Crime in third ward

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Crime in the US
Crime levels in Houston region have been increasing over the years (Settles 200). Residents never feel safe albeit the increasing number of security personnel deployed in the region. Almost without exception, residents from the third wad consider themselves victims. In the long run, the residents are right, and new measures need to be put in place by the authorities to reduce the high levels of crime. What worries most residents from the third ward is not the trend of crime, but the future of their children. Residents need to understand the reasons behind the sharp increase in crime in the region for to make recommendations to the authorities for action. Why are crime rates increasing over the years? What are the impacts of such crime-related activities to the people and the development of the region? It is certain that, understanding the young generation and national laws prevailing in Houston are vital to tackling the menace of crime in Houston.
There is increasing anxiety in Houston and America at large on the issues of drug use among the youth, permissiveness, deteriorating academic standards among the youth, hedonism and the emergency of the ghetto underclass (FBI). All those under these facets are youths who are often vulnerable when it comes to crime related issues. The new laws that allow individuals to own guns and other weapons have also increased crime rates as users have minimal education on their safety and use. Children take advantage of their parents’ weapons to commit the crime, because of the high level of permissiveness in the society.

Such fears clearly indicate that the current society in the region is on the skids.
America as a whole has recorded high rates of violence and crime in the past compared to other nations like Canada, Europe and Japan (Hipp). Cases of murder are increasing each day, and this has put the authorities on the spot to come up with new ideas of tackling the tumbling generation. Baltimore recorded high rates of shooting that went up by 82.5% by the end of 2014. In the year 2015 alone, there have been more than 900 shootings in Chicago, and this was a 50% increase from previous years. Murder rates increased by a high margin of 20% in New York City while Los Angeles recorded an increase in violent crime by 35%. Houston had a high murder rate of 55% that was up 10% from previous years, a security trend that should be of concern to the residents and authorities at large.
Currently, there are increasing cases of robberies, assault and rape in the third ward, and this has become their national mythology. The US and third ward have lived with the grim heritage for longer periods, and there is a need to look for lasting solutions to the menace because they have negatively impacted on the economy and the relationships of citizens. The region is becoming unglued, but the important question is not how it compares with others, but whether the authorities have let their policies of containing violence to break down.
Banes a senior policeman from the third ward confirms that violence in the region and America as a whole is increasing at an alarming rate. According to him, the probable indicator of the future increase in crime is the relatively high murder rates in the region. The chances of an individual being murdered in the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s were relatively low (Mishra et al. 40). This changed over the years, and current people are being murdered on a daily basis. However, the instances of black-white disparity during violence are decreasing considerably. The increasing crime rates level are as a result of many journalists’ concentration in cities like Washington and New York, making these places more publicized compared to other regions.
Giving more attention to matters of crime in the main stream media is crucial, as it sensitizes individuals on their role to combat the vice. Increased publicity can also trigger the government to lay down strict measures that can reduce the levels of crime in the long run. Government intervention is very important when it comes to tackling important issues like the crime that affect the people negatively. The mass media should also avoid being bias and provide accurate information even when other agencies provide contradicting statements on the levels of crime in the third ward and USA as a whole.
Crime rates in Houston and US at large have been increasing because of unfair rulings that have been made in the courts. Victims of incorrect rulings often decide to venture into a life of crime because of their rebellious nature or the conditions that exist inside the prisons. Additionally, drugs are a bane, and this does not matter how people look at them. When users are addicted to drugs, they often engage into any acts of crime to fuel their supply.
People who are neglected by their family members and those who are depressed can easily engage into criminal activities with ease. Most of them come from abusive pasts while others have mental problems that need to be treated before they get out offhand. Violence in the media has also increased the numbers of crime in the society, and this is usually more among those who are young. Such minds never differentiate between reality and fiction making them vulnerable. Other crimes causes include regionalism, racism, and politics.
It is vital to note that crime is an important aspect that should be discussed in the society level. Crime affects every member of the society directly or indirectly. The ultimate cost of crime in any form is the loss of life while other costs include loss of property, income, and increased medical costs. Victims of crime often decide to strengthen their security through the use of stronger locks, parking in securer regions that are expensive and security alarms, and all these often increases the expenses level of individuals.
In conclusion, Crime generates considerable costs to the nation, community, society and individuals as a whole. There is a need to estimate the overall costs of crime for purposes of evaluating different programs like community policing and drug abuse treatment. The effects of crime can last for long periods while the serious nature of the crimes should never be the basis of how victims respond. The thing that makes crime inevitably hard to cope with is the notion that they were committed deliberately by other individuals, and this often makes victims vulnerable and in some case very powerless. The police have a mandate of ensuring safety to all the people, but this can only be possible if they get support from the media and society as a whole.

Works Cited
Banes, Richard. Personal interview. 30th October 2015.
FBI. “Crime in the United States–2011.” fbi.gov 2012.
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/persons-arrested/persons-arrestednpapers3://publication/uuid/325DB52C-0838-4E23-9FA4-DB5C9D8B0555
Hipp, J. R. Assessing Crime as a Problem: The Relationship Between Residentsʼ Perception of Crime and Official Crime Rates Over 25 Years. 2010.
http://cad.sagepub.com/cgi/doi/10.1177/0011128710382264
Mishra, Sandeep, and Martin Lalumière. “Is the crime drop of the 1990s in Canada and the USA associated with a general decline in risky and health-related behavior?” Social Science and Medicine 68.1 (2009): 39-48.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.09.060
Settles, Tanya, and Bruce R Lindsay. “Crime in post-Katrina Houston: the effects of moral panic on emergency planning.” Disasters 35.1 (2011): 200-219.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20735458
Interview
Interview with Bane Richards a senior police officer at Third Ward at 1600Hrs on the 30th October 2015
Me: Good after noon sir?
Banes: Good afternoon to you.
Me: Where do you work, and for how long?
Banes: I am a senior police officer at the third ward region, with an experience of 15 years.
Me: Compare the crime rates before and now in the region?
Banes: The rates of crimes have been increasing through the years, and this is a trend that if not treated with care can affect the future generations.
Me: How was the crime rate in the past?
Banes: The rates of crime were low, and this was a similar situation in the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960. However, there have been changes, and now murders that were low are witnessed on a daily basis.
Me: What might be the reasons behind the increased crime rates?
Banes: The increased rates of crime are as a result of media bias, where journalists only concentrate on few places as opposed to collecting information from different regions and coming up with succinct figures that can be used by the government and other security agencies. The permissiveness nature of children, drugs and the increased number of mental cases have also fueled crime rates to higher levels. Finally, racial discrimination and the increased publicity of white policemen when they deal with blacks is an issue that should be looked into to ensure reduced cases of crime in Houston and the USA as a whole.
Me: Do you think the crime rates will continue to increase or decline in the future?
Banes: The crime rates in future are not certain, but with clear measures set in place there is a possibility of a decline, and this will help the people coexist peacefully with one another.
Me: What measures can be taken to combat crime
Banes: As mentioned earlier there are very many measures that can be taken to combat crime, one of them, and which is important is to provide strict policies or laws that ensure maximum sentences for offenders, and also education to the public on how to cope with different issues like depression and stress. The society should also be able to cooperate with the authorities and provide vital information that can lead to the arrest of the offenders before they commit the crime.
Me: what are the effects of crime to the people, society, community, and the national government?
Banes: Crime puts a strain on costs on both the government and individuals who are in the society. Individuals lose property, income or even incur large sums of money treating them. The government also increases their costs due to policing and treatment of drug users a fact that affects their budget in the long run. Individuals are known to become powerless and vulnerable in the event of criminal activities that affect them directly.
Me: Thank you very much for the information Mr. Banes, and hope to see you again.
Banes: You are welcome and feel free to contact me in case you need more information on the topic.