Gang Activity in Buffalo?

[Genoobie]

Why don't you walk down the street where these "kids" live around 2-4 am. See how real they are then.

Funny isn't it? I have (not recently because I don't stay out until 2-4 am anymore) and I have never had a problem. Maybe because I don't *look* scared? The last incident of staying out late was maybe two years ago, cut through what *some* may consider a bad area, no problems. It's *partially* perception. I would probably feel safe walking through most areas of the city because I'm not out to buy drugs and I don't carry a gun.

BTW, Buffalo is not doing too poorly with crime considering how few cops it has compared to other cities its size. But cops aren't crime's greatest deterrent. Good jobs, higher incomes, good economy, good schools, those combined are probably the best deterrent of crime.

See here:

http://www.regional-institute.buffal...lent_crime.pdf

Regards.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Funny isn't it? I have (not recently because I don't stay out until 2-4 am anymore) and I have never had a problem. Maybe because I don't *look* scared? The last incident of staying out late was maybe two years ago, cut through what *some* may consider a bad area, no problems. It's *partially* perception. I would probably feel safe walking through most areas of the city because I'm not out to buy drugs and I don't carry a gun.

BTW, Buffalo is not doing too poorly with crime considering how few cops it has compared to other cities its size. But cops aren't crime's greatest deterrent. Good jobs, higher incomes, good economy, good schools, those combined are probably the best deterrent of crime.

See here:

http://www.regional-institute.buffal...lent_crime.pdf

Regards.

Not looking scared does not factor into the thinking of a drug addict who is looking to get his next fix. It sounds more like you have not had that many opportunities to be put in bad situations. Walk those streets once a week for 6 months and then come back with an opinion.

"Good jobs, higher incomes, good economy, good schools, those combined are probably the best deterrent of crime." This is funny. Even if Buffalo worked night and day on these things, there would still be generations of people who do not want to work a real job because of how they were raised. They know that selling drugs makes more money they 9-10 professionals in the area. A good economy would not effect them. They are out of school and have no desire to go back. There are liberal pipe dreams to fix blighted areas.

[Genoobie]

Not looking scared does not factor into the thinking of a drug addict who is looking to get his next fix. It sounds more like you have not had that many opportunities to be put in bad situations. Walk those streets once a week for 6 months and then come back with an opinion.

"Good jobs, higher incomes, good economy, good schools, those combined are probably the best deterrent of crime." This is funny. Even if Buffalo worked night and day on these things, there would still be generations of people who do not want to work a real job because of how they were raised. They know that selling drugs makes more money they 9-10 professionals in the area. A good economy would not effect them. They are out of school and have no desire to go back. There are liberal pipe dreams to fix blighted areas.

Yes, there are endemic problems with drug use in the city that the suburbs are better able to cover up. I think I would add legalizing drugs to that list to help deter crime.

If I was out walking, weekly, from 2-4 am *and* I have a job, wouldn't there be a problem? My point here is that of course b/w 2-4 am there is increased potential for violent activity, but *I'm* asleep by 11:00pm usually because I have to wake up at 6:00am. Most working people are the same way so the violence doesn't affect them as much (as it doesn't affect me directly). Now, show me stats on murders from 7am to 9pm and show me that those stats are much higher than the burbs (given populations etc) then I will have something to think about. Fact of the matter is, the newspaper just make the city look scarier to help sell papers because people eat that pap up.

Regards.

[raoul duke]

Not looking scared does not factor into the thinking of a drug addict who is looking to get his next fix. It sounds more like you have not had that many opportunities to be put in bad situations. Walk those streets once a week for 6 months and then come back with an opinion.

i do walk some incredibly crappy neighborhoods on a regular basis and at late hours and genoobie does have a point. its kinda like the adage in any big city: if you look like you know where you are going, people will leave you alone. its not foolproof of course, but for 4 years i've had no major incidents and the few close calls have been defusable and/or were avoided.

"Good jobs, higher incomes, good economy, good schools, those combined are probably the best deterrent of crime." This is funny. Even if Buffalo worked night and day on these things, there would still be generations of people who do not want to work a real job because of how they were raised. They know that selling drugs makes more money they 9-10 professionals in the area. A good economy would not effect them. They are out of school and have no desire to go back. There are liberal pipe dreams to fix blighted areas.

while it is true there will always be bad people out there, jobs, better wages, decent economy and better education do have a positive influence. but you can also argue there are people with good jobs, unaffected by the crappy economy and had a great education and they're still as ignorant and stupid as the day they were born.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Yes, there are endemic problems with drug use in the city that the suburbs are better able to cover up. I think I would add legalizing drugs to that list to help deter crime.

Legal or illegal drugs still does nothing for the drug addict who does not have the funds to pay for his habit. That is unless you are saying the government should get into the business of GIVING drugs away for free. Crimes are committed to buy lots of legal things. I just used drugs as an example as they are the most desperate.



If I was out walking, weekly, from 2-4 am *and* I have a job, wouldn't there be a problem? My point here is that of course b/w 2-4 am there is increased potential for violent activity, but *I'm* asleep by 11:00pm usually because I have to wake up at 6:00am. Most working people are the same way so the violence doesn't affect them as much (as it doesn't affect me directly). Now, show me stats on murders from 7am to 9pm and show me that those stats are much higher than the burbs (given populations etc) then I will have something to think about. Fact of the matter is, the newspaper just make the city look scarier to help sell papers because people eat that pap up.

My point is that you are lucky that something has not happened and regardless of what we say here, I am happy that nothing has. My point is that some areas are more prone to risk then others.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

i do walk some incredibly crappy neighborhoods on a regular basis and at late hours and genoobie does have a point. its kinda like the adage in any big city: if you look like you know where you are going, people will leave you alone. its not foolproof of course, but for 4 years i've had no major incidents and the few close calls have been defusable and/or were avoided.


I am happy for this but the numbers do not lie. You are at higher risk in these areas then Main in Williamsville. I hope nothing happens but the risk is still there.


while it is true there will always be bad people out there, jobs, better wages, decent economy and better education do have a positive influence. but you can also argue there are people with good jobs, unaffected by the crappy economy and had a great education and they're still as ignorant and stupid as the day they were born.

I did not say these things do not have a positive effect. My point was these initiatives would not effect the current generation. They would effect the future.

If Buffalo is going to ever get better, a lot of people are going to have to get the shaft. No other way to sugar coat it. If neighborhoods are going to get better then most of the residents in these neighborhoods are going to have to move.

Buffalo is sick with a cancer of sorts. You do not make a cancerous tumor and make it better. You remove the cancer. The liberals are going to hate it but urban gentrification must happen in some parts of the city.

[Dr Funky]

Whats real crime? Since we have 3x as many homicides per capita than NYC I'll beg to differ.

Thats what the majority of the board told me, "Theres no real crime in WNY"



So it must be true right?

It must be fact right?

[Trolls_r_us]

There's one problem with the "I just don't look scared and nothing happens to me" and the "just look like you know where you're going and nobody will mess with you" statements:

Almost all the VICTIMS of crime in Buffalo are from Buffalo, usually the same area as the crime occurs in. I'm sure they didn't look lost. Most of them grew up in that area and are good at the whole "looking tough and not someone to mess with" routine.

At the end of the day, where there are gangs, there will be people getting ****ed up, robbed, and murdered, period.

Look, I'm glad nothing has happened to you. Statistics alone dictate that a relatively small percentage of people who "walk the mean streets at night" are going to be victims of crime.

Still, the fact remains: Certain areas of Buffalo are extremely dangerous. That is not a lie perpetuated by the newspaper.

[Dr Funky]

There's one problem with the "I just don't look scared and nothing happens to me" and the "just look like you know where you're going and nobody will mess with you" statements:

Almost all the VICTIMS of crime in Buffalo are from Buffalo, usually the same area as the crime occurs in. I'm sure they didn't look lost. Most of them grew up in that area and are good at the whole "looking tough and not someone to mess with" routine.

At the end of the day, where there are gangs, there will be people getting ****ed up, robbed, and murdered, period.

Look, I'm glad nothing has happened to you. Statistics alone dictate that a relatively small percentage of people who "walk the mean streets at night" are going to be victims of crime.

Still, the fact remains: Certain areas of Buffalo are extremely dangerous. That is not a lie perpetuated by the newspaper.

But according to some on this board there are no bad areas of WNY?

Because the rest of the country is 2000X worse than any area of WNY

[ghosthunter]

But according to some on this board there are no bad areas of WNY?

Because the rest of the country is 2000X worse than any area of WNY

I think some people just never enter "those" areas. Drive through the Ferry/Wohlers area of Buffalo and then drive through the "bad" parts of Los Angeles - it pretty much looks exactly the same - the big difference being the size of the cities - crime is crime - drugs are drugs - murder is murder - since when did QUANTITY of crime trump QUALITY of crime? Crime sucks - period. And Buffalo has plenty of it.

I would highly recommend purchasing a police scanner and tuning it into the Buffalo Police channels - those men and women aren't just sitting around at Tim Horton's 24/7 - trust me.

[Genoobie]

There's one problem with the "I just don't look scared and nothing happens to me" and the "just look like you know where you're going and nobody will mess with you" statements:

Almost all the VICTIMS of crime in Buffalo are from Buffalo, usually the same area as the crime occurs in. I'm sure they didn't look lost. Most of them grew up in that area and are good at the whole "looking tough and not someone to mess with" routine.

At the end of the day, where there are gangs, there will be people getting ****ed up, robbed, and murdered, period.

Look, I'm glad nothing has happened to you. Statistics alone dictate that a relatively small percentage of people who "walk the mean streets at night" are going to be victims of crime.

Still, the fact remains: Certain areas of Buffalo are extremely dangerous. That is not a lie perpetuated by the newspaper.

Yeah, but why *would* you walk the mean streets at night? Most victims of crime in Buffalo are black. Most people don't have a valid reason to be out at 3:00am at Birchfields. The point *is* there are very few innocent people getting killed and petty crime is actually minimal, but every time there is a murder newspapers gawk and say, "Look, see, it's not safe, move further away..." Why don't newspapers print articles like

"Education in the suburbs suck, students given every opportunity and still can't invent cold fusion!" You get the point...

Regards.

[Dr Funky]

I think some people just never enter "those" areas. Drive through the Ferry/Wohlers area of Buffalo and then drive through the "bad" parts of Los Angeles - it pretty much looks exactly the same - the big difference being the size of the cities - crime is crime - drugs are drugs - murder is murder - since when did QUANTITY of crime trump QUALITY of crime? Crime sucks - period. And Buffalo has plenty of it.

I would highly recommend purchasing a police scanner and tuning it into the Buffalo Police channels - those men and women aren't just sitting around at Tim Horton's 24/7 - trust me.

The worst places I have seen are not even north of the mason dixion line,

I have no problem walking thru the ghettos of Buffalo during daylight hours

Who should I believe?

[Trolls_r_us]

Genoobie,

I understand what you are saying, but crime is not limited to the nighttime hours. In fact, quite a few violent incidents occured this weekend in the daytime.

I always say "nothing good happens after midnight," which is a good rule of thumb. Still, it is a sad fact that many people cannot enjoy simple things like sitting on thier front porch without being in danger of getting shot. Kids I teach tell me they cannot go out and play near their houses because it is too dangerous.

Many innocent lives have been destroyed by violence in the city.

[steven]

I always say "nothing good happens after midnight," which is a good rule of thumb.

I disagree, its been my experience that a lot of women look a lot better after midnight

[Stevenco]

Genoobie,

I understand what you are saying, but crime is not limited to the nighttime hours. In fact, quite a few violent incidents occured this weekend in the daytime.

I always say "nothing good happens after midnight," which is a good rule of thumb. Still, it is a sad fact that many people cannot enjoy simple things like sitting on thier front porch without being in danger of getting shot. Kids I teach tell me they cannot go out and play near their houses because it is too dangerous.

Many innocent lives have been destroyed by violence in the city.

I agree with Genoobie insomuchas it's relatively safe to walk around at night. I did it on the east side and I'll do it on the west side.
You say that the victims are local and know where they are going; that's true, but what you fail to mention is that most of the victims aren't innocent. They don't deserve to die, but most of them are NOT random.
If a 16 year old lay bleeding to death in the city street, he likely neglected to pay his $15.00 crack bill on time or something to that effect.