2 weeks in..

well stated iris

also when he came here to this island, it was well over 30-40 years ago. many things have changed in that time-crime included. it would be interesting to see the crime states for that time period

That 'oblivious' statement was meant as sarcasm....
Nobody is entitled to live a crime-free life. Humans have always been wicked. It is a waste of time to belabor crime statistics because nothing can ever change basic human nature. All you can do is hope for the best and prepare for the worst. He was obviously prepared for the worst and dealt with it.

What do you think would happen if people of any race discovered an island where the natives were docile and no crime existed? How long do you think Paradise would last?

well stated iris

also when he came here to this island, it was well over 30-40 years ago. many things have changed in that time-crime included. it would be interesting to see the crime states for that time period

Things have changed in 30 years? HA! I'm currently having a (I hope) friendly argument with Old Tart who thinks they haven't. I'm like, uh, yeah, no. Have that conversation with anyone who has been on STX since the 60s or 70s. It's hardly the same place.

IT

What do you think would happen if people of any race discovered an island where the natives were docile and no crime existed?

Um, I'd probably check to make sure I was still living on planet earth and that giant pink unicorns weren't flying overhead.

IT

HA! I'm currently having a (I hope) friendly argument with Old Tart who thinks they haven't. I'm like, uh, yeah, no. Have that conversation with anyone who has been on STX since the 60s or 70s. It's hardly the same place.

IT

Not what I said at all. I simply questioned the "VERY". New construction has barreled along, population and crime have risen. Of course things have changed as they have in most other places. The "essence" of the islands remains, though. Just as I can find in London (where I haven't lived since the late 60s) familiar sights, smells and that "essence" amidst the new, so I can find it on STT and STJ and I'm sure the same is true for STX but with which I'm not so familiar.

jahrasty, i like your comment

HA! I'm currently having a (I hope) friendly argument with Old Tart who thinks they haven't. I'm like, uh, yeah, no. Have that conversation with anyone who has been on STX since the 60s or 70s. It's hardly the same place.

IT

Not what I said at all. I simply questioned the "VERY". New construction has barreled along, population and crime have risen. Of course things have changed as they have in most other places. The "essence" of the islands remains, though. Just as I can find in London (where I haven't lived since the late 60s) familiar sights, smells and that "essence" amidst the new, so I can find it on STT and STJ and I'm sure the same is true for STX but with which I'm not so familiar.

Okay. That's my point. You're not familiar with STX. I am. Stop making assumptions about which you know nothing (or very little).

IT

Message Removed.

Message Removed.

Okay. That's my point. You're not familiar with STX. I am. Stop making assumptions about which you know nothing (or very little).

IT

I wouldn't go so far as to say nothing or very little as I spent a lot of time on STX up until 15 years ago and have many friends there. Please try and curb yourself from being rudely admonishing when I've been perfectly civil.

Okay. That's my point. You're not familiar with STX. I am. Stop making assumptions about which you know nothing (or very little).

IT

I wouldn't go so far as to say nothing or very little as I spent a lot of time on STX up until 15 years ago and have many friends there. Please try and curb yourself from being rudely admonishing when I've been perfectly civil.

I wouldn't say "perfectly" civil. And you know that. And 15 years is a lot of time. It's very disrespectful, to say nothing of dishonest, to first represent that you KNOW what's going on here and then go ... oh, but I haven't really ever lived there and I haven't spent time there for OVER A DECADE. Not very helpful.

IT

p.s. This isn't a "blog".

I wouldn't say "perfectly" civil. And you know that.

I'm afraid I don't. Simply because my opinion differs from yours is not being uncivil. I respect your opinion as I would have hoped you might respect mine even though you disagree.

well stated iris

also when he came here to this island, it was well over 30-40 years ago. many things have changed in that time-crime included. it would be interesting to see the crime states for that time period

Can't. The VIPD wouldn't allow anyone to look at their records up until a mid 1990s lawsuit brought by The Daily News to allow access. I am sure the records are long gone now, especially since the records house on STT burned down just before I left the islands in 1989.

If you read my book and see that I got away with all crimes I committed on STT except for one, and I only talk about the minor crimes we committed. We were out every weekend and some weekdays stealing - cars, boats, break into businesses, etc:

https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?7,224389

Forgive me if this has been posted before as it was an article from January and came across it yesterday:

V.I. homicide rate plummets in 2013 Murder rates around the world

WOW look at Honduras!!

Forgive me if this has been posted before as it was an article from January and came across it yesterday:

V.I. homicide rate plummets in 2013 Murder rates around the world

WOW look at Honduras!!

Yeah, and from the article, that one year alone (the murder rate was much higher for 2010. 11. 12 and seems to be going high this year too) the USVI was still 8th in the World for murder per capita and competed in the US with the likes of Newark:

Compared with the FBI's 2012 numbers, the territory's current homicide rate would have been in line with the murder rates of some of the largest U.S. cities, including St. Louis, Mo., which had a nearly identical per capita murder rate in 2012 - 35.4 - to the territory's current homicide rate.

Other cities with comparable rates included Baltimore, with a per capita murder rate of 34.9 per 100,000 people in 2012; Newark, N.J., with a per capita murder rate of 34.4 in 2012; and Oakland, Calif., with a per capita murder rate of 31.8 in 2012.

The murder rate in Honduras just reflects the War on Drugs we have foisted upon the World. We are largely responsible for the murder rate in Central America.

Yep. War on Drugs = Fast & Furious

What do you think would happen if people of any race discovered an island where the natives were docile and no crime existed?

Um, I'd probably check to make sure I was still living on planet earth and that giant pink unicorns weren't flying overhead.

IT

Right...still, people expect St. Croix to be full of docile natives who commit no crime. That's like driving cars and expecting no pollution, or living in a country that produces millions of firearms each year and expecting no shootings. Like I said, nobody is entitled to a crime-free existence. We live in a system that breeds crime and corruption, and nothing can be done to fix it. You are wasting your valuable time complaining about crime on a message board. Nothing will be resolved. The gun factories will not be shut down. The people who don't have will not suddenly obtain all they need. Human nature will not change. We are headed for a catastrophic purging of the evil that resides on this planet, because humans are meant to destroy each other. I would love to be proven wrong.

I haven't been on this site in a while and boy, does it still entertain. This was one of the only places I thought I could really learn about living on STX. I got here and have a completely different idea now. lol

Glad you had a positive experience, Jamison. I imagine being on the farm helped a lot. Please understand, though, that it isn't the same for everyone, and that one cannot make informed choices without knowing the facts. It's very disrespectful to be so dismissive of others' horrific experiences with crime on STX.

Best to you.

IT

I'm not being disrespectful to anyone. I was just laughing about the extremely negative nature of this board. I've been car jacked. I also brush it off as island life. I was told before I moved here, you'll be robbed. It's lke that on every island. It's like that in every place with unemployment rates like we have. Nothing new or shocking. I've had my security guard and friend shot and killed while on my way to work and I was running late. I also saw the kid the night before who did it. I know th kids who jacked my car. Their uncle apologized to me. I know a lot of people who have been robbed. Most of the time out west here, the things are returned inside of an hour, thanks to some of the friends I've made.

Crime is real here and eventually, it will catch up to you. Don't live here is that is going to stop you from living your life and being happy. There are so many great things here to do, such an incredible culture that you can't find in the states and a family sense to being on island, that is easy to immerse yourself in, if you allow yourself to be open to it and contribute. If you only think about what the island is giving you and not what you can give to it, this probably isn''t the place for you.

I certainly didn't intend to insult Alana, nor would I. I know I've met you, as I have most people on here, but again, like most people I meet, can't place da face. lol I'm sorry if you feel I insulted you somehow, wasn't intentional, but that does go back to my original point, that people on this board can be sensitive and overreactional (not aimed at you Alana). I think that's what happens to OT. She has a very dry and to the point demeanor on here.

Thanks, Jamison. I appreciate that. I also was not trying to be negative, just realistic. As I have said for over a decade now -- people EXPECT crazy crime in places like Detroit or Chicago. They don't EXPECT it here. To simply disabuse them of this notion is NOT being negative about STX, it's simply stating the facts. I also agree with you that it's not the place for everyone. Unfortunately, it's the only place offering me a place to live and a job right now, so here I am again. Just means I have to buy another machete. (Good for robbers AND centipedes!)

We met through the farm. I was friends with one of your workers-in-res and also a CSA member. Spent a lot of time out there. Almost lost a car in the mud once. Great place.

Best,

IT

noOne,

I'm sorry. You WROTE A BOOK ABOUT YOUR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY? AND ARE PROUD OF IT?

No crime is "minor". Not to the victim.

I don't say this often, but shame on you.

IT

Yeah it was a very interesting time in my life. It was a major factor in shaping my character. I'm not the type to write fiction, and there is no other factual subject that I could write about except for one, which I am writing about also.

It also shows that crime has not changed much in the past two decades, and how easy it is to get away with ridiculous crimes.

As far a "shame on you" - *evil grin* - yeah I guess so.

We've all made mistakes. As you said, we learn from them and it shapes our character.

Some people never change, others change for the better.

Those that change for the better should not be condemned.

agree with cruzan, people do change. hopefully for the better. interesting noOne, they had to be sued for the police records to be made available. those are public ( or should be )

Quote

Compared with the FBI's 2012 numbers, the territory's current homicide rate would have been in line with the murder rates of some of the largest U.S. cities, including St. Louis, Mo., which had a nearly identical per capita murder rate in 2012 - 35.4 - to the territory's current homicide rate.

Other cities with comparable rates included Baltimore, with a per capita murder rate of 34.9 per 100,000 people in 2012; Newark, N.J., with a per capita murder rate of 34.4 in 2012; and Oakland, Calif., with a per capita murder rate of 31.8 in 2012.

I tried to make this point in the past. It's the same here as many places I've been. Some areas also work there numbers so their communities are not shown in a negative light. Sadly its our world, and its being run by a generation of idiots. As long as almost any behavior is considered a right, its only going too get worse.