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Overview and History of the Prison District of Baltimore

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Overview and History of Area: The "Prison District" of Baltimore, Maryland, is located primarily in an unincorporated community called Townson. With a population of just under 60,000 it is the second most densely populated unincorporated county seat in the United States. The community is located just north of Baltimore City, inside the I-695 and I-83 beltway and has several major neighborhood areas. In the larger area of Townson, the per capita income is about $32,000, but almost 10% of the population is below the poverty line (2010 Cenus U.S. Gazetter, 2011). Moving into the neighborhood in question, however, the overall population density increases as well as the poverty level of those who actually live in the area.

Ethnographic Observations:
Name of Town: Prison District Area, subsection of Townson, MD
Population approximately 5-8L
Demographic Overview Low income housing, high percentage of African America, number of row houses potentially converted for business. Some evidence of mixed economics between run-down and gentrification projects. Very few business professionals walking, mostly urban poor.
Housing and Zoning Crowded, lots of brick and cement; few parks, cars parked very closely together on street. Some areas show severe urban blight.
Open Space Relatively no open spaces; some parks, crowded urban environment.
Boundaries Significant, suburbs outside the area more upscale, trendy and gentrified, bedroom community outside this inner city area.
Commons

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