The deadly mixture of guns and class in Toronto

Toronto Star ^ | 1 Apr 2014 | Richard Florida

[docbnj]

Toronto’s gun murder rate is about on par with large U.S. cities like Austin (1.5) and just a little better than San Jose (1.9) or Portland (2.2). And it is not all than much better than New York City’s record low of 3.8 murders per 100,000 recorded last year.

[docbnj]

This article cites data relating gun crimes to social class. They coyly avoid mentioning ethnicity. Not mentioned (but well known) is that most of the crimes involve pistols, which are highly restricted “restricted” guns in Canada. Pistols with barrels shorter than 105 mm are “prohibited,” which means permitted only by grandfathering.

[seacapn]

These things tend to be demographic in nature, which is not the message most people want to hear, since it has uncomfortable implications. Also, focusing on the gun murder rate alone is not that useful without looking at the overall murder rate.

It looks like Toronto had 57 murders in 2013 for a city of 2.8 million people. The city where I lived - Houston - had 199 (or a few more, depending on the source) murders for a bit less than 2.2 million people, and that was considered relatively low for the city.

When we look at the demographic profiles of each, the differences make immediate sense.

[docbnj]

The article is interesting because it shows that a very strict Canadian regimen of gun control does not break the pattern which we also see in the States.
Crime follows poverty, as these researchers are prone to say. Actually, it is more likely that crime and poverty go together because they are both symptoms of social disorder, and personal failings.

The fact that symptoms of social disorder vary by ethnic groups is obvious, but almost unmentionable in elite intellectual circles. It is also avoided in this article.

It would be interesting if someone were to tabulate crime statistics against marital stability. It is also likely that crime rates are higher among first-generation children of immigrants: this is not to cast aspersions on any one ethnic group, but it is a fact which can be verified in the 1800s for earlier waves of immigrants (Germans, Irish, and Italians).

[backwoods-engineer]

This is because only the criminals have the guns, as it’s too hard for a law-abiding person to go about armed.

[Myrddin]

The "crime follows poverty" line is crap. The ethnic/racial group most prone to criminal behavior happens to be in the poverty category as a consequence of an unwillingness to work. Correlation is not causation.

[Mr. Blond]

Jamaican drug gangs have been the scourge of Toronto for years.

[marktwain]

“Actually, it is more likely that crime and poverty go together because they are both symptoms of social disorder, and personal failings.”

And because of a lack of belief that the justice system will be effective.

There are plenty of “poor” areas with low crime rates.

I have heard that high crime rates and fatherless homes have a much higher correlative value than poverty does, even though poverty and single parent homes correlate very well, but I do not have a source for it.

[B4Ranch]

>>This is because only the criminals have the guns, as it’s too hard for a law-abiding person to go about armed.<<

I have not been patted down by a cop in forty years which is probably the reason why I never applied for a CCW permit. I carry when I am out in public to defend myself and my family from crime not because I have a desire to shoot people.

I would think that a criminal is much more likely to get patted down than a law abiding person.

[Peter Libra]

They coyly avoid mentioning ethnicity.

Your observation is right. I mention the rival newspaper to the Toronto Star which is the National Post. I take the liberty of quoting the Feb 1st 2012 edition.

Racial data routinely suppressed by Police.

As an immigrant to Toronto many years ago and then I moved on, I do remember old Toronto of the 1950's. Later the two last hangings were of two men who killed a policeman in 1962. Homegrown thugs. So rare was murder, the case was gone over again and again as a warning. One shivered as one read of the ritual of the death penalty on these two men.

We learn today that the least likely persons to commit murder there, are of German and Austrian nationality. Asian Chinese seemed to also merit this avoidance of murder, along with Scandinavians. The Scandinavians are not very numerous however. Killings occur by the particular group from the Island of Jamaica and just pressing them closely are the latest new arrivals. They are the Somalis.

Of course there are some nasty pieces of work from all backgrounds. Now Canada could be beset by "honour killings". We all know who they are. The fear produced by political correctness in Canada is something to be almost frightened at.

George Orwell- where are you?