"One would never talk about crime in Brooklyn -- One would talk about crime in say Williamsburg -- which might well now be pretty low -- while crime in an area like say Bed-Stuy might be as bad as our area here in Jersey City called Greenville. "

I guess you've never heard of John Gotti, Henry Hill, Big Paul Castellano, and the Gambino Family.

gangs, shmangs.

GrovePath seems to wanna bring us all down again.

When I first came to JC as a HS freshman, I heard much more about gangs then than I do now, and I went to Prep!!

Bloods, Crypts, phooey!! Back in the late 80's, early 90's, our monday morning conversation's were about whether or not you were around to see the drive by at the tagging party. Or wheteher or not you were involved in the big fight at the "rink".

We live in a city, and cities have gangs. But seriously though, if you think stuff is bad now, just be glad you just moved here(maybe). Cuz chance are, 10 yrs ago, someone got curbed in front of what is now you luxery condo in Paulus Hook.

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Au contraire, GrovePath, but the crime rate in Downtown has always been greater than Hoboken due to larger density than Hoboken.

The Downtown Jersey City Watch and Steven Fulop, have asked for the breakout of each of Zones 1-6 which constitute the East District Command, to be given to us for month-by-month comparison to prior year, since fall of 2005, and was mentioned in last week's article by Ricardo Kaulessar -- Hudson Reporter -- 11/10/2006 in which only city-wide stats were released and NOT broken out by zones which specify neighborhood crimes.

Crime down in all categories except rape
Some politicians heartened, others skeptical after stats released for first nine months of 2006

I don't think people living down town aren't very concerned about crime in other parts of Jersey City. I think everyone wants to see crime and gang issues decrease everywhere.

Dowtown just does have far less crime than say the Greenville area -- I think it is important for people thinking of moving here from Brooklyn or New Brunswick to know that fact.

But I worry about crime everywhere in Jersey City.

One would never talk about crime in Brooklyn -- One would talk about crime in say Williamsburg -- which might well now be pretty low -- while crime in an area like say Bed-Stuy might be as bad as our area here in Jersey City called Greenville.

I think you have to think in terms of neighborhoods/areas. Hoboken and Downtown have very similar crime rates at this point.

They didn't specifically mention Downtown JC, therefore there must be no gangs there. YAY!

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Cop: Gangs a growing problem

BY NANCY SHIELDS - Asbury Park Press -- 11/17/06

ASBURY PARK ? Understanding why gangs have increased so dramatically the last few years in the state and across the country ? and then doing something about it ? takes time, but it's time that must be taken, Lt. Edwin Torres of the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission said here Thursday night.

Torres gave a thorough rundown of the lives of gang members, particularly the Bloods, the largest gang in the state, to about 85 people who came out for the second town meeting organized by the Asbury Park Community Justice Advisory Board and sponsored by the city Police Department and Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

Torres, who has worked with many gang members in juvenile corrections institutions, showed photographs and video clips of children from all over the state and country.

"Nobody in the state of New Jersey should not be concerned about gangs," he said. "This is not a problem limited to any town or any socioeconomic background."

Torres detailed what teenagers go through, from mutilating their bodies and being beaten up in initiations to finding an identity in their gang's colors, sports teams, hand signs, beads and bandanas.

They live in a state of fear born in the mandate that you kill opposing gang members. They stop going to school. It's said that in five years they'll be in jail or dead.

Like all of the state, Asbury Park has seen an increase in gang membership, although no city-specific numbers were given at the meeting. Some of the city murders in the past year were attributed to gang members while others were violent acts within families or between people who knew each other. Authorities have not said why 18-year-old Tylik Pugh was shot and killed Oct. 18 near the middle school, but city officials have said they believe it was not gang-related.

Asbury Park Deputy Police Chief Mark Kinmon said his department has sent several officers to gang and drug awareness programs and will get them into the schools. And, he said police are working to get more involved with social services and community development so they can help people on police calls and arrests.

Police are also committed to providing recreation opportunities, he said.

"We want to grab kids off the street corners, those kids thinking of becoming gang members," Kinmon said. "We want to lead them through the doors of the boxing program, through the doors to the basketball court, through the doors to their classrooms."

"Gangs can't give kids what they really want," Torres said. "But gangs are very good at marketing themselves to the young."

Gangs are criminal enterprises and are about making money, Torres said. His strongest emotion came through in his concern for the very young, for 6-year-olds, even babies, who begin to be indoctrinated into the gang mentality, by their young parents or other gang members.

"We have not done what we need to do, to tell kids there are programs for them," he said.

He spoke of specific gang incidents in Paterson, Jersey City, Easton, Pa., Willingboro, Sayreville, Princeton, Newark and Bristol, Pa.

"If they admit they're a gang member, you have a problem," he said. Other warning signs include: change of behavior or defiance, a drop in grades and truancy, new friends, calls from unknown people with street names, physical injuries, unexplained money, obsession with certain colors or sports teams, flashy signs or slang, and graffiti on books and walls.

Most of the people who attended the meeting held at the Salvation Army were concerned residents and leaders in the community, but not the young people themselves. Some parents were there, and two participants asked Torres how his presentation could get into the schools. Torres said it would not be a problem and could be done through the prosecutor's office or other officials.

"We're in this for the long haul," he said. "This is a marathon, not a sprint."

"The best thing we can do in the community is to get involved in the lives of our kids," City Councilman James Keady said. "If you're not involved, contact me."