[RP TownTalk] code and vendors discussion

[Roland Walker]

Lou argues that prevention of small crimes versus big crimes is a
zero-sum game in a world of limited resources.  The Broken Windows
Theory argues the opposite.  It argues that permitting small crimes
and signs of decay invites further, more serious crime, and
furthermore that addressing petty crime is easier than dealing with
more serious crime.  I subscribe to this theory.  Here is more context

   http://www.pbs.org/fmc/timeline/pwilson.htm
   http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/critical_acclaim-fixing_broken.htm

> So once again, what do we want to actually do about it?

This discussion was about rose vendors and yard sales.  What I propose
to do about rose vendors and permanent yard sales is to shut them
down.  They are already illegal.  The rose vendors in particular are a
safety hazard to drivers.

No one person is "at fault".  The town, collectively, is too passive.

I would like to be just a little bit more like Hyattsville.  That
involves being more proactive on many fronts.

I make no apologies for aspiring to a better Riverdale Park.

R

On 11/2/07, Paul Richards <paulric at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Thank you for making my point even more clearly than I did.
>
> > "But we tend to overlook or forget another source of fear -- the fear of
> being bothered by disorderly people. Not violent people, nor, necessarily,
> criminals, but disreputable or obstreperous or unpredictable people:
> panhandlers, drunks, addicts, rowdy teenagers, prostitutes, loiterers, the
> mentally disturbed."
>
> I don't think that street rose vendors, yard sales, or firefighters
> collecting donations fall into this category, so I'm still wondering what
> Rolands point was in posting that article as his response to a simple
> question, and still wondering what he is suggesting we do about the
> situation.
>
> > "Just as physicians now recognize the importance of fostering health
> rather than simply treating illness, so the police -- and the rest of us --
> ought to recognize the importance of maintaining, intact, communities
> without broken windows."
>
> Again, what does this have to do with spending our limited resources on the
> rose vendors on East-West highway vs. funding crime prevention? It seems to
> me that what you're saying is that as long as the rose vendors aren't
> breaking any windows we should leave them alone, yes?
>
> On a side not, but one that pertains to this topic:
>
> I am continually amazed by some of the people on this list. There are those
> here who see a problem, and immediately want to point fingers at who is to
> blame. A perfect example of this is when the "Hyattsville Metro" sign was
> being discussed. I asked who we should contact to get the sign changed, and
> someone (I'm not sure who anymore and don't care enough to look in the
> archives to find out) immediately responded with "Forget that! Who's to
> blame for this?" or words to that effect. This is completely
> counter-productive, and absolutely nothing was done about getting the sign
> fixed.
>
> It doesn't matter who was at fault. The first priority should be to get the
> problem fixed, then to prevent it from happening again, and THEN, if anyone
> still cares, to find out who is to blame. Spending our time, energy and
> money on finding out who's at fault doesn't do a thing to fix the problems
> that Riverdale faces.
>
> So once again, what do we want to actually do about it?
>
> Paul
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