I wish that that the owner of the Chicago Tribune would realize the value of your reporting and put your Blog on the front page of The Baltimore Sun where it belongs. You attack the central problems of this City, and they need to be read and discussed. You are a passionate voice at the diminished Sun and it is unfortunate that Mr. Zell does not give you a voice in the Maryland Section.

the streets of baltimore are very mean . if you tell on some body you are called a snitch. baltimore has always ben a dangerous city to live.some time the police are not to be trusted inthe city. people move out of baltimore for their saferty.you are playing with your life if you stay in baltimore.

BALTIMORE IS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER CITY. PEOPLE WATCH MOVIES LIKE THE CORNER AND THE WIRE AND JUDGE US BY THAT. IT'S A GIVEN, WE HAVE OUR GOOD AND OUR BAD, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER CITY. WE ALSO HAVE A CHOICE, AND A LOT OF OUR YOUTH DON'T SEE THE OPTIONS THEY HAVE. SO BEFOR ANY OF US JUDGE, LETS GET INVOLVED AND SEE WHAT'S REALY GOING ON IN THE STREETS!! SEE WHERE THEY COME FROM AND HOW THEY WERE BROUGHT UP BEFOR WE SAY ANOTHR WORD ABOUT ANYTHING BECAUSE 90% OF THE PEOPLE COMMENTING HAVE NEVER IN THERE LIVES WENT A DAY WITHOUT EATING, WONDERING HOW THER'RE GOING TO PROVIDE CLOTHING FOR THERE CHILDREN, WHERE CAN I GET HELP FROM!!! I BET YOU, THE ONES THAT ARE NEGATIVE ABOUT THE WHOLE SIGUATION WONT GO ON OAKFORD AVE. AND OFFER NOTHING!! DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS DEEPER THAN THE SURFACE!!!!!!! I KNOW FROM EXPERENCE!

Here again another youth dead. Why? Because we have no respect for life. These very same drug dealers in many cases come from these same areas where drugs run rampanted. They are the ones destroying these areas around the city. I would much rather see police locking up drug dealers as opposed to deadbeat dads. How many children are going to lose their lives before we do something. Let all the non-violent offenders out of jail and placed in somr type of program for non-violent offenders. Now, the violent offender he/she should be locked away until the community ses fit to release them. As, I see it get rid of the drugs dealers and the drugs will disappear .

Its not that simple Andre.

Drugs are a business, economics take over. Get rid of the dealers lowers the supply but the demand remains the same. The prices go up and the game continues.

You need to strike at the heart of the matter. Beginning with education and mentoring. Improve the schools, and fewer kids get lost in the drugs.

You go after the dealers sure, you have to but doing that alone really only exacerbates things.

It would really help if we,as a culture, would stop romanticizing gang and drug culture.

I also want to compliment you, Peter, for the tremendous reporting you are doing as the sun's crime blogger. You really get at the "man about town" aspects of crime in the city, while your colleagues do more of the straight reporting. (unfortunately, Michela, there is no Maryland section anymore for Peter to be featured in).
jb--you are certainly correct that many parts of the city are dangerous. And that anti-snitching stuff has been going on for a long time, and the government and judges have been often too lenient about it. The Warren House murders a number of years ago were a watershed event.

Steve--You are right, there are good people living in all parts of the city, including the bad ones like Oakford. Unfortunately, people make choices; sometimes choices they make early in life determine not only their own quality of life, but that of their poor children they brought into the world.

Andre---I agree that the dealers quite often ruin their own neighborhood with their nefarious activity; as Steve above points out, they see it as a way to make some money (once you get a couple convictions under your belt, it gets pretty hard to get a job, but no one tells them that til it's too late). On the other hand, it kinda fun to hang out and not have to get up to go to work or school. But I also agree with James from Hampden, that where there is a market, there will be drugs. Remember the Bloods member who came from California to Pennsylvania Avenue who thought he died and went to heaven?! [He went to jail instead-eventually.]

James--it'snot so much we have to improve the schools, because there are schools in the city, and you can get a reasonably good education if you go. The dropout rate for males between 9th grade and graduation is between 50-75%, depending on race. I think some parents need to be improved.
And I wholeheartedly agree we need to stop romanticizing street culture.

I agree with James that going after the drug dealers is not the way to address the issue. However, I don't think "striking at the heart of the matter" is jumping to a completely different subject like education. I agree that there is a relationship between levels of education and drug use, but this not attacking the main issue.

Personally, the drugs do not bother me at all. It is the violence and crime associated with drugs that bothers most people. The question is how to stop the crime.

I would suggest giving drug addicts the drugs they seek. Provide the drugs and a safe location for drug addicts. This would lower crime for two reasons. First, drug addicts would not be stealing to get enough money to get another high. They would have a place to get the drugs. Second, this would affect the economics of the drug trade dramtically. Drug dealers would find it impossible to compete with a superior product sold at a lower price.

Who is responsible for the murders? There are different types of causation.

1) Yes, those who wield the knife or the gun certainly are at fault. But I posit there are at least three other culpable parties.

2) I think we can assume that the weapons and drugs are being housed somewhere-- probably in the property of a complicit or negligent property owner. That owner is also responsible for aiding and abetting the crimes committed.

WHAT TO DO: If the neighbors know of a property that is being misused, call 611 or the Mayor's office to have it investigated and sealed appropriately. Encourage the police to file charges against the owner.

3) It's not just the poor & desperate who are buying drugs. The millions of dollars at stake cause the violence-- and these dollars are coming from middle-class users.

WHAT TO DO: Stop buying illegal drugs. (Tim - Giving away drugs is an interesting idea if economics is the only reason for the murders.)

4) People downplay the life of the victims. According to the Constitution, each person is of equal political value (economic value differs, of course). According to Christianity, poor people seem to be valued as much or even more than the wealthy. (Can anyone speak of the value to life in other religions?)

WHAT TO DO: Next time you hear someone dismiss a murder, saying the victim didn't count anyway, challenge the statement. Say, "All people are important. We must not give up and blame the victim."

Drugs are always going to be around. The only way to stop the war on drugs is to legalize it and that is the only way to put drug dealers out of business although if we took that away from them, they'll just find some other criminal stuff to get into to make fast money.

Raise your kids. Stop looking for excuses. Don't let t.v raise your child. Don't let your child go because "he is a boy" don't walk past your child when "you" see them hanging on a corner. Don't ignore it when you hear your child is gang affiliated. Moms, stop worrying about if "Joe" is coming to see you and make sure"Larry" isn't talking your child into a life of real crime & drama. Be pro active. Your child is not your buddy. They are your responsibilty. Hug them & show them a better way. They don't have to be a statistic.

Firstly there are no homeless in this neighborhood and we meaning the children built that treehouse next to the tower. The city neglicts to talk about the harassment that people go through around there from baltimores finest the police. They shot the dog on two different occasions were they so calledly were serving a search warrent due to a four year investagation that they didnt find anything. The city down talks this block but never tells of what the protectors and what they do to the neighborhood. That wasnt the drug dealers it was a fight and those people came around there causing problems. SO ALL OF YOU PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH OPIONIONS GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT NEXT TIME BEFORE YOU COMMENT ON ANYTHING!!!!!!!

Peter

I own three of those apartment buildings "with all the beauty of large storage bins made of aluminum siding." And while I'll compliment you on your flashy writing style, I would ask you to think before you write.

My partner and I purchased three of the five apartment buildings on Oakford with the hopes of slowly changing that block by offering above average rentals. After spending almost $700,000.00 of my own money to completely rebuild those 12 units, I'm proud that I've kept my end of the bargain - but why don't you call the police or city officials to task for their complete lack of focus on a known problem.

The police know who the bad guys are. The church on the corner knows who the bad guys are. Officials know who the bad guys are. Why then can't they do something? Why can't they take the same massive action I took to make that block better?

The 4000 block of Oakford Ave is not a street beyond ruin. If you really take a hard look, you'll see that its a street being ruled by one house of thugs. Plain and simple.

Park a Baltimore City Police cruiser in front of that house and like roaches after a visit from the exterminator, those thugs will be on their way.