tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3147739185627867093.post7568936239642710804..comments2023-10-20T05:58:22.947-07:00Comments on well becoming: Second ActsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13932037969048941652noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3147739185627867093.post-59448485719174657322013-04-05T15:45:26.881-07:002013-04-05T15:45:26.881-07:00I've been watching The Wire as well and really... I've been watching The Wire as well and really enjoying it (though some parts require a look away from the screen I find), not quite sure why it is so good, think it's probably the quality of the writing and simple way that it's shot. I'm half way through season 5 so don't know what i will watch next - hard act to follow. <br /><br /> I was interested in your wellbecoming blog about it and agree with; don't believe in capricious gods or predeterminism that strips us of responsibility either. I have no experience of Baltimore or any drugs scene but the programme did seem very plausible in what happened to it's characters, but that's likely just a reflection of how well it's put together. Did a little googling to see how realistic or otherwise it might be. I was mindful of where I was looking but couldn't find any government websites with easy to find or recent stats; so these numbers may be wrong.<br /><br /> It does seem to be a city with a real crime problem. city-dat.com states Baltimore had a murder rate of 196 per 100 00 population in 2011 which is a huge number and one I was shocked at (US national average 31.3) - UK rate was 1.4 per 100 000 population). Neighbourhoodscout.com gave an annual risk of becoming a victim of violent crime in baltimore as 1 in 69 per annum; they also said there were 428 crimes per sq mile per year which is hard to comprehend.<br /><br /> I did find some info on the Bureau of Justice Statistics (US goverment agency) from 1994 that said 1% of those released from prison after murdering someone, were arrested for another murder within 3 years of release; overall 68% of released prisoners were rearrested within 3 yrs of release - with 47% being convicted. Robbers, burglars, car theves and those with illegal weapons stood a 70% chance of rearrest within the 36 months. A study in maryland (quoted on baltimorerising.org) said that Baltimore had a particularly high rate of youth offenders reoffending at 80%. In the period 2002-7 they were an average of 30 under 17 yr olds murdered each year, with about the same amount being convicted or murder or attempted murder.<br /><br /> Was interesting looking at this and made me think that perhaps the Wire gave a semi realistic feel of what happened to people in the crime/drugs/guns subculture. I think the high levels of crime (esp where any violent crime is a major personal tragedy to numbers of people) and high reoffending rates suggest that many people choose to do truly bad things. Wider Baltimore society may be responsible for not helping the poor and drug addicted, but the numbers suggest to me that many choose to offend. In which case (I guess) they more need saving than being left to turn it around themselves.Malcolmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05442918280867977673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3147739185627867093.post-80038430843662743082013-02-24T11:24:00.560-08:002013-02-24T11:24:00.560-08:00I've changed my life so many times it's be...I've changed my life so many times it's becoming 'normal' now! But yes, we definitely have a chance to change things around but you must do it sooner rather than later as unfortunately 'time waits for no man' or woman for that matter.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14279450086611255666noreply@blogger.com