Crime and Youngstown

[Towntalk]

The trial will tell all.

In the meantime I have no sympathy for any of them.

[northside lurker]

But he committed a crime ... does that make him a good guy... so what's the beef? Would you want him as a neighbor?

NEW CATAGORY - ROBBERY ARMED AND UNARMED.

No, I certainly would not want to be his neighbor.  But, IMO, that doesn't make it right to lump him in with cold-blooded killers.  If I had to choose, I'd rather live next to an armed robber than a murderer.  For all we know, Paul Brooks kept Robert Brooks from killing the real estate agent in Boardman. (I know it's a stretch)

[Towntalk]

But he committed a crime ... does that make him a good guy... so what's the beef? Would you want him as a neighbor?

NEW CATAGORY - ROBBERY ARMED AND UNARMED.

[northside lurker]

All three photos came from the WYTV report. Was WYTV wrong? Paul Brooks was in on it so his photo is included. Remember what Mayor williams said about the other killing. If you're involved in any way, you're going to be charged with the murder.

From the Tribune

Cops: Search nets guns
http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/547567/Cops--Search-nets-guns.html?nav=5021

Per the Tribune article, Paul isn't currently connected with the murder, just the robbery of the the real estate agent in Boardman.

[Towntalk]

All three photos came from the WYTV report. Was WYTV wrong? Paul Brooks was in on it so his photo is included. Remember what Mayor williams said about the other killing. If you're involved in any way, you're going to be charged with the murder.

From the Tribune

Cops: Search nets guns
http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/547567/Cops--Search-nets-guns.html?nav=5021

[northside lurker]

Vivian Martin Killers

I thought Paul Brooks wasn't involved in Mrs. Martin's murder?

[Towntalk]

Vivian Martin Killers

[Towntalk]

1. From this point onward, when arrests are made their photos should be posted here and preserved.

2. Do you notice that when these people are arrested they try to hide their faces like the cowards they are.

[Rick Rowlands]

And this is coming from someone that we elected to govern us? 

[jay]

I just finished listening to Councilwoman Tarpley on the radio.  The councilwoman made it sound as though blighted vacant homes were the cause of crime and criminals.

[Towntalk]

Vindicator Murder Map

According to this map and articles there were 19 killings in Youngstown. A list is included with the map.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&vps=2&jsv=278a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=700+N+Garland+Ave,+Youngstown,+Mahoning,+Ohio+44505&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=107147239441636336142.00049140f7ada1b417eca

[Youngstownshrimp]

Rick,

I can remember 2000,  iwasthere.  What is scary, was back then it was black on black crime and both the parties were in dispute over criminal activity.  Lately, it is more random especially when innocent people are gunned down coming from church.  My old rental company once had a house on Chalmers and I remember the young man and his girlfriend were executed gangland style, rumor was that my tenant started selling on someone else's turf.  Point is, are these random assassinations a harbinger of wanton killing of whites in predominantly black neighborhoods.  Recently, it was aired wherein a black panther member was recorded yelling in public for blacks to kill "whitey", is this an undercurrent mentality now?

[Rick Rowlands]

Wasn't there 65 homicides in 2000?  And we're at 17 in September?  Even if we doubled this year's rate by the end of the year we would still be half of what was the norm ten years ago.

Things are getting better, but everyone seems to be a pessimist.

[Towntalk]

I realize that the YPD has problems, and I certainly don't blame them for the city's crime problem. This is a community wide problem that requires the fullest cooperation possable, and one way that should be considered is for better cooperation between the radio stations and Crime Stoppers.

Another if it isn't already in place is the creation of sub stations for YPD. There use to be sub stations here but are they still in place?

I realize that the population has shrunk dramatically, and as others have pointed out the revenue that the city brings in has also shrunk making it difficult to expand our police force, but until we bring the crime problem down, not only will more people flee the city, but job bringing businesses will go elsewhere.

I don't profess to have all the answers to this problem, but as someone who loves Youngstown, I want to see the day come when outsiders will look at our city in a better light, and we won't have to live with the stigma of being a dangerous place to live and work.

[northside lurker]

I believe Youngstown's crime rate has been dropping consistently for the last few years.  Certainly, there is still a long way to go, but I think we should be looking at what has been working, and try to enhance that.