Crime in the USA

[nw_hunter]

If you live in or near Detroit MI, Atlanta GA, Camden NJ, Baltimore Md, or St Louis Mo, you live in one of the most crime ridden cities in the US. "In that order"

In the small city category, I think my home town of Pine Bluff, Ar is at the top of the list.
When I grew up there in the 50's it was just the opposite. What a difference fifty years can make!

The city of Detroit population dropped from its peak in 1950 with a population of 1,849,568 to 910,920 in 2009. This is partly attributable to the construction of an extensive freeway system during the 1950s and white flight, while many residents have relocated to the Sun belt.[123]  In the 2000s, 70% of the total black population in Metro Detroit lived in the City of Detroit.[124]

As of the 2000 Census, there were 951,270 people, 336,428 households, and 218,341 families residing in the city.  The racial makeup of the city was 81.6% Black, 12.3% White, 1.0% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.5% other races, 2.3% two or more races, and 5.0 percent Hispanic (mostly Puerto Rican and Mexican).

My home town has undergone the same thing Detroit has. Only on a smaller scale.
The population was near 70,000 in the 50's, now its closer to 45,000.

It's going to be interesting, to say the least, where they will be in another 50 yrs.

[Spirithawk]

It wasn't too many years ago that St. Louis was the murder capital of the US. I was born and grew up there but I took my wife and kids, moved to the country and haven't looked back.

[Squib]

I don't remember street names but somewhere in downtown kc I went to a wedding a year or so ago... I believe you when you say st. louis is worse but some parts of kc look like a third world slum.  all I had on me was a snub .38 and I was on high alert- all I wanted right then was a 1911/45 (they'd be unlikely to get me since it's s/a and the grip safety is gi- if they got it away from me during a car-jacking), hits hard, slim and concealable.



eeewh!

[powderman]

A couple of years ago we went to the aquarium just accross the river from cincinatti. Neighborhood we had to travel through reminded me of Lou ky west end, drugs, gangs, etc. I started looking at the map when we got back to the car and my wife said, I thought we were spending the night here. I said, no, I only brought 2 guns and not near enough ammo. POWDERMAN. 

[nw_hunter]

A couple of years ago we went to the aquarium just accross the river from cincinatti. Neighborhood we had to travel through reminded me of Lou ky west end, drugs, gangs, etc. I started looking at the map when we got back to the car and my wife said, I thought we were spending the night here. I said, no, I only brought 2 guns and not near enough ammo. POWDERMAN. 

LOL! There comes a time when retreat is the best option

[Sourdough]

My neighbor moved up here ten years ago from Detroit.  I had known him in Anchorage back during the early 70s when he was in the Air Force.  He had gotten out, moved back to detroit and got married.  His girls got caught shop lifting so they could become members of a local gang at the school.  So he sold everything, packed up the wife and kids, and drove to Alaska.  At first the kids and wife did not like it, but now they all agree it was the best thing they could have done.

A shocker for me was the first time he and I went into town togeather we needed to stop for gas.  He got out of the truck and pulled a cigarette lighter out and held it in his hand while fueling up.  Made me nervious, and I asked him what he was doing.  He looked embarrassed and put the lighter away.  He then told me it was habit.  Living in Detroit one always held a lighter in their hand when fueling so no one would mess with you.  If the local gang members came up to mess with you all you had to do was spray them and light them up.  So if they saw you with a lighter they left you alone.  What a way to live.  Today after ten years he still puts his hand in his pocket when he is fueling up.  I know he is playing with that lighter. 

I've discussed this with his oldest daughter who is in her mid 20s.  She is the only one still living at home.  When he stops at the gas station she or I will jump out and while he is doing the card reader we grab the nozzle and handle the fueling to keep him away from the lighter.
   

[powderman]

When I lived in Lou there was no way I would use an atm without my 45 in my waistband. Never had to fire a shot but the 45 was a powerful persuader with the punks in there. I pulled it on a punk coming towards my car with a knife in his hand and shouting what all he was gonna do when he got to me while I was at a stoplight. I pointed at his head and said, now I have to kill you. He screamed, dropped the knife and knocked another punk down as he ran. That was 30 years ago, it's far worse in there now. POWDERMAN. 

[bobg]

   I don't think Rochester NY or Buffala are much better. I drove truck for Brinks for awhile. The drivers were instructed to drive away if the guy delivering the money was robbed. The guys i drove for knew i wouldn't do that to them. The driver wasn't allowed to get out of the truck. A couple places we went in Buffalo the delivery guy wouldn't go in alone. I always took the shot gun and went in with him. Only had to point it at one guy who was trying to get in the truck. Told him if he touched the truck one more time i would blow his head off.

[williamlayton]

I'm not too sure that times change as much as some would suspect. There is nothing new under the sun but things forgotten.
There is much more information about what is going on around us tday---things we didn't HEAR about before----but they happened.
With much greater frequency ? Well, i don't even know about that.
Certainly, with greater population the ratios seem more--I'm really not to sure about that.
Urban decline is certainly not a new thing---the new gets old and decays. Folks move around seeking better and better is not always new---newer, possibly. Upgrading life styles does not always mean new--better than we have and newer than we have--yes----and affordable within our means.
People are still the same---some are mean, some disregard the liberty of others, some are just lazy and take the, seeningly, easy way.
Blessings

[Spirithawk]

The Guardian Angels, of New York fame, came to St. Louis once. Swore they'd make the streets safe. Just as I predicted they lasted a week before running back to New York like their tails were on fire. I now live just outside Branson, Mo. but I still carry 3 guns every where I go. Faster to grab another gun than to reload! Like I tell my wife, " Better to have and not need than to need and not have! " Triple tap takes the bad intentions right out of a low life!