DEINDUSTRIALIZATION AND CRIMINALIZATION

BY STUDENT

When thinking of the most dangerous cities in the United States, one will often think of the biggest and most well-known cities in the country. What may not come to mind is a small city in upstate New York, bordering the Hudson River. This is where the city of Newburgh sits; and as many may not know, is one of the most dangerous cities in the country. With a population nearing 30,000 people, it does not fit the traditional idea of a big crime city as it simply does not have the sheer population to put it on most people’s radar. Nearly 50 percent of that population is made up of Latinx people. This number has been steadily rising, as it was only around 36% in the year 2000. With such a large number of Hispanic/Latinx people, how does the high crime level in Newburgh affect its Latinx population?

Nestled in the scenic Hudson Valley, Newburgh sits 60 miles north of New York City and 90 miles south of Albany. Newburgh is in Orange County, which is largely made up of rural or suburban towns, but still feels like it could be the sixth borough of New York City. A publication called NeighboorhoodScout, which has extensive information on crime rates, has Newburgh with a Crime Index score of 9/100, meaning it is only safer than 9% of U.S. cities. The violent crime rate in Newburgh is 12.66 (per 1,000 residents), while the New York state rate is just 3.57. This publication has ranked Newburgh in the top 15 most dangerous cities in the United States multiple times over the last few years. 

Because of its location on the Hudson River and in between the city and upstate New York, Newburgh was an industrial hub in the early 20^thcentury. This led many Latino workers to migrate up to Newburgh from New York city in search of these industrial jobs. However, Newburgh was hit by deindustrialization in the late 20^thcentury and saw an decline in economic activity. Its large Latino population was then led into the life of crime just to make ends meet. This often involved the selling and distribution of drugs, which led into the establishment of many different gangs in the area. The southeast side of the city which is a largely Latino area is home to many Latino gangs such as the Latin Kings, la Eme and the Benkard Barrio Kings. These gangs are widely acknowledged in the media and now the Latino population in Newburgh is known around the surrounding areas as associated with crime. The Latino population in Newburgh has now been the subject of writing crime into place as experiencing deindustrialization has led them into living their lives in a place full of crime and dominated by gangs. 

Works Cited

Deibert, Michael. “Resurrecting Newburgh, the Once-Grand American City That Had Its Heart Torn Out.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 8 Apr. 2015, www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/apr/08/resurrecting-newburgh-once-grand-american-city-heart-torn-out.

Muhammad, Khalil Gibran. Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America, with a New Preface. Harvard Univ Press, 2019.

Rivera, Ray. “Newburgh, Where Gang Violence Reigns.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 May 2010, www.nytimes.com/2010/05/12/nyregion/12newburgh.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.

Schiller, Andrew. “Newburgh, NY Crime Rates.” NeighborhoodScout, NeighborhoodScout, 21 Dec. 2018, www.neighborhoodscout.com/ny/newburgh/crime.

LATINA/O/XS TAKE CENTER STAGE: THE 2000 CENSUS

MINORITY POPULATION GROWTH AND METROPOLITAN URBAN SHIFTS
BY STUDENT

Minority population growth is a trend that has been seen across many major cities all across the United States. In fact, according to the U.S census bureau, as of 2010 the majority of Americans under the age of 1, are now considered to be minorities. With these demographic changes occurring nationwide, it is estimated that there will be a majority minority population within the next 40 to 50 years nationwide. So, what is it like to live in a majority minority urban area?

In Queens, Jackson Heights; where I was born and raised, is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the country. Jackson Heights is a great example of where the minorities are the majority.
Immigrants from all over the world have a home here. As shown in the table taken from the 2017 American Community Survey, you can find a large Latino population, as well as a large South Asian population, and more in Jackson Heights. It is a place where you can find a little bit of everything and everyone. How me and my family ended up in Jackson Heights, is one of my favorite stories.
I am quite literally a product of Jackson Heights. With a large population of the neighborhood being Ecuadorian or Colombian, I am both. My mom came with my older sister, who was only 5 at the time, to Jackson Heights from Medellin, Colombia. She met my dad who is from Guayaquil, Ecuador on Roosevelt Avenue, home to the 7 line. My mother was working at a remittance place, mostly working with people who were working hard to send money back to their home countries, my dad being one of them.

My favorite time to live in Jackson Heights is during the world cup. Latinos love ​futbol​, and that love is on full display every four years in my neighborhood. During this special time, there is no need to turn on your tv to know who is playing, you can simply step outside and listen to excited fans celebrate goals and victories, and see a uniform of jerseys. Minutes after Colombia has a victory, the streets begin to flood with people and everyone is celebrating. It is one of those moments in which immense pride fills you to have roots in such a beautiful country. I find peace in the fact that while a lot of our

parents are away from their home and family where they grew up, they have all made a home for us here, and also have found each other miles away from their motherland.

Right off Roosevelt Avenue, you have ‘ Little India’ where there is a majority population of Indians, Bangladeshis, and Pakistanis. The streets are lined with stores that sell their traditional clothes and jewelry. The vibrant colors paint Jackson Heights in a scheme of bright oranges, yellows, and reds. Many people from all over the city come to Little India to experience authentic Indian Cuisine, as well as pay a visit to their supermarkets where you can stock up on a variety of spices and herbs.
In Jackson Heights, you can find authentic cuisine on every block. Your tastebuds will travel the world without ever leaving Queens. You can find Colombian Food, Peruvian food, Indian Food, Mexican food, Dominican food, Ecuadorian food and more all on a single street. After school, every kid is running to the nearest vendor for some dollar churros, or slices of mango.
Overall, Jackson Heights is a place like no other. Where its people are thriving, working hard, and remaining humble; never forgetting where they came from. A place where everyone has brought a piece of their home to create a community. Where neighbors

can live in harmony despite not even speaking the same language. A neighborhood filled with culture. If Jackson Heights is a model of what most neighborhoods will look like one day, I am excited.



Sources:
Berg, Nate. “U.S. Metros Are Ground Zero for Majority-Minority Populations.” ​CityLab​, 18 May 2012, www.citylab.com/equity/2012/05/us-metros-are-ground-zero-majority-minority-populations/2043/ .
detroitred9. “Soccer in NYC Reimagined Through the Rivalries, Identity, Migration, and Politics of the World's Game in the Preeminent Global City.” ​Global Soccer, Global NYC​, globalsoccerglobalnyc.com/.
Nevius, James. “The Transformation of Jackson Heights.” ​Curbed NY​, Curbed NY, 19 Apr. 2017, ny.curbed.com/2017/4/19/15328342/jackson-heights-queens-history.
Ortiz, Brennan. “NYC's Micro Neighborhoods: Little India in Jackson Heights, Queens.”UntappedCities,​ 13May2018, untappedcities.com/2014/03/04/nycs-micro-neighborhoods-little-india-in-jackson-heights-queens /.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

DEINDUSTRIALIZATION AND CRIMINALIZATION

BROKEN WINDOW THEORY

BY STUDENT

Long island always has been a place known for many of its attractions weather it may be its beautiful beaches along its shores or its luxurious livings of its well-known areas like the Hamptons. It has also been a place of attraction for many people to migrate to however, in its early beginnings it hasn’t always been a place available to others. Turning Long Island into the perceived white affluent suburb of New York City (thepolitic.org). However, over time more minority groups began to make their way out from the city into the counties of Long island in areas such as Hempstead creating strong Latino/a/x populations in search of job opportunity. Since 1980 the Hispanic population has tripled from about 330,000 to 500,000 causing observers to reevaluate Long island’s characterization, With the increasing of the Latino/a/x population in areas like Hempstead a long came the stereotype of crime and poverty towards Latino/a/x populations. This all connects to the Broken Windows Theory, “a criminological theorythat visible signs of crime, anti-social behavior, and civil disorder create an urban environment that encourages further crime and disorder, including serious crimes”(Wikipedia). I believe the question one must ask is it really the people at fault or the socioeconomic factors that are involved have a key role for this reoccurring outcome for areas with high rates of Latino/a/x populations?  

                                     

 Manor Ave. Hempstead apartments                                  Avalon Garden City, NY Apartments 

Even though Long Island may become more and more diverse each year you still notice the differences, In this blog post I will demonstrate the factors that contribute to the crime and poverty of Latino/a/x populations to argue the fact that it isn’t the people who are at fault but they are just a product of they’re environment. Just blocks away from Hempstead is its neighboring town Garden City. As you see in the photos above, the style of living is significantly different from one another. Hempstead consisting majority of Hispanic and black populations while Garden City has populations of about 95% white citizens (long island report.org). When it comes to educations, Garden City school districts rank among the highest of the country while Hempstead high school holds graduation rates of 48%. Hempstead’s school districts enroll one of the highest numbers of undocumented students each year with numbers increasing, causing overcrowding within its schools. Students have been reported with not enough spaces in classrooms that they have to stand or sit on the floor just to stay in class. what seems to be the cause of such differences? According to census dating back to 2015 only 17 % of Hempstead residence only have degrees of higher education with a median household income 56,239 compared to Garden City’s 157,366. Hempstead is also home to the Nassau County district court causing more policing in the area which is found to make areas worse haunting Hempstead with the curse of the famous Broken Windows Theory. 

                                                           

            

With all these factors against younger generations of minorities especially the undocumented Latino/a/x population its hard to break free of the reoccurring cycle of poverty and criminalization within the area. Thousands of undocumented immigrants come to escape violent lives and for job opportunity but still find themselves still in hardship positions when they arrive.                          

Sources:    Hempstead, Garden City, still worlds apart. (2017, April 25). Retrieved April 2, 2019, from https://longislandreport.org/news/hempstead-garden-city-still-worlds-apart/24420                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Influx of immigrant children reported in Hempstead School District. Retrieved April1, 2019, from  http://longisland.news12.com/story/34770614/influx-of-immigrant-children-reported-in-hempstead-school-district

Whose Long Island? Immigrants Battle for Rights in Suburban New York. (Sanoja Bhaumik 2017, April 27) Retrieved April 1, 2019, from http://thepolitic.org/whose-long-island-immigrants-battle-for-rights-in-suburban-new-york/

Broken Windows Theory. Retrieved April2,2019, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_windows_theory

DEINDUSTRIALIZATION AND CRIMINALIZATION

CRIMINALIZATION OF HOMELESS IN LOS ANGELES
BY STUDENT

Over the years, homeless people in Los Angeles have been criminalized. As of 2017, over half of the homeless population in LA identified as either African American or Latinx. According to LA Times, there was a 31% increase in arrests of homeless people for minor offenses between 2011 and 2016. In fact, two-thirds of these arrest were black or latinx as reported by LA Times. They receive tickets for small infractions such as having their tents up after 6am, sitting on the sidewalk, or sleeping on public property. Government officials try to help by offering shelter beds but, there is a very long waiting list, shelters run out of beds, they arrive too late, or stay too long. If they do not get into one of the shelters, they are more likely to sleep on the streets and more likely to get a ticket.

This reminds me of a scene in the movie, Pursuit of Happyness, when Chris Gardner a homeless salesman played by Will Smith has to to pick his son up from daycare and has to rush over to the homeless shelter before the spots get filed. Unfortunately, they do not make it in time so Gardner takes his son to the train station and plays a game with his son to make him believe they must hide from the dinosaurs in a cave, which is actually the bathroom. This is where they sleep for the night. Many homeless people are able to relate to this scene because some of them have jobs that don’t pay enough that require long hours so, they cannot make it to the shelters. As a result, they sleep on public property but, are fined by LAPD.

The tickets are usually less than $100 but, after court fees are added, they can cost up to three hundred dollars which they obviously cannot afford. If those tickets do not get paid, they are arrested by LAPD. Tickets also keep the homeless in debt which affects their likelihood of them getting accepted into housing. Does ticketing homeless people really solve the problem?
While many people would agree that being homelessness is not a crime, locals are disgusted by how filthy they leave the area. Sometimes they leave contaminated needles and feces on the streets. Therefore, they call the police on the homeless but, this only makes the problem worse. As a result, cops do homeless “sweeps” which is when they take homeless people’s personal belongings into their possession such as bikes, phones, and wallets. Sometimes they go as far as throwing all their items away. Instead of limiting what LAPD takes, they enforce laws on how much property homeless people can leave on public property.

The city has tried to help with this ongoing issue of homelessness by introducing programs such as the Homeless Outreach and Proactive Engagement (HOPE) program and the Resources Engagement Services Enforcement Team (RESET) which, helps to reduce the amount of petty tickets. Many churches volunteer to give the homeless free daily meals but this act has been under attack by the government because they believe it encourages them to stay homeless. I

strongly disagree with this opinion because my grandmother would go to food pantries every weekend and they would hand out stale food and the amount she received was very limited. Food is a necessity to live and they aren’t getting 5 star luxury meals either. Although these programs have helped, homelessness continues to rise in Los Angeles.


References
Angeles, DSA Los. "The Truth About Criminalization & Homelessness In Garcetti's LA."
YouTube. 12 June 2018. YouTube. 04 Mar. 2019 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U7rKAtuacU>

Holland, Gale. "Huge increase in arrests of homeless in L.A. - but mostly for minor offenses." Los Angeles Times. 04 Feb. 2018. Los Angeles Times. 04 Mar. 2019 <https://www.latimes.com/local/politics/la-me-homeless-arrests-20180204-story.html>.

Reyes, Emily Alpert, Dakota Smith, and Anh Do. "Advocates hail ruling that restricts criminalizing homeless sleeping; Garcetti sees 'not much' effect on L.A." Los Angeles Times. 05 Sept
. 2018. Los Angeles Times. 04 Mar. 2019 <​https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-sleeping-ban-20180905-story.html​>

Reyes, Emily Alpert, Dakota Smith, and Anh Do. "Advocates hail ruling that restricts criminalizing homeless sleeping; Garcetti sees 'not much' effect on L.A." Los Angeles Times. 05 Sept. 2018. Los Angeles Times. 04 Mar. 2019 <https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-sleeping-ban-20180905-story.html>

DEINDUSTRIALIZATION AND CRIMINALIZATION

THE CRIMINALIZATION OF AFRICAN AMERICANS

BY STUDENT

source: https://www.google.com/searchrlz=1C1GCEA_enUS825US825&biw=1440&bih=789&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=35KaXNWcI5GRgge5p67gCA&q=The+criminalization+of+African+americans&oq=The+criminalization+of+African+americans&gs_l=img.3..35i39.73368.73971..74513...0.0..0.127.185.1j1......1....1..gws-wiz-img.DPUnKwGs1hQ#imgrc=_

Criminalising of Africans Americans have been going since the dawn of time. Started first with slavery then just become more modern as times started to change. Since Martin luther king  and various activist started there national movement for equal rights for blacks, whites and different minority groups, the issue still rises today. What can we do as a society to come together and combat this everlasting deep scare? 

The reason I put this picture as the start of this topic because this picture speaks volumes to what has happened in history to minority groups and what is still going on till this day. African Americans with regard with the law in many cases have not ended. Depending on the situation some even lose their lives. Not only law enforcement, city and land owners see opportunities when it comes to black communities. In the reading Muhammad: The Criminalization of African American Places part 1, it talks about how low economic places within the african american communities are targets. There targets for land owners to move and for those to move out such as African Americans. In addition, with African americans moving up that would cause some problems and commotions leading to politicians to call on law enforcement. Whether law enforcement does effective or ineffective police work didn't matter, just the fact that politicians saw a problem and “tried to fix it”. 

To answer the question that I pose before: What can we do as a society to come together and combat this everlasting deep scare? In my opinion those that are privileged need to recognize that they are first. Then I believe not just black or white but asians and etc should come together and talk about key aspects of there story regarding this probleem. I would like to know your thought and what you think how society should combat this forever issue? 

Sources

●       Muhammad. The Criminalization of African American Places. blackboard.albany.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-3553828-dt-content-rid-58366571_1/courses/2193-ALCS-283-9972/chapter6_part1.pdf.