[StBernard] Crime in St. Bernard

[Westley Annis]

Jer,
 
No way I am reading the whole chapter book you just posted, I read parts.
However, I go back to my original point, you say your interests lie in St.
Bernard (not sure how) but if you spend some of your time you use writing
these chapter books on Westley's site helping St. Bernard than maybe we
would be a little further along.  
 
Is the Crime bad in St. Bernard? ABSOLUTELY NOT.  You can spin it whichever
way you feel you need to but I LIVE HERE and I move around all parts of the
parish daily.  BELIEVE ME, way more than 30% of the population is back,
another misconception on your part.  30% of 67,000 would be 20,000, not a
chance that is all that is back.  Traffic has increased steadily over the
months, out of the parish in the morning and into in the evening.  Also I
have kids who go to school in St. Bernard schools, we have 4,200 kids in
public schools not counting OLPS and Lynn Oaks so are you saying we have
5,000 kids and only 15,000 adults (NO POSSIBLE WAY).  You really need to
check where you get your information from (maybe its Slidell, Covington or
Picayune).
 
Now is it as safe as it was before Katrina? I would say NO but it is
definitely not as scary as you make it sound.  The crime involving the black
kids (WHO WERE CAUGHT) is scary but who is to say this could not have
happened pre-Katrina? That makes no sense.
 
I have wasted too much time on this anyway, the bottom line is that BIANCA
you should come home and be happy and not miserable like others who live
elsewhere but pretend to have St. Bernards interest at heart.  Do you need
to be aware of your surroundings, YES, but that is anywhere in AMERICA, any
ZIP CODE.
 
Again I AM NOT ONLY PROUD TO BE FROM ST. BERNARD, I AM PROUD TO BE LIVING IN
ST. BERNARD!
 
Chad 
 
__________________________________________________________
 
   So, Chad, We're so glad you have decided that safety first is still an
issue

> no matter where once resided and to this, I agree.

> 

> To ignore problems in St. Bernard is to dodge the issue. Firstly, there

are

> appears to be approximately 30% of the populace left to fight problems

> reported in the area. While the parish is still non-populated to the pre-K

> values, or while a shortage of crime fightfighting tools (men, resources,

> money) is still an issues, or deserted homes are a hex and less patrols

are

> visiting day and night, there is no skirting the issues.

> 

> There's nothing wrong with living in St. Bernard. I have done it for over

30

> years. There is a major problem however, in giving people false hopes that

> are is fine in the parish regarding their safety. 

> 

> The blacks (and it could as well have been Mexicans, European-American

drug

> lords, etc..<G>) did call my cousin a W.M.F. (fill in the initials) at

> gunpoint and therefore I know it to be a fact. I can't say the same about

> other robberies, rapes, or other crimes.

> 

> You can relive the old arguments as you wish it. Still, pretending that

> there's no crime or berating the crime, the people who experience it in

St.

> Bernard on a frequent basis is a farce.

> 

> I'm not concerned about New Orleans, Jefferson or other communities as my

> interest lies in St. Bernard. Let's not get into attacks as victims do not

> wish to pretend that their home and vehicle robberies, thefts, their

rapes,

> their vandalism or other unfortunate crimes did not occur. 

> 

> Perhaps you haven't been attacked yet. With God's graces, perhaps you'll

get

> to not experience the misfortune. As a former victim, I know what a

knifing

> feels like (example, it sounds like the rind of a watermelon being

> breached). However, just the treat of a crime is enough to induce

> post-traumatic stress disorder in folks who must now feel anger and

> anxieties. 

> 

> Once again, the police reports are a gauge of approximation as it relates

to

> crimes reported. Many crimes are not reported, but never-the-less may have

> occurred. Being fearless, Chad, is not necessary to realize when any

> community (St. Bernard or Jefferson, etc.) has its problems. Because it

has

> less murders than New Orleans is a testimony to St. Bernard Citizens who

are

> an incredible lot of law-abiding citizens. Any other turn of crassness and

> cruelty of citizens would escalate that figure of the present number of

> major crimes upward.

> 

> Unfortunately, several reasons for the disproportion of crimes per capita

> are as such or could be:

> 

> Firstly, the mental state of folks who have remained or returned to St.

> Bernard. Is the perpetrator more angry with loss of mental facitilies

which

> could have curtailed him/herself into crime? 

> 

> Secondly, is the present populace changing from more settled, happier

Former

> St. Bernardian citizens to other cultures, nationalities, transients,

> illegal aliens, or other outside influences which have replaced many good,

> law-abiding citizens? Perhaps the next census will certify that finding.

> 

> Thirdly, are major crimes easier in St. Bernard post-Katrina than in more

> established communities? Is the atmosphere for crime opportunities

inductive

> to their happenings or is there no major relationship? For one, are there

> less neighborhood watches, less neighbors to monitor unexpected visits

into

> the area, etc.

> 

> Lastly, is the sheriff's dynasty detrimental to true consideration of

crime

> reduction? Is he eager to remove crime and not become in itself part of

the

> problem? (Good leadership, honest and non-corrupted, moral and ethical

> dealings?) Approachable to the community, (open door policy, accountable

to

> the citizens, etc.?).

> 

> "Is St. Bernard Safe? Absolutely." (you say). 

> 

> While it is true that there are places with no crime whatsoever to those

> places which are riddled with criminals. At what spot on the graph would

we

> say that our beloved St. Bernard is situated? I say that there is serious

> crime in any community which has poor resources, citizen morality, corrupt

> leadership, decimated homes and streets and few people to dodge the issues

> that exist. They will not go away, but remain and possibly escalate to the

> point that its law-abiding and moral inhabitants are soon replaced by

> ill-favored and possibly the elderly/disabled who cannot defend

themselves,

> disreputable variables which spew illegal actions around the decaying

> neighborhoods in a gamely manner and the uncaring. These neighborhoods

> are/will become blighted (ie. The lower ninth ward prior to new homes and

> communities post-K) until any good-measures are implicated.

> 

> Crime, our good friend, will never go away until it is made less lucrative

> to those who dispense that action toward others who are weaker or in less

> than a superb position to fight it. Until then, to not fear crime is to

not

> respect its danger or impact. Ignore that it is ongoing in da parish. I'll

> be willing to bet that those who are vigilant and mature to its

consequences

> will disagree that there is little concern (or an anxiety factor) for the

> type of crime folks will experience as a citizen here in St. Bernard. It's

a

> reality show that none of us wants to become part of in our precious days

of

> our lives.

> 

> --jer--