25 most dangerous neighborhoods in the US: 2010

Places to stay clear of if you journey in the US. Good info for the casual traveller.

You may ask, why neighborhoods and not cities? Schiller explains that even the cities with the highest crime rates can have relatively safe neighborhoods, and thus it is less useful to generalize about an entire city.

I don't know about that statement but this is what the researcher is giving.

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/1...borhoods-2010/

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by The Third Man

I don't know about that statement but this is what the researcher is giving.

I agree with the statement fully. North Philly (near North 13th street) is unaffectionately known as the demilitarized zone. You're okay on Temple's campus, but step off and you'd best have a kevlar vest.

Venture 13 blocks south and the scene changes remarkably. From the Museum of Art to South Street is Center City, the arts, culture and tourist centers of the city, where crime is almost non-existent and the police presence is heavy. South of there, the neighborhoods deteriorate again until you reach the area of the Old Italian Market. East of Center City is Chinatown, which is notorious for organized crime. So, yes, there are islands of safe and unsafe neighborhoods in Philadelphia.

[CCIP]

Yeah, after having been to some parts of Chicago, I can certainly say that there are areas in there that I'd hardly go to during the day, and some that I literally wandered in the middle of the night with friends and never felt the slightest concern. Things really do vary by neighbourhood.

Although now that I've said that, the very first neighbourhood on that list is one I wandered extensively (by day). Yikes, I didn't know that about it. I always thought the bad stuff was further south and east

Interesting - not one on the west coast. I would've thought some of the LA 'hoods would be no-go...

notorious for organized crime

That never discourages me from an area. If it is indeed controlled by organized crime, nothing happens by mistake. If I'm not poking my nose where it doesn't belong I'll be safe, because tourists, like your example in the arts area, only bring in the money that organized crime is more than willing to accomodate. IN NYC Chinatown is rife w/ organized crime, I feel very safe there. Caucasian I am.

So I guess I'm changing my view. Thanks for letting me see the forrest before the trees.

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by The Third Man

That never discourages me from an area. If it is indeed controlled by organized crime, nothing happens by mistake. If I'm not poking my nose where it doesn't belong I'll be safe, because tourists, like your example in the arts area, only bring in the money that organized crime is more than willing to accomodate. IN NYC Chinatown is rife w/ organized crime, I feel very safe there. Caucasian I am.

Oh, I've been to Chinatown plenty of times. I lived in Center City for 5 years, and the only music supply store in the area was 13th Street Music, on 13th and Arch in the middle of Chinatown. I didn't feel particularly threatened, but wouldn't choose to walk the street at night.

[CCIP]

Well, yeah, but like you said that depends on how that crime is organized. Some tends to be extremely racist, and that can end badly if you're the wrong ethnicity - there's places I wouldn't feel very safe being white at all.

That said, not much of this fazes me... I grew up in an area probably worse than any of these (in 90's St. Petersburg, Russia), where a lot of the violent crime was not organized. Things happen, but in general it helps if you're street-wise - and that's not something that is terribly complicated.

Interesting - not one on the west coast. I would've thought some of the LA 'hoods would be no-go...

Again, organized crime, which gangs are, need the money that non-members provide. Until the next Rodney King incident occurs that is.

[CCIP]

Originally Posted by The Third Man

Again, organized crime, which gangs are, need the money that non-members provide. Until the next Rodney King incident occurs that is.

Yep, that was in the back of my mind when I said that. All I remember is looking for parking in central LA, with the locals advising me to absolutely under no circumstances park anywhere that wasn't enclosed and watched by security. That made me wonder.

Originally Posted by CCIP

Well, yeah, but like you said that depends on how that crime is organized. Some tends to be extremely racist, and that can end badly if you're the wrong ethnicity - there's places I wouldn't feel very safe being white at all.

That said, not much of this fazes me... I grew up in an area probably worse than any of these (in 90's St. Petersburg, Russia), where a lot of the violent crime was not organized. Things happen, but in general it helps if you're street-wise - and that's not something that is terribly complicated.

I was in St Pete in Jan of 1984. My hotel room had a view of the cruiser, Aurora. Have to admit I took a walk alone at nigh,t approx. 2100, and suddenly got the feeling I wasn't at all safe. I scurried back to the hotel.

[CCIP]

1984 or 1994? You would've been very safe in 1984 - violent crime was practically non-existent back then, except the aforementioned organized crime. In 1994 it was very much the opposite. That's what happens when socioeconomics totally collapse and people get desperate enough to kill for even the smallest of gains. Sadly my family's been a victim of this, fairly recently at that

And I know the exact hotel you stayed at. That is a nice view indeed

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by The Third Man

I was in St Pete in Jan of 1984. My hotel room had a view of the cruiser, Aurora. Have to admit I took a walk alone at nigh,t approx. 2100, and suddenly got the feeling I wasn't at all safe. I scurried back to the hotel.

Reminds me of when I was in Whitehorse one July. I had just gotten into my hotel room and wanted to walk around the city. Well, everything is jim-dandy and I'm walking down the street when a brawl spills out of the bar in front of me and all hell breaks loose. I was at a loss for words when I looked at my watch and saw that it was nearly 11 pm. I was fooled by the fact that the sun had not completely set yet. I ran back to my hotel as well.

[antikristuseke]

Organized crime doesn't like to pull too much attention to itself so neighbourhoods where they have a strong presence are usually pretty not too bad, their penal system is far from lenient.
As far as St. Petersburg in concerned, during my last visit there in 2003 I had some unpleasentness with a moron intent on having my wallet, he got a broken nose instead, allso at about 17:00 I tried to enter a record store near the ****ty hotel I was staying at, but was stopped at the door by a man who was built like a brick ****house who made it very clear that the owner there had more pressing matters to attend to and that the store was closed, don't know what exactly took place there, but I'd bet on some sort of protection money racket or some such. But those minor insidents asside It was a great place to visit. I literally spent two full days at the Winter Palace and would have gladly spent a lot more.
During the nights, orfourse, I was completely drunk on cheap high quality vodka and generally out for a good time, which was had.

Originally Posted by CCIP

1984 or 1994? You would've been very safe in 1984 - violent crime was practically non-existent back then, except the aforementioned organized crime. In 1994 it was very much the opposite. That's what happens when socioeconomics totally collapse and people get desperate enough to kill for even the smallest of gains. Sadly my family's been a victim of this, fairly recently at that

And I know the exact hotel you stayed at. That is a nice view indeed

It was definately 1984. But I was the only one on the street, except for the Intourist guy who was prolly following me. But it was that feeling of being alone which got me nervous. The hotel has a large circular dining area. But it still served fish, exclusively.

[Skybird]

25 most dangerous neighbourhoods - what ranking has GT forums?

Originally Posted by Skybird

25 most dangerous neighbourhoods - what ranking has GT forums?

Being an international neighborhood a new survey is needed.