Civilian Patrols

[Joe in PNG]

Population is also a big factor. If 1% of the population* tends to be criminals, a community of 100 might only have a single criminal; a town of 1000 might have 10, and a city of 1 million would probably have 10,000.
So, if Blanksburg went from 1000 people in 1950 to 100,000 in 2020, it stands to reason that the statistical number of criminals will have also increased in those decades.

Likewise, it's easier in those small communities to keep an eye out & on the statistically fewer criminals over a large metropolis. Or a fairly stagnant locality over those with a high turnover.

It's very informative to read both histories of that era, and fiction from that era. For instance, note the dialogue regarding juvenile delinquency in "Starship Troopers" was published in 1959.

*a number I pulled right out of the air

[Hambo]

Obviously some exceptions, the pharmacy I walked past on my way to school until sixth grade had a pharmacist with (I think) a three for four kill ratio when he retired, only because one guy was close enough to the door to get away while his buddy was getting killed.

My dad still lives in the same town, which was founded in 1803. There was a train robbery in the 30's, and a murder when I was in high school. There are thefts and such, but violent crime still isn't a thing. It wasn't legal to shoot at thieves, but farmers were known to do just that and not call the sheriff.

Ohio was pretty stupid in that regard. IIRC, the rule was it was permissible to carry a gun if a prudent man would have armed himself.

It was illegal. If you got caught, you could make an affirmative defense that you carried money from work or whatever.

[Eric_L]

They should make a movie out of that and show it every Christmas.

The past is a different country- they do things differently there. - Jeff Cooper

[BehindBlueI's]

Please share your experiences from the 1950"s

Do you think sundowner towns and vagrancy laws are a myth or do you think there should be zero discussion of historical fact once the last participant was dead? Either way, a ridiculous post.

[Borderland]

I can't tell you much about the 50's, but I can tell you plenty about the 60's. It doesn't take a big brain to figure out what went on in the 50's. It's been documented thoroughly.

[Borderland]

My dad still lives in the same town, which was founded in 1803. There was a train robbery in the 30's, and a murder when I was in high school. There are thefts and such, but violent crime still isn't a thing. It wasn't legal to shoot at thieves, but farmers were known to do just that and not call the sheriff.



It was illegal. If you got caught, you could make an affirmative defense that you carried money from work or whatever.

It wasn't legal to shoot at thieves, but farmers were known to do just that and not call the sheriff.

Well, that happened to me and my brother. One night we decided to steal some watermelons form a neighbor. His watermelons were close to his house but his corn was a good cover to approach his melons. So we thought. We snuck through the corn field without detection but once in his melon patch his dog alerted him. Lights came on and we were exposed. Dropped everything and retreated to the corn field. Shots rang out. I could hear the shot cutting through the corn near us. Scared the living shit out of both of us. Scratch that off of list of mischievous things to do on warm summer nights.

[Dog Face Gremlin]

Growing up in the 50's was pretty safe...husbands went to work, mothers became homemakers and kids went to normal schools where we saluted the flag and receited the Lords Prayer before the start of the day......guns weren't a big factor where I grew up in central jersey but hunting was and then we had TV shows.....Roy Rodgers, the Lone Ranger, Hop-along Cassidy, Texas Rangers and so on....there was plenty of shootin' going on on those shows for kids to watch.....Crime was not a factor either. It was a time when you left the house with the windows open to let in the fresh air as my mom said and never locked a door....neighbors were neighbors good or bad....only big incident in my town was when the local LE caught a fella on the run from NYC and he decided to shoot it out with one of our local police detectives...the BG was shot and killed and I remember the Detective was revered in the local newspaper as an absolute true Hero...with a reputation that followed in town whenever you saw him.....now the 60's, that was sometin' else again...........

[Cheap Shot]

Do you think sundowner towns and vagrancy laws are a myth or do you think there should be zero discussion of historical fact once the last participant was dead? Either way, a ridiculous post.

Happy to discuss and learn. I'm going to assume we both would like to present our position using facts and evidence to support our opinions. I'll do my best.

I've never heard the term "sundowner towns", and I'm speculating vagrancy laws were used to keep undesirable people out.

I don't know how prevalent either of those phenomena were in the 50's. Both seem reasonable methods by local authority to deal with crime and homelessness with limited financial resources. Another method used in the 50's, 60's, and 70's to address homelessness/mental illness was a more robust mental health system thats been all but eliminated.

Sundowner towns and vagrancy laws seem to be a very narrow slice of the fifties and in and of itself arent compelling enough for me to say that we are better off now than back then. Currently, most of our inner cities are uninhabitable due to crime, drug use and homelessness. I dont think we are better off now nor do I think crime, drug use and homelessness are being dealt with better.

[Half Moon]

Happy to discuss and learn. I'm going to assume we both would like to present our position using facts and evidence to support our opinions. I'll do my best.

I've never heard the term "sundowner towns", and I'm speculating vagrancy laws were used to keep undesirable people out.

I don't know how prevalent either of those phenomena were in the 50's. Both seem reasonable methods by local authority to deal with crime and homelessness with limited financial resources. Another method used in the 50's, 60's, and 70's to address homelessness/mental illness was a more robust mental health system thats been all but eliminated.

Sundowner towns and vagrancy laws seem to be a very narrow slice of the fifties and in and of itself arent compelling enough for me to say that we are better off now than back then. Currently, most of our inner cities are uninhabitable due to crime, drug use and homelessness. I dont think we are better off now nor do I think crime, drug use and homelessness are being dealt with better.

Sundown towns had discriminatory laws against minorities most notably characterized by rules such as all minorities needed to be out of town or off the streets by sundown. Narrow slice I suppose depends on where you are on the pie.

[Dog Face Gremlin]

Try this........

https://justice.tougaloo.edu/sundown...ase/state-map/