Since this is REAL LIFE I've picked this forum. I almost put it in A Little Levity. Thing is, it ain't funny.

Wayne County Michigan. 09 Sep 2004. On the six o'clock news tonight Wayne County got the dubious distinction of being potentially the first place in the United States with a CRIMINAL TAX. The crime rate in Detroit Michigan is so high and so expensive that the county of Wayne will probably have a crime tax levied on it.

Expenses for Protection,(police/sheriffs) Court Costs, Public Defenders, etc. etc. etc. are so high that unless a crime tax is levied cannot be met. Can you believe that? Not to mention, Jails and prisons are so full that felony convicted, dangerous criminals, are regularly released early on a daily basis.

Maybe this should be in the gun control thread. It's getting to a kill them all and let God sort them out situation.

Sadly, there are several upper and upper middle class areas in this county. Since these people have more to spend they will pay more in taxes. On second thought, maybe that's not sad. Perhaps the federal government should try this.

It works it's way into gated-communities, guards, private police etc. but not for the common everyday neighborhoods.

Whatchagonnado? If you increase police efforts, then the next week someone writes an article that the population of prisons is so-and-so and isn't that just a terrible thing...



Still, more Jesus would go a long way towards making the neighborhoods safer and crime-free. More money does not equal progress or positive change.

You're absolutely right Allen. More Jesus is definitely needed. In spite of that, it's amazing how the people in the neighborhoods you saw only have Jesus.

Detroit has a slumlord law. If they don't take care of business they have to live in what they make others live in. At least until they make it liveable. Greed is such a curse. I could even understand if it was JUST the man doing this. Living large in suburbia and letting his tenants do the best they can. (Not that that's acceptable.) It's no secret because of the white flight Detroit is Largely a black community. Black people who came up like that who now have some bucks do it to their Brothers and sisters.

The renters do the best they can. The ownwers know they'll never get anything in resale value so just take what they can while they can.

Some of the homes and neighborhoods you saw at one time were upper middle class and upperclass areas. Even Motown recording studio was once a place where only the very wealthy could live.

Amen, change has to start at home, in the heart.

I believe you, miles of gorgeous (at least at one time) huge 2 and 3-story homes... some sort of "Main Street USA" project there would produce huge dividends. It may be too late to save a lot of them tho.

I used to volunteer at the Utah State Penitentiary where I ran a religious library and taught a Sunday School class on the NT.

The program had been in place for years and the statistics showed that those inmates that participated in religious programs were eighty percent less likely to return to prison after their release.

So you're probably right Allen - more Jesus.

Some things are just amazing. My prayer group goes to the prisons and you can really see God's light shine on people there. Its a good experience.