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Kevin Bautista
Professor Ogden
Engl 001A
03 March 2016
The Cause and Effects of Pasadena's Increasing Crime Rates
Pasadena the city of roses has very beautiful history land marks, beautiful old structures,
and has huge great events like the Rose Parade, Rose Bowl events, concerts, and firework
displays, the city has developed an increased crime rates in the recent years. The city does have a
big population of people per household in addition, the United States Census shows, "population
estimate, July 1, 2014 140,881." The increasing crimes in Pasadena in 2015 were burglary, thefts
and motor vehicle thefts but while homicides have declined the others have increased which is
still a problem in Pasadena. The causes for this increase of crimes are the Proposition 47, high
cost of living, less better jobs. These are some of the many reasons why the city is increasing in
crimes and needs to be addressed and revaluate why does it keep increasing as the years go by
but until then Pasadena needs to be working on the problem before it is too late.
The first cause for the increasing in crimes in the city is Proposition 47. Since it has
passed back in November it has released 3,700 inmates from the state prison. Pasadena does
have a drug environment, many people may not notice it especially if you live by south of the
210 freeway where the residents live very well but the central/ west of the core of Pasadena,
drugs are in constant motion. According to "The Christian Science Monitor" article, it states,

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"Proposition 47, also known as the "safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act," a ballot that
downgraded minor offenses such as drug possession and thefts from felonies to misdemeanors."
This has given the chance to some of the inmates to be released to the public with a slap on the
wrist, besides with no money the affects would be to sell drugs all over again to make money for
their next journey of survival and this poisons the residents of Pasadena. With Proposition 47 in
place, it will increase the drug war within the city and increase homicides including other violent
acts due to drugs flowing more through the city.
The high cost of living is another cause why the city has increased in violent crimes. The
elevated rent can have a major affect on how much money there will be left over for the month in
addition, the increasing population per property can increase the crime as more people have to
pay rent together just to make the rent for the next month. With the amount of stress people are
going through, the effects would be an increase in fights, burglary, vehicle theft, and robbery.
According to Rent Jungle website says, "As of February 2016, average apartment rent within 10
miles of Pasadena, CA is $2055. One bedroom apartments in Pasadena rent for $1900 a month
on average and two bedroom apartment rents average $2384." This just shows why certain
residents in Pasadena are committing crimes to live and make it through the next month's rent,
food, bills, necessities, ect.
The ratio of good jobs in Pasadena with the cost of living is becoming unfair. With the
lack of jobs with wages of no more than $15 an hour but the average jobs wages at 10 an hr. and
it can get difficult to earn more to live. If you live in Pasadena usually you have to look for work
either in LA city or work two jobs just to make decent money and that becomes stressful.

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According to Pasadena Weekly it says, "Pasadena residents making less than $15 per hour are
concentrated in a few industries. Retail trade is the largest low-wage employer with more than
3,000 workers, over one-half of the retail labor force, earning less than $15 per hour. In food and
drink services, over 70 percent of the workforce, about 2,500 Pasadena's, earns less than $15 per
hour. Health care and education also have significant number of low-wage workers, although not
surprisingly, in those industries a majority earns more than $15 per hour." The affects on this will
increase the city's crime rate. Residents will turn into drugs either using or selling to make more or
to control depression. While many Pasadena residents are rooming for survival, jobs are far away
and not enough good paying jobs in the city which become a problem.
Pasadena residents will continue to struggle the fight for an increase in wage for better
paying jobs closer to the city. While residents need to commute to other main cities like LA, this
can become very difficult and stressful that the lower wage residents will have to commit robbery,
theft, burglary, ect. just to make ends meet. Proposition 47 can affect the increasing crimes that
would affect the people around them, in addition with higher cost of living and low wage jobs this
can make it very difficult where the residents would have to turn on each other for survival. These
few problems can have a big impact on the causes of the city's increasing crime but with the
problems still present, the result is increasing violent crime statistics. At the end Pasadena and it's
residents have to reorganized and create projects that will impact the movement to decrease violent
crimes however the city of Pasadena remains beautiful, it's residents will start living in fear.

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Works Cited
1) "What you need to know about Proposition 47." California Department of
Corrections and

Rehabilitation. California Department of Corrections &

Rehabilitation, n.n. Web. 04 Mar.

2016.

2) Aridi, Sara. "Los Angeles responds to rising 2015 crime rates." The
Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 09 Jul. 2015. Web.
04 Mar. 2016.
3) "Rent trend data in Pasadena, California." Rent Jungle. The Rainmaker
Group, 2014. Web. 04

Mar. 2016.

3) Maier, Mark. "Pasadena's tale of two cities: 2014 Edition." Pasadena

Weekly. n/a, 04 Dec,

2014. Web. 04 Mar. 2016

4) "Table." United States Census Bureau. n/a, Web. 28 Jan, 2016.

5) "Pasadena Police Chief Asks for Help Fighting Violence during Hillsides
Peace Forum."
Hillsides Creating Lasting Change. n/a, n.d. Web. 04 Mar,
2016