Violence in America

[unlockingsky 94]

if you have bad people around your neighborhood, leave them alone and most likely they would leave you alone.

if they are selling things around your area, be nice to them but don't help or hurt them. the nypd let this happen around my area.

always keep your home well armed for intruders.

[Dana-Mića 51]

I live in NYC and I can say i feel safe in my neighborhood. There are neighborhoods I wont go to at all, areas i will only go to at day time, but where I live i can walk outside at 2 am 3 am 4 am and there will be people outside.

[Removed-02242014 19]

I Live in Orange County, California ... just far enough from Los Angeles to make a difference! I grew up here and I hate everything L.A. ... Especially Hollywood and Actors! Our problems seem to come from both the Mexican and Asian gang bangers but other than that I can sleep soundly and walk the streets at night. There are parts of Santa Ana, Anahem, Stanton and Westminster you just flat out avoid but other than a cool Police chase on TV some days. I have nothing to worry about.

[Visitor 90]

I live in a very isolated heavily forested area. My biggest concern where I live are the wild animals. We have cougars, moose, wolves, coyotes and bears here amongst other wildlife so I don't go out at night cause it's a jungle out there. I would rather take my chances with the wildlife though than a high crime zone.

[karalynn1971 26]

I live in South Jersey. We are close to Philly....our news, sports, etc. are all based on Philly. So I completely understand about the news, and unsafe neighborhoods. I personally stay away from Philadelphia as much as possible. I remember one time, took my kids to the Phila. zoo....we made a wrong turn, and ended up in a very bad neighborhood. i had my kids get down on the floor of the car, and lock their doors! I was terrified just driving through! I can't imagine how you feel living there! Is there any way possible of moving to a suburb of Philly, or just into a safer district?

[kytwell 179]

I grew up in Philadelphia( Andorra ), not a lot of violence in that particular area there, but I still recommend: GTFO of Killadelphia! It's a cesspool there and has been since @ '87 or so. Come out to the 'burbs, just not Norristown, Pottsown, Reading or Chester. Good luck on your home search, rates are super low now and you'll also get out of paying that ridiculous city wage tax.

[amyandjorge 76]

Oh man, this is something I have been thinking about lately. My husband lived in Tegucigalpa, where people get shot by the police, a body showed up in a cardboard box in his neighborhood, he never walked out of his house with more than $10, etc. He knows how to handle himself until it comes to Americans (white people especially). US crime doesn't really make it to Honduras news, not much of a headline after 'prison fire, worst in a century worldwide', 'fishing boat seized with 100 kilos of cocaine' (no arrests).

However! Homeless people on the street, drunks, dubious women, almost every time someone tries to talk to him he stops and I have to drag him away! Especially since he still doesn't speak English too well, and I hear that Hispanic people are targeted for crimes because 'illegals' won't report crime. I do worry about him! I'm not sure if he just feels really reassured by the fact that criminals actually get locked up here (and not let out when it's time to do another 'job') and a lot of people actually do follow the laws or what it is.

[Laveau 67]

There is virtually no violence in Vermont. We walk everywhere, anytime we want. Very clean and almost no crime.

Alla

I've considered moving to Vermont but it seems like it's so COLD. Maybe it's a good trade off? I'm from N. O. and live in Dallas. Both have super high crime rates.Decisoons decisions...

[suganspyce42 5]

Hello Olomi, I am happy you brought this topic to the forefront because my husband is from Nigeria and he has asked this same question time after time and he just finds it a hard pill to swallow that people kill, steal, and destroy so easily and mostly without regret or remorse. He is always reading and internet surfing about things happening and political issues here in America. He has asked me so many questions regarding our safety in America. I have given him the 411 (as much as I can) on safety precautions and thus far it has registered well in his mind. I know I will worry some but he has assured me that he will be fine and has really listened and adhered to my advice on maintaining his safety.

[Olomi_811 130]

I grew up in Philadelphia( Andorra ), not a lot of violence in that particular area there, but I still recommend: GTFO of Killadelphia! It's a cesspool there and has been since @ '87 or so. Come out to the 'burbs, just not Norristown, Pottsown, Reading or Chester. Good luck on your home search, rates are super low now and you'll also get out of paying that ridiculous city wage tax.

He's well aware that a move is coming. I've already told my hubby several times that by the time we have kids and they are school age I DO NOT WANT THEM ATTENDING SCHOOL IN PHILADELPHIA. Yes, it's serious enough that I needed to cap it.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Hello Olomi, I am happy you brought this topic to the forefront because my husband is from Nigeria and he has asked this same question time after time and he just finds it a hard pill to swallow that people kill, steal, and destroy so easily and mostly without regret or remorse. He is always reading and internet surfing about things happening and political issues here in America. He has asked me so many questions regarding our safety in America. I have given him the 411 (as much as I can) on safety precautions and thus far it has registered well in his mind. I know I will worry some but he has assured me that he will be fine and has really listened and adhered to my advice on maintaining his safety.

Tell him to stop reading the internet for information on what America is like. On any given day in any big city in the US the news will only report about the guy who got shot or the guy who was beaten to death, but they don't report about the millions of people who had a perfectly normal and safe day. When people read the news they want to read about mayhem and chaos - not people's normal boring everyday lives.

If he really wants to get an idea how safe or unsafe it is then tell him to compare the crime statistics in the city where you live with the crime statistics in the city where he lives. I'm not talking about the murder rate or violent crime rate. I'm talking about the percentage of the population who are victims of ANY crime in a given year. Many people are surprised to find out that the actual overall crime rate in most US cities is pretty low.

Most people in most US cities and towns will go for years without being the victim of any crime. When they are a victim it's usually a petty crime, like somebody steals something out of their car or out of their yard. In the 19 years I've lived in the town where I now live the worst crime we've been the victim of is that someone stole my mother's old pickup truck. They jimmied the door lock and broke the ignition switch, and drove the truck until it ran out of gas before abandoning it the following day. It cost her $120 to repair the damage, plus the cost of a "club" for the steering wheel.

[TJ 4EVER 40]

I can't say I put much thought into the dangers of living in America. My husband lived in Lagos as well and from his stories and the stories I heard since I began visiting Nigeria, it's not peaches and cream there either. We watch the Philadelphia news every night and hear about all of the violence that happens there and we respond by praying for the families of the victims and the victims themselves. As far as our own precautions our number one defense is praying for protection. Secondly I and my boys educate my husband of the do's and don'ts on the streets. Since we live right outside of Philadelphia we have safer streets. Nevertheless my family lives in Philly and we visit often. My 20 year old is about to move into the city so we will be there even more often. I must say however, we choose not to live in fear and claim God's protection.

[Alaskan 10]

There is virtually no violence in Vermont. We walk everywhere, anytime we want. Very clean and almost no crime.

Alla

Lovee Vermont go there to ski every year.. Okemo and Stratton "the green mountain state"

[jaycali 415]

Worst crime I ever experienced in the US was someone breaking my car's window and stealing an old camera and a half empty bottle of cologne.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I live in Iowa. I leave my truck unlocked while I'm at work, supermarket, home, whatever. We leave groceries in the back of the truck while wandering to other shops. Left pop once and was convinced it wouldn't be there when I got back (wouldn't in Aus) but yep, still there. People leave their BBQ's/Grill's in the front yards, their garage's open, their toys, bikes... whatever. Very safe place to live here. Doesn't mean I'm not still slightly wary... but I like it.

We lived in Houston for a while and that was scary :S Glad I'm not there anymore.