The Problems with Abandoned Buildings

Living in communities that are run down, neglected and forgotten takes a toll on all members of the community. This is especially true when residents witness new properties being erected around the city as their own neighborhoods are deemed “ghettos” and not receiving the investment necessary for improvements. Many of the low income housing that is available to city residents aren’t the most desirable properties as they may have structural deficiencies, lead paint, rats and roaches running amuck. Many older properties also do not have adequately functioning heat or hot water availability. The housing projects also do not have air conditioning. On hot days, having no cool break in addition to all the other negative social factors, this can be a deadly combination that may perpetuate frustrations and ultimately lead to violence.

The process through which gentrification is carried out is very intricately planned. Drugs, prostitution, and violence usually play the most important role in the process of gentrification. When neighborhoods are infested by crime of any sort, the first thing that happens is the immediate decline in property value in areas like Guilford and Park Heights (“The Mortgage Bubble Invades Baltimore”). The home owning taxpayers in Baltimore City are usually blue collar workers who are just trying to make ends meet, and because of their income restrictions many of these citizens are forced to live in areas of high crime. Generally people only live in these areas if they have to, so when a developer comes along and offers to buy citizens homes at a price that the citizens at the time considers to be extremely profitable in their neighborhood, they usually take the money and run without carefully considering that the offer that they have accepted is much less profitable than what the developers have planned (“City’s East side Renaissance Spreads”). We

Gentrification has a positive effect on a community in the sense that it ameliorates the local economy. In lower income neighborhoods, the expansion of businesses and creation of jobs is limited by the deficiency of monetary flow. However, as wealthier residents relocate to the area and invest money in the community, businesses develop. Overtime, this trend continues and results in economic development as well as more jobs, which benefits the community. Secondly, the process of gentrification typically results in a lower crime rate. This is because gentrification involves the attainment of vacant properties in order to build new developments. Therefore there will be a decrease in vacant properties which typically attract crime. Additionally, an increase in population results in an increase in local government revenue from taxes which can be spent on law

“Surprise, AZ (November 1, 2012) The City of Surprise had the second-lowest rate of property crime and violent crime in 2011 among the largest cities in Maricopa County, based on the city’s analysis of the latest FBI statistics” (Arthur, n.d.). Could social economic play a role in Surprise, Arizona’s low violent and property crime rate? Or could it be sufficient guardians set in place formal (police, security guards, etc.) and/or informal (neighbor, friends and others, etc.)? “According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report for 2011 as analyzed the Surprise Police Department, Surprise recorded 1.09 violent crimes and 21.79 property crimes per 1,000 residents last year” (Arthur, n.d.).

Therefore, this excess variability should be explained by the nearby presence of the nearest RSO. However, the principle investigator is prepared to explained results that are in contrast to the remaining literature that has examined the relationship between home sale values and sex offenders. Contrasting results are expected considering previous researchers have not included how neighborhood characteristics influence home sale value once the nearby presence of RSOs are considered. It could be that the insertion of only property characteristics of sold homes, RSOs explained the excess variability in home sale value. But, with the inclusion of neighborhood characteristics coupled with property characteristics, these characteristics explained the remaining variability in home sale values, which effectively reduced the influence RSOs may have had on home sale values. There, in line with social disorganization theory, it is not the nature of persons in the neighborhood, but rather the structural characteristics of the neighborhood that defined its social culture (Sampson & Groves,

Kelling and Wilson’s article “Broken Windows” focuses on the importance of disorder in generating and sustaining crime that is more severe. The writers explain that disorder is not directly related to serious crime, but instead leads to increased fear as well as withdrawal from residents, which allows more serious crime to move in because of decreased levels of informal societal control. Kelling and Wilson believe that police can play a key role in disrupting this process. If they put their focus on disorder and minor crimes in neighborhoods that have not yet been overtaken by serious crime, they can help reduce fear and resident withdrawal. The promotion of advanced levels of informal social control can help people take control of their neighborhood

The purpose of this paper is to address residential segregation, why it exists, and how it relates to crime. Residential segregation is the physical separation of one or more groups based upon race and is more pronounced in suburban areas and inner city neighborhoods (Class Notes, 2014). Inner city neighborhoods are heavily populated with racial and ethnic minorities and tend to lack socially stabilizing resources such as adequate parental supervision, education, and long-term, stable employment (Walker, 2007). The conditions of poverty limit the opportunities for residents to escape inner city neighborhoods and create opportunities for the existence of crime and criminal behavior.

This project is a focus on how variables such as population, ethnicity, and income affect crime rates throughout different neighborhoods throughout a city. I feel that this information finding this information could be useful to many people. For example if you are looking to buy a new home or even start a new business, you’ll probably want it located in a safe neighborhood. This study will help identify the signs of a safe neighborhood. Knowing why crime rates are higher in some areas may also help prevent the crime rate to rise in other neighborhoods. For example, if crime rates are higher in neighborhoods with

transition in relation to an increase in crime property neglect and economic instability (Chatham, Encyclopedia of Chicago, 1). These sparked

This article addresses the many benefits of green spaces in low-income and urban neighborhoods. The main focus of the article is the finding that green spaces and community gardens help decrease crime by causing residents to be more active in outdoor activities, thus enhancing the lives of its citizens. This article provides information from a professor in the field of public health. Donna Armstrong, Ph.D., is an Associate

Environmental criminology examines how geographical location and features in that location affect crime. It argues that some environments are more prone to crime that others.

The focus of this theory is on the association between social control, the neighborhood structure, and crime (Kubrin & Weitzer, 2003). Social disorganization is the incapability of the community to solve significant problems and achieve common goals. The theory posits that residential mobility, poverty, ethnic heterogeneity, and weak social networks decrease the ability of the neighborhood to manage the behavior of people and hence the likelihood of crime is increased (Kubrin & Weitzer, 2003). Therefore, the social and physical environments of neighborhoods can increase the chances robbery. Factors such as unemployment, vandalized buildings, and poverty can thus be used to explain the occurrence of robbery. When the robbery rates have increased in a neighborhood, an examination of the social and physical environment can yield answers to robbery patterns.

Many citizens have become annoyed with the crime in their neighborhoods. They have organized block watches, citizen patrols, along with neighborhood cleanups, and started harassing slumlords that allow drug dealers to use their properties. (Brown Art. 122). Among many of the crime fighting tools, the involvement of

This paper presents statistics on major factors that affects the property crime rates in the U.S.

In my research on crime in urban areas versus crime in the suburban areas; I predict that people who live in urban areas will have a much higher crime rate than those living in suburban areas.