't the problem, people are the problem.

[Downtowner]

russ i'm with you on that. Guns don't kill people. People kill people.

[wrldcoupe4]

I think maybe Cam's point was that people need to learn not to use guns to solve their problems. When did Charlton Heston arrive

[Cadeho]

Exactly C... I'm not bashing the 2nd Commandment... this time.

[rusthebuss]

I think maybe Cam's point was that people need to learn not to use guns to solve their problems. When did Charlton Heston arrive

I've been here for a while!

Guns are one of my biggest hobbies

I have some assualt rifles and handguns but have never hurt anyone with them! Its a touchy subject for me, so sorry if you guys take me wrong.

[Downtowner]

yeah russ I can understand that since my dad has a gun collection that belonged to my grandfather and even longer ago so the gun thing I can understand.

[wrldcoupe4]

But Cam WASN'T blaming it on the guns. He was blaming it on the people that use guns to solve their problems instead of other less lethal means.

Edited May 11, 2007 by wrldcoupe4

[Downtowner]

yeah we know coupe

[rusthebuss]

But Cam WASN'T blaming it on the guns. He was blaming it on the people that use guns to solve their problems instead of other less lethal means.

I was just explaining myself. I guess I hear it so much about outlawing guns that it drives me insane because majority of legal gun owners don't hurt anyone. Outlawing guns don't solve anything because criminals are going to get them one way or another. I realized that Cam wasn't blaming guns after i posted my comment so sorry Cam.

Edited May 11, 2007 by rusthebuss

[Downtowner]

Yeah my dad says that he wishes everyone would carry a gun cause that way people wouldn't mess with you. If someone trys to kill you you could have a gun and say my gun is bigger than yours and they wouldn't mess with you. Outlawing guns won't do a thing. I actually think they should have to teach about guns at school about the dangers of them and how you can protect yourself.

Edited May 11, 2007 by Downtowner

[Icetera]

Yeah my dad says that he wishes everyone would carry a gun cause that way people wouldn't mess with you. If someone trys to kill you you could have a gun and say my gun is bigger than yours and they wouldn't mess with you. Outlawing guns won't do a thing. I actually think they should have to teach about guns at school about the dangers of them and how you can protect yourself.

I strongly agree.

[burt]

How many times does anyone hear of a potential victim actually using his firearm in defense? If they fired at suspects as frequently as the reverse, this would be a world of vigilanties.

By far, most gun owners are honest, responsible people. It's the other element that obtains guns by devious means toward whom laws are needed.

Last night, after a Hip Hop concert at The Landmark, VCU police caught and arrested a man near the theatre who fired a shot or two in the air frightening a throng of people leaving the premises.

I'd be willing to bet the perpetrator came by his weapon illegally.

[BreakfastPills]

I encourage it and the destruction of the public housing complexes. The poor aren't victims, a lot of them gave up and would rather believe in hand-outs and not snitching on criminals. I wish they'd make the east end the most expensive place to live and smoke out the roaches.

I honestly can't tell if you're kidding or not.

[Cadeho]

I honestly can't tell if you're kidding or not.

Well I like what VCU does althought I wish they'd spare the carriage houses and leave Oregon Hill alone for development. If they increase the value and worth of houses, that's a good thing. Apparently, the richer our city is, the more things it can have, including a better less-neglected retail center downtown.

I wish there was a way to make the East End less poor and more well to do. I am waiting for the day they do bulldoze all of the public housing complexes and replace them with real housing. A lot of those who live there abuse the system and choose to live that way for generations. Those we need to smoke out because they appear to be beyond help. For those who do use them as a leg up, they'll still be able to do that, just not in a public housing complex. VCU seems to be expanding in the east too with the Jefferson Townhouses. Imagine what their little seed will do to the area? As long as they don't start gobbling up Union Hill with a new campus, it'll be fine, but I can see a better mix of residents and possibly safer streets.

Russ, no harm done at all. The only problem I have with the 2nd Amendment is how people treat it a lot don't understand the context for which it was extremely important. We've gotten used to it being a right that some treat it as a God-given right. Prohibition of guns is not a good idea and doing so would be the toughest thing to regulate... if speakeasys (ies?) were a problem, imagine the gun equivalent! It'd probably be worse than the crack wars of the 80s. We'd probably create tons more criminals and they'll really battle it out and we'd be more violent than we are now. But I do think the days of Britain coming back and being a threat are gone... they got their revenege in 1812.

Joey? "My gun's bigger than yours?" What a way to disarm someone, make them feel inadequate about their gun... ... ...

[Icetera]

I am not sure it matters if your gun is bigger or not, since the average thug seems to hold there gun sideways and will probably still miss at pointblank range

[Downtowner]

Cam i'm just saying if that happened then that way they wouldn't mess with you if you had a bigger gun than them.

[Cadeho]

*Recalls the scene in Don't Be a Menace to Society While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood with the drawn guns and the postal truck with the USSR missle in it.*