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Ooooh! The mashup geniuses at Faneuil Media have put together an elaborate map of New York murders to accompany this New York Times article. The data spans the last three years. Some people have reported the mashup is loading a little bit slow, so if its not working for you, check out this static map that the Times through in for good measure:
The bottom line: murders are concentrated in poor neighborhoods, especially in northern Manhattan, Eastern Brooklyn and Queens, and the South Bronx. If you look at the data, Blacks and Hispanics make up 89% of murderers and 87% of victims, and almost 90% of both groups are men. Some mild surprises: almost 70% of the victims knew their murderer, and while guns accounted for 66% of the murder weapons, "cutting" instruments were used 22% of the time.
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it's kind of interesting that, in the less impoverished/rough neighborhoods, the murders seem to align pretty well with subway lines. you can see them running down the R all the way to bay ridge.
The "drugs" motive is pretty vague.
I can just see it now:
Man #1:
(pointing gun)
Fuck you. I'm gonna kill you.
Man #2:
You want to kill me? Whatever for?
Man #1:
Drugs, man. Drugs.
SHOTS fired.
Lordy, I can only hope that when they finally come for me, it's not with "cutting" instruments.
It is far from surprising that 70% of victims knew their murderer. In fact, I am surprised it is not higher.
And how are drug-related crimes and murders "vague"? Whenever you have an underground economy, you have high potential for murder. Drug crime is not simply use but also distribution, and control of distribution is certainly a motive for murder. Second, drug dealers may murder junkies to prove a point to other junkies to pay up or else.
more reasons to end the war on some drugs.
Control of distribution is a motive. Elimination of competition is a motive. Getting back at a non-payer is a motive. Killing someone for money so that one can purchase something (candy? a tv? drugs?) is a motive.
But the drugs themselves are not a motive to kill. Someone might be ON drugs, and have impaired judgment, and will have a shorter fuse. But drugs aren't a motive. A more accurate description of motivation should be "Revenge for non-payment" or "Elimination of competition" etc. Simply saying drugs is vague as hell.
it was so vague we all knew what it meant.
Not really, dhex. In the example in the picture, why did the first guy kill the second guy?
(I meant why did the second guy kill the first guy)
Two women sit on a park bench.
Woman 1:
Excuse me, do you have the time?
Woman 2:
Drugs.
Woman 1:
You kiss your mother with that mouth? How dare you?
Woman 2:
DRUGS.
Woman 1:
You're getting me angry...
Woman 2:
Drugs drugs drugs drugs drugs drugs.
Woman 1 goes NUTS and starts beating Woman 2. A catfight ensues. Someone dies.
DRUGS ARE THE REAL PROBLEM. DRUGS ARE THE SCOURGE OF THE EARTH.
If I read the word "mash up" one more time...
Oooh a map of murders! Absolutely delicious!! What fun.