Crime stats may be misleading, but murder stats aren’t

The Examiner is to be commended for its efforts to shed some much-needed light on the tragic condition of criminal justice in Baltimore. However, the Oct. 31 article, “Report: Baltimore second most dangerous large city,” only told part of the story.

For two years in a row, Mayor Martin O’Malley has been claiming that violent crime is down, even though Baltimore actually suffered the highest murder rate among cities with a population of more than 500,000. In 2004 and 2005, Baltimore edged out Detroit for this dubious distinction. In 2003, Washington, D.C. was the deadliest big city with Baltimore coming in second and Detroit third. The 2005 murder rate in Baltimore was 42 per 100,000, 43.4 in 2004 and 41.9 in 2003.

Other violent crime statistics have varied from year to year, but homicide statistics have remained unacceptably high.

At the monthly meetings of the mayor’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, of which I am a member, I have steadfastly maintained that the nonfatal crime statistics are being manipulated to serve the mayor’s political agenda. The statistics glaringly suggest that violent crimes have been downgraded to give the mayor fodder for his perpetual campaign for higher office. Homicide cannot be downgraded, however, because death by gunshot or cutting usually leaves undeniable evidence that a murder has taken place.

The mayor can ask people to “believe” that violent crime is down, but in the end the body count tells the truth.

No matter how many times O’Malley changes his police commissioner, Baltimore will not develop a sound strategy for fighting crime without being candid and forthright about the present — and unacceptable — situation.

Frank M. Conaway, Sr.
Member, Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
Baltimore

Private schools benefit from public education system

Tim Stonesifer believes that education improves with competition (Letters, Nov. 6). But it is not true that private schools are out of a job if they do not supply education well.

When a private school cannot provide speech education (e.g. articulation, receptive or expressive language difficulties) for its students, the local public school helps those students.

When a private school cannot provide for the learning differences or behavior problems of some of its clientele, those students are “let go” and the parents’ alternative is to enroll their children in the local public school.

You cannot compare private and public schools because the private schools can choose their clientele, but public schools must provide for all.

Karen W. Gronau
Perry Hall

As Eldridge reports, MTA is anything but user friendly

As an MTA rider for the past 23 years, I am only one of thousands of its patrons who know that Examiner columnist Steve Eldridge is right most of the time when writing about what’s wrong with the MTA.

I know that MTA receives many phone calls from disgruntled patrons like me concerning its rude, ill-mannered employees.

MTA supervisors don’t respond because they don’t care — and that includes [Maryland Secretary of Transportation] Robert L. Flanagan.

Even BWI Airport, Amtrak and Greyhound provide restrooms for their patrons — many of whom are senior citizens. Not MTA. And that speaks volumes about how MTA thinks.

Leo A. Williams
Baltimore

Endorsements long-standing tradition for media

Regarding the Nov. 6 letter, “Examiner should not endorse candidates,” by Jeff Sheehan of Westminster, I wonder if Mr. Sheehan sent a duplicate letter to the Baltimore Sun?

The Sun has made a habit of endorsing political candidates — and almost invariably liberal Democrats — for at least 20 years (which is how long I’ve lived in the Baltimore area).

It is a long-standing tradition for local and regional news media to make endorsements as they see fit.

At least there is now some balance to the other paper’s former monopoly on opinions in the area.

David C. Stark
Bel Air