Should crime keep me from moving to Atlanta?

[IntownHomes247]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

We don't live in Mayberry...there are plenty of legitimate reasons to be out at any time people choose.

Sure there are, but, if you're freaked out about crime -- like the OP -- then staying off the streets (particularly alone) in the wee hours of the night is a good idea. Crime is easier in the dark. Harder to spot. Fewer witnesses. More potential targets who are drunk or tired and not paying attention.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by IntownHomes247

Sure there are, but, if you're freaked out about crime -- like the OP -- then staying off the streets (particularly alone) in the wee hours of the night is a good idea. Crime is easier in the dark. Harder to spot. Fewer witnesses. More potential targets who are drunk or tired and not paying attention.

Well yeah...I wasn't usually alone when I was out at that time of night. But Atlanta is a fun city with a lot to do, and I hate recommending to new residents that they should be in by midnight.

[peanut33]

Thanks for all of the responses everyone Of course I wasn't implying that anyone deserves to be victimized. I just meant that sometimes you hear about crime involving some random person walking down the street and other times the people were involved in gang violence, selling drugs, etc. etc. I am generally a very cautious person- I don't go walking alone at night and I lock my doors, etc. However, it's nice to know that people aren't being robbed outside my door. The northern part of Atlanta, particularly NE seems to have less crime...from the Atlanta Police Dept. crime map. As I said, I realize that crime is inevitable when living in the city, but I want to know that I can ride the subway or a bus during the day and be okay. I got nervous after reading the threat "Atlanta-Dangerous and Getting More Dangerous Daily"....
I hadn't considered the Twin Cities b/c I'm trying to stay fairly close to S. Indiana (w/i 7 hr drive or so).

[Peachstate01]

Originally Posted by IntownHomes247

Sure there are, but, if you're freaked out about crime -- like the OP -- then staying off the streets (particularly alone) in the wee hours of the night is a good idea. Crime is easier in the dark. Harder to spot. Fewer witnesses. More potential targets who are drunk or tired and not paying attention.

My whole point here is not to discourage anyone from getting out and having fun and ofcourse,having to be out and take care of business as we all have too.

But use common sense and take every precaution necessary to not become an easy target.You really brought up some interesting factors about "nighttime crime"and that's why I was saying,if your out at 2 am in the morning walking the street,whether knowingly or not,you are really setting yourself up for attack,and especially at that hour,the opportunity is greater for criminal activity because of "fewer witnesses"to observe anything.

If your really into the "night life"thing and want to spend a night out on the town,atleast be in company with one or more people.Have fun,but be safe too.

[mceis]

Originally Posted by IntownHomes247

Sure there are, but, if you're freaked out about crime -- like the OP -- then staying off the streets (particularly alone) in the wee hours of the night is a good idea. Crime is easier in the dark. Harder to spot. Fewer witnesses. More potential targets who are drunk or tired and not paying attention.

The problem is that it's not the wee hours of the night. We had neighbors burglarized at 5:00pm on a weekday. That was just the most recent example. There are plenty of other terrible crimes happening in the middle of the day to people who are minding their own business. That's what's so frightening. These stupid thugs don't discriminate and it doesn't matter what time of day it is. We have to get rid of this element in this town.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by peanut33

I'm considering a move to Atlanta, among several other cities, but am really scared of all the crime I've heard about. This fact alone has pretty much put Atlanta at the bottom of my list even though I really like almost everything else I've heard. Safety is definitely my #1 priority for where I move. Any thoughts?

It is like any other place. It has good areas and bad areas. Knowing where to move to avoid bad areas is what you do. Me and my family have lived in Cobb County since we moved here in 1996 and we have had NO trouble at all. No burglary, no theft, no car theft and no vandalism. Even in the city there are lots of fairly safe areas- such as along Briarcliff Rd, on the north side in Woodland Hills and in Buckhead.

[erick295]

Originally Posted by mceis

The problem is that it's not the wee hours of the night. We had neighbors burglarized at 5:00pm on a weekday. That was just the most recent example. There are plenty of other terrible crimes happening in the middle of the day to people who are minding their own business. That's what's so frightening. These stupid thugs don't discriminate and it doesn't matter what time of day it is. We have to get rid of this element in this town.

A home burglary is hardly a "terrible crime," and most of those occur during the day no matter what city you're in because (duh) that's when people aren't home.

Originally Posted by peanut33

...it's nice to know that people aren't being robbed outside my door. The northern part of Atlanta, particularly NE seems to have less crime...from the Atlanta Police Dept. crime map. As I said, I realize that crime is inevitable when living in the city, but I want to know that I can ride the subway or a bus during the day and be okay. I got nervous after reading the threat "Atlanta-Dangerous and Getting More Dangerous Daily"....

Based on your statements you have nothing to worry about. If you're thinking you can't ride MARTA or walk around during the day without being shot or something, that's not even remotely what it's like.

Some neighborhoods are bad while others are good, and some are getting worse while others are getting better. It's easy to get tunnel vision and start generalizing based on a few incidents on your own block, so that's where you're getting all the conflicting answers from. Many people complain about how crime is getting worse all the time but they don't have any numbers to back that up with since Atlanta's crime rate has actually been dropping right along with many other cities.

If you're fine with a big city, you'll be fine with Atlanta... 75% of it isn't any worse than anywhere else... it's just that other 25% does a good job of skewing the numbers

[YBF]

Originally Posted by peanut33

I'm considering a move to Atlanta, among several other cities, but am really scared of all the crime I've heard about. This fact alone has pretty much put Atlanta at the bottom of my list even though I really like almost everything else I've heard. Safety is definitely my #1 priority for where I move. Any thoughts?

This is your mistake right here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dont listen to what you have heard visit visit visit visit visit visit dont make a decision based on others decisions. Atlanta is a love it or hate it city. Why are you moving? in what time frame are you looking to moving in? Will you have a job in any of the cities you choose? I suggest you look up the other moving to Atlanta threads and come here and visit for yourself and not just downtown visit any place you may want to live in the day time night time weekend visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit visit !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bayarea-girl]

I'm a huge fan of Atlanta. But what is up with all the home invasions? I've looked at some of the crime data and I just can't believe that there is a lot of activity going on. Whenever I'm in Atlanta I feel very safe and never worry that something is going to happen to me after 2AM or any time of the day for that matter. What is the police's plan? Are they laying off police or did their budgets get cut? Are they regularly patrolling the areas? I can understand car thefts in a big city but home invasions, just wondering what is going on.