Comments on: Atlanta, We Have A Crime Problem

By: Annie

Annie — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:51:46 +0000

Thanks for the comments, Eddie – Glad you got your stuff back, too. I am no expert, but evidently, for juveniles, there is some kind of point system that determines their punishment and it ends up that they don’t really ever get any.

By: eddieP

eddieP — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 22:59:15 +0000

a litte off topic but…
i live in grant park and we have been experiencing many break-ins that really started back when school began. apparently many of the kids who go to south side high school would rather skip school and go around the neighborhood randomly stealing stuff. they actually hit my house and took a bunch of electronic items which i was lucky enough to recover BUT only because of a vigilant neighbors efforts. it is my understanding that one of the kids was caught but will probably not see any jail time b/c as i am learning – fulton county is terrible with actually getting these kids to pay for what they have done. the inspector on my case actually said the best way to prevent these crimes is to either get a mean dog or buy a 9mm or both. terrific.

By: Rashid Z. Muhammad

Rashid Z. Muhammad — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 03:26:41 +0000

Annie,

I completely understand where you’re coming from and don’t disagree with your visceral reaction, I just wanted to add a little perspective.

By: drew

drew — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 05:30:50 +0000

I keep checking back on this thread and listening up for further information on the shoot and release program. I hope that this gets proper coverage without casting a pall on the development in the area, that was never the intention of my first post.

BTW, Annie, I live OTP on the southside… and *my* car was recently broken into… so that crime isn’t just in the L5P/EAV corridor~ :(

I suppose the thing that I find fascinating (in the same way that I find watching political Sunday morning chat shows fascinating (honestly)) is the migration of certain people away from EAV because it didn’t retain the “spanking new and utterly hip” cachet that it had five or six years ago when everything was booming and the village was full of hip new shops and restaurants.

As you say, it’s totally a difference in ‘vision’ for the area… the long-termers versus the short-termers. Plus, the people who’ve been there awhile were younger when they bought in. They were blithely unaware of the realities of the security they needed to consider.

We become more cautious when we get older; more cautious. And yeah, a whole lot of residents of EAV will continue to love it, but they’ll likely be very up to speed on the dangers to avoid.

Like Judge Jackson. :/

By: Annie

Annie — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 04:19:50 +0000

Agreed, Rashid – Great comments, as usual. That being said, I still maintain that it is completely fucked up that someone saw this guy shoot someone in the face, killing them, and the guy was given bond.

I understand your argument, but my heart and gut do not. They say that what happened was not right, and I usually go with what they say, as my head is less than reliable. :-)

I’m a blogger, not a journalist, and I think that excuses the emotion I exhibit concerning the matter.

By: Rashid Z. Muhammad

Rashid Z. Muhammad — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 02:16:04 +0000

This is messed up for sure but, in the context of pinning it to a perceived increase in crime, this data point is meaningless by itself. Are you suggesting that there is some ambivalence being exhibited toward crime that wasn’t there before?

The DA suggests this but, again, if it is supposed to have a causal relationship with a rising crime rate we need to see trends over time and differentials with other jurisdictions. Also, any evidence pointing to further deviant behavior by those out on bail would help as well.

If Howard’s side had things their way, everybody (regardless of how flimsy the evidence, and I see nothing saying that there is an open shut case here) would be detained indefinitely but, thankfully, that’s not how the legal system works. At least for non “Terrorists.” There is clearly a set of standards that have to be met in order for the accused to be held without bond and if the judge somehow violated those standards he should be disciplined, otherwise we are being capricious which is the antithesis of what our system strives to be.

What the system is would be another conversation…

By: Annie

Annie — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 14:27:03 +0000

Great job, Mary! I would love to hear what they come up with – If I don’t post a followup, and you see more on this story, please post it in our suggestions.

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:52:45 +0000

Annie, I actually emailed the AJC about this issue a few days ago and received a prompt response from editor Angela Tuck who told me she would look into it. No word yet, but hopefully it will let them know that people are paying attention and would like to see some coverage.

By: Annie

Annie — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:02:39 +0000

Agreed, Drew, but if you look at crime stats, this is not just in southeast Atlanta – crime has increased in other parts of intown Atlanta also.

Many residents in the area are politically active, and I don’t think that anyone thought they were moving to Roswell. I also don’t think many people will pull up and move to the burbs – People seem to feel strongly about doing what it takes to turn the neighborhoods down here around.

Mary, concerning the bond of this creep who (allegedly, but with witnesses) murdered the Yacht Club owner: I cannot figure out why there has not been more coverage and more public outcry. I do hope that others will speak out about this. It is shameful and a sad state of affairs.

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:19:48 +0000

Yes I concur
i live in unincorp. dekalb just east of EAV and
its like chain all your junk together or its gonna get stolen after 2 break-ins at my home it was time to get a Glockhow ever that didnt stop some guy I kid you not from stealing my trash cans!!! early on a sundy morning while i slept
i just wok up in timie to see him pulling out of the drive way. I guess it shows just how smart some of these residents are around here. “You mean the guy got shot in that guys driveway for trying to steal what?”
” Oh well i guess after the guys house got broken into that many times he must have felt like he might have gone into the basement again,
damn i love that Castle Law!!!!”

Get The Drop On Them….