Thread: {Sob}Roswell’s silent victims

Source: NorthFulton.com

Roswell’s silent victims

by Jason Wright

April 24, 2008

ROSWELL -- Ana Martinez and her husband, Barbaro Hernandez, both 54, were walking March 1 to their Concepts 21 apartment when they were robbed of $100 in the middle of the complex’s parking lot.

When interviewed by police after reporting the crime, Ana, who works at a local fast food restaurant, and Barbaro, who cleans offices for a living, said this was the second time in less than a year they had been robbed.

They were just two of the 10 victims hit that week in a quick spree, all Hispanic, all at Roswell apartment complexes and probably all robbed by the same suspect.

Fearing retaliation, the couple asked police not to press charges. Most North Fulton residents their age are thinking about how to spend their retirement. But they must continue to work hard, thankless hours in service jobs.

They didn’t want to bring too much scrutiny on themselves, their families or their community.

For the Martinez’s and many like them, this is reality on the other side of Roswell. Yes, Roswell, the 18th safest city in the United States.

It’s not as though crime has risen dramatically. It’s not as though dangerous criminals stalk the streets. But for a certain group of Roswell’s population -- Hispanics -- simply living in Roswell puts a target on their backs.

Hispanics targets for crime

The numbers are telling. According to the 2006 Census, Hispanics make up roughly 17 percent of Roswell’s total 88,500 population. But they are the victims of roughly half of all index crimes -- murder, rape, robbery and assault.

Nowhere is the split among races in Roswell more evident than with robberies. In 2007, there were 108 robberies with 139 victims. At least 76 were Hispanic. No other race even came close.

There were also more aggravated assaults against Hispanics than any other ethnic group, though the numbers were marginally closer.

And these were the crimes that were reported. Police say many of these crimes go unreported as victims unfamiliar with the American system of justice just keep quiet.

For example, two victims reporting a June 30, 2007 robbery at Concepts 21 -- one of at least four at the complex in two days -- told police another man was robbed at the same time by their assailant’s likely accomplice. However, no report ever surfaced for that crime.

Imagine if this sort of thing happened at Martin’s Landing or Sentinel on the River instead of Concepts 21 apartments or Aspen Pointe apartments -- it might be the biggest story in North Fulton.

But since the victims remain largely silent, it passes without much notice.

And it’s not as though being Hispanic in north Georgia automatically means crime. Forsyth County’s population is roughly 15 percent Hispanic, but crimes specifically against them are much less frequent, according to the police reports compiled each week by Appen Newspapers Inc. Crimes against Hispanics are not disproportionate in Alpharetta either, in which about 13 percent of the total population is Hispanic.

Culture, geography share blame

Lt. James McGee, a spokesman with the Roswell Police Department, said there is a multitude of reasons for the statistics, but it can be boiled down to a few simple factors.

** Many Roswell’s Hispanics working as laborers or in the service industry generally carry their cash and are paid weekly. Some do not trust banks because they are unreliable in their own country.

Time the crimes right, and for society’s vultures it’s easy pickings, McGee said.

** Immigrants, especially the undocumented ones, are reluctant to draw the attention of authorities even when they are the victims.

“Let’s face it, a lot of them are perceived to be undocumented or illegal aliens, and they get preyed upon because [criminals] think they’re not going to report a crime,â€

It's sad they are.....but if it's like many stories I've read.....they are victims of their own people knowing they never will report them either. Atleast here......many slum lords are hispanics...many legal....who are ripping off their own. Same with the "immigrant lawyers" and many other things. You report me.....I report you. That's why this "sanctuary" city hope Hillary has is a joke. They won't report crimes when they are criminals themselves....and the perp isn't going to stay quiet either.

[quote]“In the majority of Latin American countries, you cannot talk to the police,â€

Originally Posted by crazybird

It's sad they are.....but if it's like many stories I've read.....they are victims of their own people knowing they never will report them either. Atleast here......many slum lords are hispanics...many legal....who are ripping off their own. Same with the "immigrant lawyers" and many other things. You report me.....I report you. That's why this "sanctuary" city hope Hillary has is a joke. They won't report crimes when they are criminals themselves....and the perp isn't going to stay quiet either.

Exactly! They are preyed upon by their OWN people!

Ana Martinez and her husband, Barbaro Hernandez, both 54........

Fearing retaliation, the couple asked police not to press charges. Most North Fulton residents their age are thinking about how to spend their retirement. But they must continue to work hard, thankless hours in service jobs.

54 and most North Fulton residents are thinking how to spend their retirement?????????