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Ted Jankowski
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I've been reading a lot of articles on the web from different newspapers about Cities that have dramatically turned crime around. Not one of the articles so far said a thing about hiring more officers or needing more officers, or needing new vehicles. They all seemed to have some common threads.
1. They all noted "focusing on the small number of criminals who commit the majority of offenses"
2. They all noted "using computers to break down crime patterns"
3. They all noted "moving extra detectives and officers into high-crime areas"
The safest city in the US has a population of only 3,000 more people than the City of Flint has. Yet we Boast, almost 100 more officers then they do.
All the cities that had dramatic reduction in crime credited the policing efforts by the Police force. Some mentioned Weed and Seed, and communtiy policing. But the one factor that seemd to run through all of them was. Effective and concentrated effort by the Police Dept focusing on Crime and where it happens. Terry had posted a link to some Pawn Shop Stats. That was truely excellent. I would think that pawn Shops would be one of the first places to look for evidence when sovling a crime. Since the stats showed that the majority of the items pawned where by felons and usually stolen property.
Computer tracking. Flint has an IT dept. I'm sure that they could design and wirte a simple program to use a database query to look for trends. If not, I'm all for buying (yes I'd vote for a milage) a program that would increase the effectiveness of fighting crime.
Now this is the direction I believe we need to be going. I base this on proven techniques. I'll go home today and read the preliminary findings of our crime committee. And see how thier findings match what has worked in other cities. |
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Sat Jan 14, 2006 9:00 am |
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Adam Ford
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| These seem like good ideas. I think you should mention them to the crime task force. Do you have more info on this city? Are they as poor as Flint is? How is their jobless rate. Regardless I am sure there are various things the police could be doing. Even simple thinks like talking to schools. |
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Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:02 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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| I will be sometime this week putting that information on my website. With Links and copies of these articles. BTW I'm just a private citizen. I don't have a degree nor am I smart enough to figure out the Problems of Crime in this City. thus we have an Appointed group of elitists, to do the thinking for US/ME! Maybe I just misunderstood what they were supposed to be looking into. I thought it was how to bring the Crime Rate down. Dummy me, I Just figured that since, I am not smart enough to be on this "task force" I would do the common sense thing, and steal from other cities success. You know, check out what other communities had done. I'll write more once I see what their preliminary findings are. Then compare that to other Success stories. See if their plan matches what others have already proven to work. |
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Sat Jan 14, 2006 5:38 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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OK, I've read the little announcement. I understand why Ms. Simms may have said the things I heard that she said. I'll know for sure tomorrow when I watch the meeting. They have left basically everything open for investigation and analyzing. Statistics, other department’s examples, etc. They have basically gotten as far as everyone already knows we are. I think to that in order to reassure people that they are actually working on the problem. They should have mentioned that this is where they are started. With information that we already know is a problem. All three of the first recommendations I believe are already being implemented. I believe this is something that Don and the Chief had already decided on as evidenced by different sound bites and interviews. (my criticism has been the speed at which these are being accomplished or implemented.) They mentioned that lack of a contract may be restricting obtaining the 'hgh Quality Officers that Flint needs' In this area I believe Don is right on the money. Only he has dragged his feet in getting it done. But it is the most obvious of the problems. Just not the most important or highest priority to implement. It could be argued that it is. I may even loose that argument. But I don't believe it is the priority. Recommendation #4 is securing funding. But it also refers to 1,2 & 3. I'm going to do more investigation on the numbers of officers for the amount of People and area that the City Police are responsible for. I may have to change one of my opinions (That we need more officers) as I've noticed that some of these Lowest Crime areas/ safest cities have fewer officer / citizen ratios than we currently have. I'm not going there yet. As I've not completed enough of my own research to determine one way or another yet. I admit. I've been guessing we need more officers based on the lack of response and attitude of the officers "ON DUTY" when they respond to a call. BUt, I do need to compare the ratios with Safest Cities and also Cities that have turned crime around. And what their ratios where. It might be that what we need is bigger jails and less officers. I do believe we need something along the lines of a COMPSTAT program here in Flint. We need to be watching Pawn Shops and reviewing items pawned against lists of stolen items. Even if the items are not serialized. If Person "A”s house is broken into and a TV, Clock radio, computer, Watch and stereo is stolen. And a Watch, Stereo and TV are pawned by Criminal "B". Then maybe the police have a suspect they can actually check out. And if it turns out the Criminal "B" lives within three blocks of the Person "A"'s house. The statistics show that it is a good possibility that this is the Thief that broke into that house. I cannot believe no one has though of Bating Car thieves. Take a 95 Firebird. Load it with a Kenwood stereo, install a tracking system on the Car and also in the stereo. As soon as the criminal puts the stereo in the car. It sends a signal. Both can be recovered and used again. to catch the next car thief. They make tracking devices that are battery operated that are smaller than 2 inches that could be installed and don't need to be connected to a battery it has it's own. They can track the stereo right to the house after it has been stolen. Now you have probable cause. You know the car stereo is in the house. The police won't need a warrant now. This is stuff that wouldn't require police actually staking out a vehicle. Just park it on the eastside in the street in front of anyone’s house. It'll be gone within two days. Esp if it is parked on a weekend. I’m just a citizen. But, I think these are some great ideas. All are doable.
But as far as the “Task Force” they have left their findings so far open to getting to the heart of the problem. I think she could have been a bit more forthcoming with where they are at. Maybe explained more or emphasized more at what they were currently looking at. Where people could call with suggestion or who to contact. Or even hinted at some of the things they are currently looking at. Given some actual studies that they are looking at. Something. Two to three hours, once a week. And this is all they had to say. Doesn’t mean they are or are not on the right track. Just means they aren’t very good at conveying information. |
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Sat Jan 14, 2006 11:21 pm |
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terrybankert
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
Ted Jankowski schreef:
OK, I've read the little announcement. I understand why Ms. Simms may have said the things I heard that she said. I'll know for sure tomorrow when I watch the meeting. They have left basically everything open for investigation and analyzing. Statistics, other department’s examples, etc. They have basically gotten as far as everyone already knows we are. I think to that in order to reassure people that they are actually working on the problem. They should have mentioned that this is where they are started. With information that we already know is a problem. All three of the first recommendations I believe are already being implemented. I believe this is something that Don and the Chief had already decided on as evidenced by different sound bites and interviews. (my criticism has been the speed at which these are being accomplished or implemented.) They mentioned that lack of a contract may be restricting obtaining the 'hgh Quality Officers that Flint needs' In this area I believe Don is right on the money. Only he has dragged his feet in getting it done. But it is the most obvious of the problems. Just not the most important or highest priority to implement. It could be argued that it is. I may even loose that argument. But I don't believe it is the priority. Recommendation #4 is securing funding. But it also refers to 1,2 & 3. I'm going to do more investigation on the numbers of officers for the amount of People and area that the City Police are responsible for. I may have to change one of my opinions (That we need more officers) as I've noticed that some of these Lowest Crime areas/ safest cities have fewer officer / citizen ratios than we currently have. I'm not going there yet. As I've not completed enough of my own research to determine one way or another yet. I admit. I've been guessing we need more officers based on the lack of response and attitude of the officers "ON DUTY" when they respond to a call. BUt, I do need to compare the ratios with Safest Cities and also Cities that have turned crime around. And what their ratios where. It might be that what we need is bigger jails and less officers. I do believe we need something along the lines of a COMPSTAT program here in Flint. We need to be watching Pawn Shops and reviewing items pawned against lists of stolen items. Even if the items are not serialized. If Person "A”s house is broken into and a TV, Clock radio, computer, Watch and stereo is stolen. And a Watch, Stereo and TV are pawned by Criminal "B". Then maybe the police have a suspect they can actually check out. And if it turns out the Criminal "B" lives within three blocks of the Person "A"'s house. The statistics show that it is a good possibility that this is the Thief that broke into that house. I cannot believe no one has though of Bating Car thieves. Take a 95 Firebird. Load it with a Kenwood stereo, install a tracking system on the Car and also in the stereo. As soon as the criminal puts the stereo in the car. It sends a signal. Both can be recovered and used again. to catch the next car thief. They make tracking devices that are battery operated that are smaller than 2 inches that could be installed and don't need to be connected to a battery it has it's own. They can track the stereo right to the house after it has been stolen. Now you have probable cause. You know the car stereo is in the house. The police won't need a warrant now. This is stuff that wouldn't require police actually staking out a vehicle. Just park it on the eastside in the street in front of anyone’s house. It'll be gone within two days. Esp if it is parked on a weekend. I’m just a citizen. But, I think these are some great ideas. All are doable.
But as far as the “Task Force” they have left their findings so far open to getting to the heart of the problem. I think she could have been a bit more forthcoming with where they are at. Maybe explained more or emphasized more at what they were currently looking at. Where people could call with suggestion or who to contact. Or even hinted at some of the things they are currently looking at. Given some actual studies that they are looking at. Something. Two to three hours, once a week. And this is all they had to say. Doesn’t mean they are or are not on the right track. Just means they aren’t very good at conveying information.
You have a lot to say I want to read it. Give my eyes some blank space. Please Terry Bankert |
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Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:41 am |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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Touche'
LOL Well I got to actually watch the City Council Meeting in question. It's still going on so I haven't gone back to get the guys name who spoke. So let me make an observation. It seems there are people who are starting to wake up. However, WHERE WERE THEY WHEN THE COUNCIL PURCHASED THE TAHOES OR THE GARBAGE TRUCKS!! Why now are they so upset over Complete towing? I guess I should be just happy that they finally gettig involved. The one gentleman that spoke I thought I was reading one of my own posts. Everybody patting themselves on the back for not bickering. LOL I almost fell out of the Lazy Boy. |
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Sun Jan 15, 2006 2:18 pm |
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Wittgenstein's Poker
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Flint doesn't need any more bright ideas to reduce crime. As any criminologist will tell you, the axiomatic cause of crime is poverty. If Flint could spur economic growth by introducing a tax shelter for new businesses and enterprise then crime would decline.
With that said, there are a few steps supported by empirical evidence and sociological/criminological theory that would prove fruitful:
1. Make non-violent drug prosecutions the lowest priority. The only thing that results from the prosecution of non-violent drug offenders is a culture of nhilism. Once an offender makes his or her way in to the system they are more likely to reoffend--not by criminogenic nature, but by the process of labeling alone.
2. The community must come together to create meaningful after school programs. The criminologist Edwin Sutherland's research found that the idle hand is, in fact, the devil's playground. Criminogenic behavior is learned in intimate social groups--sometimes out of sheer boredom or an expression of a learned social need or value.
3. The community must also popularize and deify the black entrepreneurial spirit in Flint. In order to combat normlessness, the community must communicate a clear message that there are ways out of poverty outside of crime. |
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Thu Jan 26, 2006 4:30 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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| Wittgenstein's Poker, If you are going to post nonsense you can post it over at M-live. Please don't waste our time on here. Poverty doesn't cause crime. If it did. When I was flat broke for almost six months. I would have resorted to crime in order to live. What crimes of late in the FLint journal can you seriously point to as the cause being poverty? NONE! Come back with a thesis that actually holds water. Was crime in Flint at the levels they are today during the Depression? I doubt it. |
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Thu Jan 26, 2006 5:42 pm |
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Wittgenstein's Poker
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| Wow, what a devastating attack. I feel thoroughly destroyed by your illogical confusion of necessary and sufficient conditions and complete lack of scientific evidence. Please school me in your ways of divination and solipsism. |
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Thu Jan 26, 2006 6:56 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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OK SMARTASS!! By your reasoning then. Poverty causes crime. Hmm. Ever heard of Ken Hamblin? How about the Cato Institute. http://www.cato.org/testimony/ct-wc67.html
Crime is caused by people with no respect for others. Ken has talked many times about his life and growing up poor. Never once considered robbing someone. Poverty has nothing to do with the reason for crime. You can twist facts any way you want to. If you conveniently leave out contributing factors. Then draw a conclusion on some of the related consequences. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/reentry/responsible.html Now, I’m not going as far as to say that Single parents are the Cause of crime. That would be just a stupid a statement as Poverty being the cause for crime.
Ever heard of Enron? How about Tyco? Those guys were in extreme poverty, they ended to steal a few more millions in order to get out of poverty. Yeah that’s the ticket. But now they are unemployed. So you might have something there. Now had you said poverty is a result of crime. That could be probably be more provable. Poverty, is dependent on what a person does. You can be born into it. But you still can make the decision not to stay in it. Just looking at my own family. Poverty never once played a part in which of my uncles ended up in jail. Nor did whether my father had a dad growing up had influence over whether he would commit crimes. He made a conscience decision to make his life better. He did an excellent job. His mother was on welfare most of her life. Different, fathers for many of his brothers and sisters, Abusive boyfriends his mother dated. A grandfather who was a borderline tyrant. Yet he turned out pretty good. Quit school at 15 to get a job. He was almost 50 when he finally got his high school diploma. Now, many of my uncles have been in and out of jail and prison. But, he hasn’t nor has some of his brothers and sisters.
However, because they grew up in poverty, That didn’t make them criminals. They made choices. I have a cousin that grew up in poverty. She turned out pretty darn good. Never been in jail or committed a crime. I also have cousins who grew up with a father and mother in the home. They made more money than my father did. The oldest has never had a problem with the law and the others keep ending up in jail except for the youngest. Now neither one of them are in poverty. Even when they are out of jail they are not in poverty. LOL They both work. And when they don’t have work. They find it. Even make much more than I do. One lives in a huge house in Fenton. The other has a house in Goodrich with a lot of land.
It is just such a ridiculous idea. That crime poverty causes crime. Or that a lack of jobs causes crime. I hear it all the time. Yet I never hear anybody give a legitimate reason or point to a specific criminal action that can clearly show that they committed the crime because they live in poverty or don’t have a job. Take the Flint journal in the last week. Hmm what crime stories have been there. Oh the flint police officers dealing drugs. Yep, Poverty caused them to do it. Wait no, The lack of a job did. Hmm that doesn’t fit either. Then there is the guy in Argentine Shooting his neighbors dogs. I guess he is doing that because he doesn’t have a job or is living in poverty. Oh and I see Helmkay pleaded no contest. LOL Hmm he is the owner of Angelo’s. Definitely living in poverty, But he is unemployed, at the moment, as he is a business owner, and his current residence is in JAIL.
Now, there are not enough details in the other stories to judge whether the person accused is working or lives in poverty. But, you cannot find me one person who is robbing, stealing or killing, because they don’t have a job or living in poverty. And that the reason they are committing these crimes, is that they do not have a job, or are living in poverty. It is just as stupid as saying since there is clear evidence that most of the criminals in prison didn’t have fathers living at home growing up that they turned out to be criminals. There are just a good studies that prove that one also. They both cannot be right. |
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Thu Jan 26, 2006 11:50 pm |
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Wittgenstein's Poker
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“OK SMARTASS!! By your reasoning then. Poverty causes crime. Hmm. Ever heard of Ken Hamblin? How about the Cato Institute.”
Of course I have heard of the Cato Institute, any libertarian has. This still doesn’t change the fact that personal testimony is not evidence. This Cato article states that welfare causes crime; I am not arguing against that contention. Welfare isn’t now and will never be an effective method of fighting poverty.
Again, you continue to repeat the same logical fallacies. This time you even provided evidence that you didn’t understand what you read regarding father figures.
From your DOJ article:
“In closing, let me say, before anyone says it for me, that we’re talking here about associations, likelihoods, and rough predictions of criminality. Correlation is not causation. No doubt many other variables enter into the equation.”
The rest of your incomprehensible essay is one large statement of personal testimony. You ramble on about Enron for a couple of lines of disanalogy, mistake sociological determinism with causal or reliability mechanisms, and then mistake micro level evidence for proof of a macro level trend. I don’t think you even understand what it means to say poverty causes crime. You are arguing against a claim that isn’t being made. |
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Fri Jan 27, 2006 1:35 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
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| OK if it was one personal example. I could see it not being taken as reliable or even scientific. However, when there are hundreds or different personal examples by not just myself but others. There might be something wrong with your assumption that Poverty causes crime. (See my other post. on the topic.) Looking on a map with Poverty and crime static’s overlaid. There is NO suggestive or even compelling statistical data that would lead anyone with common sense to believe that or even suggest it! Once presented with FACTS, not a one sided study designed to promote a liberal view. So that people do not have to take responsibility for the choices they make. To justify wasting my tax dollars on worthless programs. |
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Fri Jan 27, 2006 7:55 pm |
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