Crime
New VCU study directly connects derelict properties to risk of violence in Richmond neighborhoods
Negligent landlords — those who allow their properties to become dilapidated despite having tenants — are a significant predictor of violence in Richmond neighborhoods, even more than personal property tax delinquency, population density, income levels and other factors, according to a new study by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University.
By Brian McNeill, VCU News
Negligent landlords — those who allow their properties to become dilapidated despite having tenants — are a significant predictor of violence in Richmond neighborhoods, even more than personal property tax delinquency, population density, income levels and other factors, according to a new study by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University.
“Negligent landlords contribute significantly to violence in Richmond neighborhoods via the environment,” said lead author Samuel West, Ph.D., an alum of the Department of Psychology in the College of Humanities and Sciences and an assistant professor of psychology at Virginia State University. “This impact was above and beyond the impact of those who live in these neighborhoods in terms of the state of their respective properties.”
West and other researchers at VCU collected data on violence events, tax delinquency of company-owned properties (such as rental homes and apartments), tax delinquency of personal properties, population density, race, income, food stamps and alcohol outlets for each of Richmond’s 148 neighborhoods.
Tax delinquency of company-owned properties was the only variable that predicted violence in all but four of Richmond’s 148 neighborhoods.
The researchers replicated the analysis using violence data for a different time period and found the same result.
“The key finding here was that the company delinquency was a stronger or more important correlate of violence than personal delinquency,” said West, who initiated the project while serving as a postdoctoral researcher with the Injury and Violence Prevention Program at VCU Health.
The study, “Comparing Forms of Neighborhood Instability as Predictors of Violence in Richmond, VA,” was published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One.
In addition to West, the study was authored by Diane L. Bishop, an instructor in the Division of Epidemiology in the Department of Family Medicine and Population Health in the School of Medicine; Derek Chapman, Ph.D., interim director for research at the VCU Center on Society and Health and an assistant professor in the Division of Epidemiology in the Department of Family Medicine and Population Health; and Nicholas Thomson, Ph.D., director of research for the Injury and Violence Prevention Program at VCU Health Trauma Center.
The findings are consistent with previous research that suggests “slumlord buyout programs” are tied to reduced violence in cities, West said. For example, a program in Philadelphia purchased neglected properties in the East Liberty neighborhood and provided them to community residents to renovate and rehabilitate. It led to a decline in violence over a sustained period of time, West said.
“Although we acknowledge this would be a massive effort, the data do support the use of such programs to curb violence among other social difficulties,” West said. “I believe that Richmond is a perfect place to attempt a program like this at a larger scale than was done in Philadelphia (i.e., a single neighborhood).”
There are no laws in Virginia protecting tenants from eviction if their landlord loses their rental property to state property auction, West said. In Richmond, along with most medium to large cities, delinquent properties are seized and auctioned off to recoup costs, he said.
“When this happens, the winners of the auction are typically given carte blanche to decide what to do with the tenants as they no longer have a valid contractual agreement,” he said. “This aspect greatly endangers the residential stability of our neighborhoods.”
West was inspired to explore this topic through his observation of dilapidated buildings next to new construction in Richmond.
“Given the preponderance of real estate development and the aggressive housing market in Richmond, it seemed important to better understand how these seemingly inane facets of our society may impact some of our deepest problems,” he said.
The researchers hope their findings will contribute to a growing perspective by scholars that research should break away from the traditional view that members of a community hold the majority of the blame for violence that occurs there.
“Our work, along with other recent research, emphasizes that we need to be examining and addressing the impacts of forces from outside high-violence communities that carry such major consequences,” West said.
He added, however, that individual autonomy might also be considered a key factor.
“Social psychologists place a major emphasis on autonomy as a psychological need. In the case of a negligent landlord, the tenant(s) may live in a constant state of highly salient violations of their own autonomy which may further undermine attempts to improve the conditions of their own communities,” he said. “As evinced by the East Liberty project from Philadelphia, when this autonomy is restored, it is used in a productive fashion such that it improves the quality of life and safety of all in their communities through restoring their collective efficacy.”
Crime
Richmond Police names new LGBTQ+ community liaison
”We all deserve safe spaces. We all deserve a world of trust, a world where we all belong. The Richmond Police Department is committed to those goals,” said Captain Kimberly Mooney, “and I am thrilled, as the new LGBTQ+ liaison, to be able to work with the community to help us all achieve them.”
”We all deserve safe spaces. We all deserve a world of trust, a world where we all belong. The Richmond Police Department is committed to those goals,” said Captain Kimberly Mooney, “and I am thrilled, as the new LGBTQ+ liaison, to be able to work with the community to help us all achieve them.”
The Richmond Police Department has named Captain Mooney as the Department’s LGBTQ+ Community Liaison. The mission of RPD’s LGBTQ+ Community Liaison is to facilitate conversations and strengthen relationships with the community as well as increasing awareness, training and knowledge of inclusiveness within the department.
“Richmond is a diverse city and it’s important we’re proactive to ensure we hear from all voices within the community we serve,” said Interim Police Chief Rick Edwards. “Captain Mooney has been a valued leader within our department for more than 18 years and as our LGBTQ+ liaison I’m confident she will foster those partnerships that are vitally important to our mission at RPD.”
Mooney has a history of advocating for LGBTQ+ through various community forums and has worked collaboratively with members of Diversity Richmond. She leads the LGBTQ+ Awareness course for all RPD sworn officers and recruits, facilitating conversations to ensure officers are allies and are able to create a safe space for others to approach any police officer within the department.
Mooney is active with Out to Protect, Inc., a non-profit organization that develops education curriculum and training for law enforcement about LGBTQ+ issues and hate crimes.
As community liaison, Mooney’s first priority is to grow RPD’s LGBTQ+ liaison group within the department and to increase visibility and availability as a resource within the community. “I’m excited to strengthen relationships within the community and to elevate the voices of our LGBTQ+ citizens,” said Mooney. “We want the community to feel comfortable coming to members of the department. Together we can achieve the vitality that comes with trust, safety, and an inclusive world for all of us.”
For outreach and to schedule a meeting with Captain Mooney, she can be reached at (804) 646-6029 or [email protected].
Crime
New bill directs universities to implement human trafficking awareness training
The governor recently signed a bill that will require public higher education institutions to develop and implement a human trafficking awareness and prevention training program for first-year students to take during orientation.
By Anna Chen
The governor recently signed a bill that will require public higher education institutions to develop and implement a human trafficking awareness and prevention training program for first-year students to take during orientation.
Del. Emily Brewer, R-Isle of Wight, introduced House Bill 1555 which was signed into law on March 17 by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The measure is identical to Senate Bill 1373, introduced by Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel, R-Fauquier.
Patrick McKenna, co-founder of the Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking, said this bill is important for first-year students entering college.
“It’s critical that they understand traffickers’ means and methods and how they go about to create vulnerability,” McKenna said.
The training will hopefully help students understand their own potential vulnerabilities and be able to see and help others that could be taken advantage of, McKenna said.
“You can’t identify if you don’t know what you’re seeing,” McKenna said. “You can’t describe what you’re seeing, potentially how you are being exploited, or being groomed to be exploited.”
The bill is pertinent due to the rise of human trafficking, Brewer said during the House Post-Secondary and Higher Education subcommittee.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 140 cases in 2021 in Virginia, 120 cases in 2020, and 188 in 2019. The number of human trafficking victims is generally higher than the number of cases, according to statistics on the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which estimated between 150 to 300 victims every year in Virginia.
“We found this bill to be important to be able to really make sure that young people are aware of their surroundings and the effects of human trafficking signs,” Brewer said during the subcommittee.
The bill also requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, or SCHEV, to encourage private higher education institutions to provide the same human trafficking awareness and prevention training for students during their orientation programs.
Grace Covello Khattar is the associate for finance policy at SCHEV. The council invited all of the presidents of private colleges and staff to attend the next meeting where they will discuss training ideas, according to Covello Khattar.
“We plan to have a topic at the May council meeting as of now to really encourage our private institutions to develop and implement the same policies that our public institutions are going to be doing,” Covello Khattar said.
The preventative training is important and will hopefully help to bring exposure to the issue of human trafficking, Covello Khattar said.
“It could shed some light on some topics that they haven’t really considered before or maybe not in depth or detail that the orientation would present on,” Covello Khattar said.
The bill does not have a specific timeline for when the human trafficking prevention training must launch, but has an effective start date of July 1.
“It is enacted this summer,” Covello Khattar said. “So my understanding is that it will start this fall.”
Crime
Teen Summit RVA will bring together area students to share common concerns and solutions
The daylong event will be held on March 18th at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.
Six hundred high school students from the Richmond area will gather at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Saturday, March 18, 2023, for Teen Summit RVA – the first in a series of annual meetings designed to engage and connect regional teens.
Teen Summit RVA 2023 will link high school students as they speak out against violence and seek solutions to daily challenges they face. Henrico County, the City of Richmond and Chesterfield County began collaborating on Teen Summit RVA in fall 2022.
The event will include panel discussions and interactions related to issues and concerns that students face daily – gun violence, drug use, mental health and equity in their school division and community. This diverse group of 14-to-18-year-olds also will be able to attend the [email protected] Regional Summer Opportunity Fair, which is presented by Virginia Career Works. Students will explore exhibits and learn about job, internship and volunteer opportunities as well as career and educational resources available to them.
Students have been selected by their schools to participate in Teen Summit RVA. While attendance is by invitation only, limited slots remain open. Any student from the participating school systems who would like to attend should contact their school’s guidance counselor.
“When students come together, their passion, creativity and hope for the future are greater than any challenge,” said Dr. Amy Cashwell, Superintendent of Henrico County Public Schools. “Teen Summit RVA is a tremendous step in bringing together students from across the region to make connections and spark solutions that cut across county and city borders. This is the start of something important for central Virginia.”
“Teen Summit RVA is a great opportunity for students to build their leadership skills and advocate for issues that impact their peers and our community. By listening to and building up our youth, we know we will see them lead us forward,” said Jason Kamras, Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools.
Students also will be able to express themselves by contributing to an art installation and recording their spontaneous responses to thought-provoking statements in an audio booth.
Other Teen Summit RVA experiences will cover Mental Health Matters, Changing the World and Keeping Schools Safe: An Open Discussion About School Safety.
Teen Summit RVA will be hosted by nationally known, Richmond-based comedian Micah “Bam Bamm” White and is sponsored by the Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond.
“This innovative summit for central Virginia teens offers opportunities for them to connect with each other, hear from experts and speak up about issues important to them,” said Dr. Mervin B. Daugherty, Superintendent of Chesterfield County Public Schools.
“We are so very excited for the youth of the region that this event is being held,” said Dr. Joe Casey, Chesterfield County Administrator. “So often with young people, groups and organizations talk around them and not to them. This entire event is centered on the idea of listening to students and hearing what matters most to them. It’s imperative that we understand the needs of all residents, including young people. We can’t wait to see what comes out of this event and those like it in the future.”
Media outlets are welcome to provide news coverage of Teen Summit RVA. For more information, contact Ron Carrington at (804) 690-3972 or [email protected]. Student participants will be available for interviews upon request.
More information can be found at teensummitrva.com.
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