There doesn't seem to be a solution to the city's violence

[Driven1]

Looks like Peyton's Jacksonville Journey is wildly popular:

Talkback Opinion Poll
Will Mayor Peyton's crime initiatives stop the violence in Jacksonville?

Yes  4.8%

No  95.2%

firstcoastnews.com

i think this has less to do with Peyton's efforts than the citizens' collective realization that no amount of $$ will stop this problem. 

[JeffreyS]

The Jacksonville Journey is made up of many people who have achieved results in many areas.  While not an expert on the plan I believe it has hope if we fund it.  No silver bullets just long term good government will make our city what we want it.  The obvious problem is Florida will be 50th in funding it's schools this year and Duval will be near the bottom of those counties.

[thebrokenforum]

just long term good government

That's exactly what we are lacking. We have exactly the opposite right now. We have ZERO leadership right now. I'm leaning towards Driven's opinion about being "realistic" in the respect that as long as Peyton/Rutherford are making decisions we are headed for more bloodshed as the murder capital of the state. 

[thebrokenforum]

“If we do not reverse this trend we are going to limit our future,” Peyton told the Times-Union before the Westside press conference. “We’re not only losing lives. It’s costing this community in the form of loss of quality of life, [a] challenge in recruiting businesses [and a] challenge in keeping businesses.”

All right, is it just me or does Peyton sound like a regular old concerned citizen here with his hands in his pockets and shoulders shrugged; like he's prodding the real mayor of Jacksonville to wake up and do something about this? 

Uh, that's your job there, guy.

[lewyn]

A spate of violence takes its toll on city

By day’s end, the tally of Jacksonville homicides would jump from 73 to at least 77 for the year. Jacksonville had recorded 80 homicides by the same time last year and 88 by the same date in 2006.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/072108/met_307042743.shtml

With Chicago calling in the National Guard it sure makes you wonder if that's a possibility here. Is every year going to be like this now??Geez...

So evidently murder is actually going down (though of course not by as much as we would like).  So that's a good thing, right?

PS Contrary to popular myth, it isn't true that Jax is no. 1 in the state in murder.

[Lunican]

2 shot at Washington Heights; 5 more shot in Lake Forest Hills

Two people were shot at Washington Heights Apartments on West Moncrief, followed by five more a few hours later on nearby Aubrey Avenue.

Jacksonville homicide detectives were called to the apartments about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. Sgt. Rick Hike said one person suffered life-threatening wounds and the other was not as serious.

It was too early to get any other details, but the scene at 4229 W. Moncrief was littered with shell casings.

About five hours later at five more people were shot at Aubrey and Denham Road in Lake Forest Hills. Police at the scene said none was life-threatening.

The shootings weren't all that far away, but it's too early to tell if there's any correlation.

Full Article

[fatcat]

maybe the NAACP chair should live a week in one of those apartments before they start talking about police shooting blah, blah, blah.
I know the chair of Florida NAACP does not live in Jacksonville. Anyone know where does the local NAACP chair live? Does s/he ever set foot in any of those apartments?

[Beloki]

How about the New York method? They cleaned Manhattan up pretty much!

[Coolyfett]

high crime is here to stay.  we all know it starts in the home.  and you can't force people to stop having FATHERLESS children and you can't force them to be good parents when they do.  because of this, the high crime is here to stay.

I totally agree, I had to add a word to your post though.

[Karl_Pilkington]

high crime is here to stay.  we all know it starts in the home.  and you can't force people to stop having children and you can't force them to be good parents when they do.  because of this, the high crime is here to stay.

those in the 'criminal justice' occupations would say "job security" to statements like that.  Its definitely a growth industry, particularly here in 'the bold new city of the south'.