Contrary to a narrative that the Jewish merchants were major victims of business losses, evidence exposes they were not the biggest loser of property (Fine 293). Relocating to 12th Street, after being displaced, like blacks from the Black Bottom community due to Urban Renewal Jewish owned businesses were a major economic factor in the 12th street community. (Fine 293). Alternatively, throughout the city were the Chaldeans owned businesses that at the time of the rebellion, had 192 food stores in the black community and lost all but four, and accumulated losses to mom and pop stores and supermarkets valued at $300,000 (Fine 293-294). Reports from the Fire Department document 1,617 alarms during July 23-29, way above the normal day’s alarms, …show more content…
Insurance estimated losses were $84 million and the uninsured losses at between $50 and $60 million (Fine 295-296). Additional costs were the effect the rebellion had on business not damaged or looted such as the downtown area (Fine 298). Estimated costs were retail sales losses of $8 million, losses of wages for city and other workers, $75 million total estimated by the Greater Detroit Board of Commerce, and 1200 workers who lost their jobs as reported by the Michigan Employment Security Commission (MESC) (Fine 298). City government estimated their costs at $11,625,000, because of overtime, equipment damage, and demolition of unsafe buildings (Fine 298). Real and personal property estimated losses were $11,271,000, The State of Michigan incurred losses of $1.5 million in taxes for gasoline and sales, $500,00 for the Michigan National Guard, and the Federal Government spent $2.5 million (Fine …show more content…
In Sidney Fine’s article “Rioters and Judges: The Response of the Criminal Justice System to the Detroit Riot of 1967,” those arrested during the rebellion were herded into jails like cattle, where all the police precincts were overfilled up to three to five times its capacities, detained at Wayne County Jail, some overcrowded in the “bullpen,” a holding cell normally used for those wanting arraignment, so overfilled that many were forced to stand up, some confined to city busses in excruciating heat, some even taken to Jackson State Prison, an example that vividly described the inhumane treatment is the 10th precinct where 150 to 200 prisoners were crammed into a filthy garage, with no toilet, and those who complained were badly beaten (1978). Coupled with a Recorders Court not prepared to process the many arrested, circumventing normal arraignment procedures by setting high bonds, and charging people in groups, led to a breakdown in the normal rights of defendants and was only minimized by the efforts of two Black judges, and with the assistance of the Neighborhood Legal Service Centers, the National Lawyers Guild, the Detroit Bar Association the Detroit Urban law