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Crime in the city of Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Philadelphia is one of the most dangerous cities in the United States due to its high crime. With the crimes growing more intense and hitting closer to home every day, residents fear for their safety.

Just this year, there have been over three hundred homicides in Philadelphia along with a number of carjackings and robberies. A number of fatal incidents have claimed the lives of hundreds causing residents to feel that they always have to be on high alert when leaving their homes.

Jackie Rascoe, a resident of Philadelphia for over 40 years expressed her concern about leaving her home every day. "When you're getting in your car, you don't know if someone is going to run up on you, carjack you, or if someone is going to come behind you and shoot you," said Rascoe. "It gets scary at times."

Residents find leaving their homes and returning safely to be a blessing considering not everyone is able to make it home to their loved ones at night. Usually, residents become victims of crimes when they leave their homes and when they're returning.

"It's just horrible. It's like a jungle getting out there every day. If you can get out safely and go back in safely, it's a blessing," said Ruth E. Harvey.

A number of residents in Philadelphia wonder if having more police officers on duty will help. According to the inquirer, two-thirds of Philadelphians agree that there aren't enough officers. Residents also wonder if spending more money on law enforcement would be an effective way to combat crime. Police presence is known to be one of the top issues.

The majority of the crime that happens in Philadelphia are a result of drugs, domestic disputes, arguments, and neighborhood feuds. The people who commit these crimes are mostly known to be young males.

Anthony Fryer, a 22-year-old Philadelphian expressed feeling like a lot of the crimes that happen are unnecessary. "It's a lot of unnecessary events caused through pride and pettiness," said Fryer. "People break rules just to break rules."

The crime in the city is the number one reason people move out of Philadelphia due to the city that's supposed to be known as the city of brotherly love turning into a city where blood is always shed.

As time progresses, residents hope that the crime rate will start to decrease.