No Snitching
Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs JournalismIn 2007, 30 people were homicide victims in Newport News, Va., a 50 percent increase over 2006. Most of the deaths happened in the East End, a predominantly poor, African-American section of town. Police have said that a culture of "no snitching" has hindered their efforts to arrest suspects in many of the killings. Residents of East End feel isolated from the rest of the city. With no banks, large grocery stores, dry cleaners, movie theaters or shopping centers, they are forced to leave the area for basic services. This isolation has given many a strong sense of community, a distrust of the motives of the police and city government as well as fear of retaliation if they do come forward with information.
0 comments