Monday, May 21, 2007

City No Longer Safe For The Elderly

If you're a multi-millionaire looking for a handout from the government for your latest business venture, you couldn't find a better city in America in which to do business than Indianapolis. But if you're a retired person living on a fixed income, you couldn't find a city where you're more likely to lose your home due to rising property taxes or, even worse, become the latest victim of the city's spiraling crime problem. The Star's Vic Ryckaert summarizes the growing number of elderly who have become the city's latest crime victims:

Over the past two years in Marion County, people older than 65 have been victims of more than 350 robberies, seven rapes, eight shootings and three homicides, according to data from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

And those crimes have occurred in every part of the city and county, involving whites and blacks, according to a Star analysis of the data. Other findings include:

The oldest crime victim was a 97-year-old rape victim, one of three rape victims in 2005 and 2006 who were in their 90s.

Among homicide cases, one victim was 91.

Of the robbery victims, 68 percent were white and 30 percent black, and they were evenly split between men and women. Sixty-six percent were older than 70.

Earlier this month, a 76-year-old woman was raped in her Near-Eastside home by a man who followed her as she walked home from the Interim Central Library.

Although crime rates against seniors have been declining slightly over the past 10 years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, recent incidents are causing renewed concern in Indianapolis, especially on the Northside.

Three other seniors have been beaten and robbed in the Butler-Tarkington area since March 31, according to police reports.

On April 26, attackers beat 84-year-old Harold Ward when he walked in as they were burglarizing his home in the 300 block of Harvard Place. Ward, police said, suffered cuts to his head and face and a swollen right eye.

On April 16, an attacker beat Lancaster Price, 83, and his wife, Ida, 80, at the couple's home in the 4100 block of Boulevard Place. Price had a bruised left eye and scratches on his face; his wife suffered a swollen right eye.

When a 97-year-old woman has to worry about being raped in this city, you know just how bad things have gotten. Meanwhile, Mayor Peterson's attention is focused on the rich and famous as usual. His emissaries are off to Nashville with "a few tricks up their sleeves" to help win the 2011 Super Bowl bid for the city. If the city is successful in winning the bid, at the rate we're going, the city will have to block off a green zone in the one-mile square around the downtown to protect the wealthy elitists who can afford to attend the Super Bowl, and to keep out the thugs who rule our city's streets.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

No way! Bart is devoted to solving the crime problem. I saw the commercial this morning on the way out the door.

Jay C. Howard said...

Remember, "Trees prevent crime." Scott and I laugh our asses off every time that commercial airs. If that's the case, Indy should be all forest.

Anonymous said...

It's not realistic to expect Peterson or any mayor of present-day Indianapolis to control crime inside of Marion County. The fundamental problem has been and continues to be the flow of wealth outside of Marion County. It is the task of the State of Indiana and not the City of Indianapolis itself to dissolve Carmel and Brownsburg and Greenwood and Noblesville and reorganize them into a new City of Indianapolis. Lugar did this in the 1960's and called it UniGov and it worked for a time, otherwise we'd be like Detroit.

Anonymous said...

Yeah...I saw that commercial too! Bart is fighting crime all the time. Bart couldn't possibly be lying. Bart doesn't lie!

Gary R. Welsh said...

The commercials he's running reflect just how stupid his campaign advisors believe the general public is in Indianapolis

Russ said...

Excuse me, 7:55, but WTF???

Mayor Peterson is easily the #1 Democrat in Marion County government, both in political clout and fundraising ability. He should be able to use that clout to effect change in the City-Council to get funds for public safety and at least make an attempt to turn around the crime wave.

But, he's not. Instead, he's very good at convincing the populace to pay attention to the "bread and circuses" of this town while innocent people are victimized and killed day by day. If there was any election year he could be vulnerable, it's this one, and yet, I worry that his opposition will screw up a gift-wrapped opportunity to oust him.

Anonymous said...

Opposition? Who would that be? The Greens ? The Libertarians? I may not be in favor of much the Republican Party has done statewide lately, but it's key that we have a TWO+ party system. Otherwise, we risk complacency and bad service. And then we get what we deserve.

Anonymous said...

The fundamental problem has been and continues to be the flow of wealth outside of Marion County

Are you kidding me? Have you seen how much homes cost in the rehab areas of Center Township? We are talking homes that are going for well into six-figures. Pick-up a copy of 'UpDowntown' and check out the urban home prices.

You want to grab other peoples money to pay for your socialist utopia. The solution is simple, start taxing all these rich folks who are buying $180K+ condos and homes in and around the downtown area. If that means raising their property taxes, so be it. Indy's problem is that they have given away the farm and now want others who don't even live in the city to help pay for their mistake. Stop giving tax breaks to companies who want to move here. Stop raising all sorts of sales taxes here and there for stadiums and the like, put that money toward real issues.

If the citizens of Marion Co./Indy want a "World Class City," then they should be prepared to pay "World Class Taxes."

Gary R. Welsh said...

The new condos in my neighborhood are all selling for $400,000 on up, anon 10:58. You can't find anything worth buying under $200K in the downtown area anymore.

Wilson46201 said...

What's a "ballard" ?

Anyways, senior citizens tend to be the least affected in general by violent crime. Sadly, crime's a young person's game -- it's quite rare for somebody over 50 to be murdered. Violence on older folk is notable for its unusualness...

Unknown said...

The commercials he's running reflect just how stupid his campaign advisors believe the general public is in Indianapolis

If only they were wrong. Most people are oblivious to what is going on.

Anonymous said...

Gary, you're starting to sound shrill.

Mark W. Rutherford said...

The high costs, taxes, crime and political instability are driving out the middle class in this city. This is what immediately threatens Indianapolis. The wealthy can afford to pay the taxes and defend themselves from the political instability and the criminal element. The poor don't have the resources to leave. The middle class leaves while it still has the resources to leave. It is happening in Indianapolis.

Anonymous said...

Yes, AI/Gary is definately sounding shrill - but then he usually is.

This blog could be so much better but it's basically a bitch-fest for disgruntled Republicans. Sad.

All the pissing and moaning serves no good purpose, and it's like a tree falling in a forest with no one around -- no one hears it, and no one cares.

Bitch on! :-)

Anonymous said...

At least he bitches against BOTH Sides of the isle - unlike some other sites a lot of people here tend to visit.

Plus he is well written, thoughtfull, and informative.

Keep on Posting AI !