Reflecting on Crime Statistics In Kingston, NY

The Thought Process Beings

Some of you may have noticed that I participated in a few features for The Daily Freeman's Ben Franklin project, which allowed for members of the community to contribute to the creation of news stories by giving feedback via a number of free tools on the internet.
When Freeman editor Paul Kirby posted a tweet asking for input on where citizens think the most crime occurs in Kingston and why, I just couldn't keep my mouth shut. What initially began as a 140 character response grew to an email exchange, and the next thing I knew, I was speaking to a camera outside of my office, preparing for the article's publication today.

What Do the Statistics Say?

The headline may catch many of you off guard. "Rate of Serious Crime Falls Sharply in Kingston." What?? As one of the Freeman commenters was quick to point out, we just had a man shot multiple times on Clinton Avenue, less than three days ago. The shooter is still at large. Still, the numbers don't lie. The rate of those crimes which are designated as "serious crimes" (murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny and vehicle theft) has decreased over the last year. I suppose the question we should be asking is how accurately those numbers reflect our quality of life here in Kingston.

City of Kingston crime statistics, 2010
According to the Freeman article, police chief Keller admits that "the statistics do not include the kinds of crimes residents often complain about most: drug dealing, disorderly conduct, drinking in public and various nuisance violations." The statistics ARE, however, reflective of overall crime trends within the city of Kingston.

Considering recent events, I am willing to acknowledge that the crime rate has fallen. However, it remains way too high for me to accept as "safe". As I mentioned in my interview with the Freeman, I have lived in Kingston almost all of my life. I have lived in just about every section of the city...uptown, midtown, downtown. I understand that there are criminals everywhere, and that crime is not limited to just one part of town. Still, we can't deny what has been happening.

A Bit of History...

Regarding the shooting on Thursday night:
I grew up very close to where the shooting happened. My great-aunt and uncle owned the house at 108 Clinton Avenue. They lived downstairs, and rented the upstairs apartment to my parents. My great-grandmother, grandmother, uncle and cousin all shared the house next door at 102. I used to play out on my front lawn, catching fireflies from the bushes on summer evenings. During the day, I played hopscotch on the sidewalk while my family members talked on the porch. Just about every single day, I walked to the store on Franklin St. with my mother to get a lollipop or a chocolate milk. From my backyard, I watched other kids play in the park on Liberty St. Even as a young child, I knew who my neighbors were. Mr. Oliver lived on the corner, and grew morning glories which climbed up his fence. He used to bring me small gifts of fruit...usually oranges...which he handed to me over the gate after checking with my mother to make sure it was alright. Marguerite was an older woman who lived in one of the apartments on the corner. She often came outside to chat with my grandmother. I had a friend Valerie, who lived across the street, near Bessie's salon. Every Sunday, a group of us walked down the block to church together.
Slowly, I saw the neighborhood change. The park was shut down because it was taken over by drug activity. Eventually, the swingset and ride-on animals were torn out, and all that was left was an overgrown lot. My great-aunt and uncle sold the house. Mr. Oliver eventually passed away. Many of the houses were taken over by landlords from out of town, who showed up only to collect their rent checks at the beginning of the month. These were all small things, but they set the stage for the way things are now.

You Can't Go Home Again

I drive through my old neighborhood, but I don't recognize much anymore. I see the ghosts of the way things used to be. I dodge the kids who are playing unattended in the street. Just last week, I slowed down for a boy on a bike. Rather than moving to the side of the road, he swerved in front of me, yelling "You HIT me!", and laughing with his friend. I see people standing on street corners, who yell things at me as I drive past. I've seen drug deals happen in broad daylight. I've seen the police respond multiple times for domestic disputes at the same addresses. Twenty years later, I don't have the same courage I had as a child. I don't think I'd be spending as much time in front of my house, if I still lived there.

I'm not comfortable being there, even in the confines of my car. This bothers me. I know there are good people who live in the neighborhood. My father still attends the same church every Sunday, and is very active in the community. But I also know that there are people who aren't so good. Who intend only to hurt others, and to gain for themselves. I know that many of these people have guns. And I wonder, suppose I had been driving through on Thursday evening? Suppose a bullet had ricocheted off of something? How can I guarantee my own safety in a place where things like this are a regular occurrence?

It makes me angry to think about it. It infuriates me that we seem to live in a culture where "snitching" often carries a heavier penalty than committing a crime. It frustrates me to think that many people will just chalk this up to "what happens", and that nothing will change as a result of it.

What Are We Going to Do?

We are meeting next Saturday as the Kingston Neighborhood Watch, at Academy Green Park...again, a few blocks from where the shooting occurred. I am hoping to see some new people there. I am hoping to hear some new ideas. Things are getting personal for me...and they should be for all of us. This is OUR city. We're not just looking at an issue of criminals shooting criminals, as some have suggested. This effects all of us. This type of activity puts us ALL at risk. What are we going to do about it? What are YOU going to do, personally? Think about it. Let me know. Come out next weekend, and we'll pool our ideas. There's strength in numbers...remember that.