By Jacalyn Clay, Rachael Hidalgo and James Brotherton

A car with smashed and broken windows in Mantua

Mantua is not the safest place in the world. In fact, Mantua is considered to be one of the worst areas in West Philadelphia.

Mantua has been notorious for drug-related crimes, gang violence and murders for years. Okay, so you’re not going to hang out on the corner at 1 a.m., but would you borrow some sugar from your neighbor?

Many Mantuans say no and believe that the neighborhood still has some issues when it comes to crime and violence. Mantua resident Joe McLaurin, said: “I don’t think Mantua has changed much over the years. The only exception is the recent influx from nearby Drexel students. There are still the same crime issues that plague many urban environments, including Philadelphia.”

Some even say that the entire notion of being neighborly has vanished from many communities in Philadelphia. Steve Lombardelli, a student at Drexel University living in the Mantua community, doesn’t consider his neighbors to be very neighborly. “A lot of students don’t want to get mixed up with certain people in the neighborhood. My roommates and I do have some really friendly neighbors, but we never know if they would have our backs in a situation or not.”

What exactly is it to be neighborly? To call the police when you hear a vicious murder going on right outside your window?

Kitty Genovese

The concept of being neighborly goes all the way back to 1964 when 28-year-old Kitty Genovese was murdered in Queens, New York, while a reported 38 neighbors witnessed the scene. Genovese was attacked and stabbed by Winston Moseley, a business machine operator, right in front of her apartment as people yelled out the window at the man to leave her alone.

Most Americans were shocked and appalled by the lack of response from Genovese’s neighbors, and the case is infamous for the callousness and apathy of people in urban environments.

A similar case to Genovese’s took place in the neighborhood of Mantua just last year. On Sept. 11, two men began firing shots at the crowd on the McAlpin Playground at 36th and Aspen streets. Six men were injured and two were killed.

During the time of the shooting, a ceremony was taking place honoring the X-tra Miles Developmental basketball team. The founder of X-tra Miles, Miles Mack, was one of the two men who were killed that night.

Fifty people witnessed the shooting, but no one came forward with the names of the killers. Some say it was because they were from North Philadelphia and no one knew who they were, some say it was drug-related and no one wanted to get involved, and some say it was due to the lack of morality in the neighborhood.

X-Tra Miles basketball coach Miles Mack.

Morality is considered to be a code of conduct that people should follow in order to be deemed as ethical or humane in society. When it comes to urban areas like Philadelphia, many believe that the concept of morality does not exist.

Anne Shlay, a sociology professor at Temple University, believes that the urban environment and the fear of “snitching” are to blame for the lack of responsibility for others in residents. “People are afraid. People have guns. When it comes to snitching, people are worried. Seeing someone murdered in front of your house is a very extreme situation. In my neighborhood, people would probably call the police, but they wouldn’t go outside,” said Shlay.

“I also think one of the ways to preserve morality in terms of being neighborly is through women staying at home and taking care of the children,” said Shlay. Maybe if more adult women and men are staying at home, raising the children and overseeing the neighborhood, less crime will take place in the community.

Edward Ryans, the director of Mantua Cares, a program that assists with the development of the neighborhood, is thinking positively and believes that Mantua is on its way up due to the efforts of community leaders. “Community safety has and still remains to be the highlight of concern for residents and especially the youth population. With the heavy interest in promoting the decline of violence across the city, Mantua leaders have helped to make our community just as safe,” said Ryans.

Donte Turner, a resident and volunteer at Mantua Cares, said: “It’s getting a lot better here in Mantua. It seems like there are less drug crimes and violence in the area now. I’m not sure why, but I’m glad.”

Many are hopeful for a better, safer Mantua in the near future. Maybe morality will make a comeback in Philadelphia, and fearing for your life won’t be necessary when borrowing something from your neighbor.

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