Hip Hop and inner city message: "Stop the Snitchin"

[TheNoNamedOne]

Hip hop artists in recent years have been spreading the message through their lyrics and words to stop assisting police in solving crimes through the simple but catchy phrase, "Stop the snitchin."

Police in inner cities have been reporting that this has been having a heavy impact on their work of bringing criminals to justice. Though not specifically targeted to blacks, the hip hop culture's largest following in inner cities is the black community and it is those communities that have been having a harder and harder time at getting killers off the streets.

Again, police say some of this problem is this culture of making informants out as snitches and that leads to a situation where witnesses and leads to solving crimes do not come forward.

How do you think this problem should be addressed by the black community? Or by the police?

Do you agree with the message to "Stop the snitchen." Have you spread it yourself in casual conversation with friends? Would you snitch? In what cases would you or wouldn't you? Would you fear repercussions for snitchin in the community you are in or have come from?

[P_chan]

Depends on the situation. If your telling on someone for something trival just to get them in trouble, then no. But if it helps stop major crimes, then I'm for it

TP you sound like someone's dad who is trying to be 'hip'.

[TheNoNamedOne]

Depends on the situation. If your telling on someone for something trival just to get them in trouble, then no. But if it helps stop major crimes, then I'm for it.

Would you say the line should be drawn between misdameanors and felonies?

TP you sound like someone's dad who is trying to be 'hip'.

What is hip, or sounds hip, about anything I said above? -- besides just the fact that the word "hip" is referred to as a music genre.

Just discussion, P. Nothing more.

I think you are stuck on my persona, and had that OP been posted under another name, it wouldn't have caused you to post that the thread starter was trying to be "hip." But, that is just my opinion. Perhaps I am wrong.

Anyways, if someone trashed your car and you called the police to come and make a report in the hopes of catching those who had done it, would you support the decision of all those around the neighborhood who were out partying on the street to not snitch and let the police know? Would you just suck it up, knowing that that climate is going to make for a repeat offense once you get a new car?

Would you consider that crime major, or worthy enough for someone to come forth and give a tip to the police as to who is responsible? Would you snitch on a person who you witnessed trashed someones car/property to such an extent that it was basically unsalvageable?

Let's make it clear that snitching can be done anonymously through such programs as CrimeStoppers, so the safety of yourself or family could be factored out of it. What is left is merely the pride of not snitching and aiding the police, which inner city hip hop communities seem to uphold as a sort of code. So, the hypothetical is that your safety is not a point in this construct.

What would you do?

[Fonze]

I dont believe snitching is just a hip hop and inner city problem. I believe in the leave it to beaver communities they call it tatell tales.

[P_chan]

Don't flatter yourself TP, not that you won't do it anyways

It's all a matter of opinion.

[socalheart]

"Snitchin" or "tattletelling" or "testifying" is often considered a civic duty for a law-abiding citizen. Most people might call it "telling an officer of the law what you know to be true" in answer to a queston.

In certain communities, I understand the danger of telling the police anything that would get someone arrested. Unfortunately, those communities are primarily of one culture and/or ethnicity. Common sense says that providing viable information to get criminals off the streets of your community is a positive thing. It's really unfortunate that isn't always the case.

TP you sound like someone's dad who is trying to be 'hip'.
This is funny to me, because I totally picture my dad saying "cool", or my mom saying "that's dog". :D It's sad really, but I can't help but laugh. My dad is nearly 70 years old, and is out of place saying "cool", but god forbid he tack on a "daddy-o". You aren't nearly 70 are you, tP? ;)

[TheNoNamedOne]

"Snitchin" or "tattletelling" or "testifying" is often considered a civic duty for a law-abiding citizen. Most people might call it "telling an officer of the law what you know to be true" in answer to a queston.

Well put, Socal.

Common sense says that providing viable information to get criminals off the streets of your community is a positive thing. It's really unfortunate that isn't always the case.

This was a feature story on 60Mins a few weeks ago and they were interviewing inner city children. One chile about 12 said that he wouldn't snitch if he saw his friend killed and knew who did it. His reply, "We just don't do that. No snitchen." And all the other kids agreed in unison.

Common sense doesn't seem to rein in some communities or the inner city hip hop culture.

You aren't nearly 70 are you, tP? ;)

lol. No, Socal. Not nearly.

[DougP]

I feel sorry for anyone who gets their life lessons from music.

I think people should do what ever it takes to get losers off the streets.

[P_chan]

I feel sorry for anyone who gets their life lessons from music.

I think people should do what ever it takes to get losers off the streets.

agreed!

Especially those who have no idea how it actually works.

[Boost]

How do you think this problem should be addressed by the black community? Or by the police?


Given the rates of black on black crime, I think this only contributes to the harm caused against the black community. I think the black community needs to stand up and take their community back from those that continue to cause harm and destruction to their lives. Start neighborhood watch programs in conjunction with regular police patrols. Report suspicious and criminal activities whenever withnessed, and for heavens sake, don't give a crap if someone wants to label you a "snitch."

But I think the police would be more inclined to help those that also seek to help themselves in this situation.


Would you fear repercussions for snitchin in the community you are in or have come from?

To a degree yes, but fear is the tool used to keep people from standing up against them, so bowing to that fear only allows those criminals to continue in their ways and cause further harm. If there is a fear of repercussions then arm yourself with the tools to defend and protect yourself.

[TheNoNamedOne]

it may not make sense to some people but to really understand it you would have to be around or live that type of life.

It makes total sense to me, but I reject all those excuses to justify its promotion or continuance.

I understand it quite clear. Nothing difficult to understand about coercion to not snitch. It is quite simple and not rocket science. It is not necessary for anyone to have to live that type of life or be around it to understand.

"Stop the Snitchin" culture in black communities where violent crimes are rampant without convictions because no one is coming forward to help the community by helping the police do their job is reinforcing stereotypes that some view blacks as i.e. those people destroy their own neighborhoods -- regardless as to wheather it is true or not.

Perhaps that is why many police avoid driving their patrol cars into lawless seemingly lawless areas at night. I mean why bother even policing the place if the citizens are not going to cooperate with those who patrol the streets to some degree?

Sure, yes, there is distrust of the police by the black community in inner cities, but for the black community to think all police officers who patrol their neighborhoods are part of the problem, they themselves end up commiting stereotypical errors in judgment of those who are charged with assisting in securing their neighborhoods and safety on the same degree they dislike being stereotyped as a suspect because of their skin color when in a white neighborhood and harrassed by a patrol officer then.