Degree of danger facing a white visitor to the Southside and Westside? (Chicago: crime rates, purchasing)

[nightlysparrow]

Compton in Los Angeles cannot realistically be compared to Englewood in Chicago. The racial/ethnic contrast is great. Per the 2010 Census, Compton is 65% Hispanic, 33% Black, and 26% White (some people report being more than one race/ethnicity). Englewood is 95-98% Black.

Stands to reason you will "stick out" a bit more in Englewood.

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0615044.html

[Lizita]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

Personally I would only expect two possible types of danger: You encounter a crackhead, which can happen anywhere.

Where's the danger with that? Simply meeting someone with an addiction to crack is not dangerous. Addicts are generally not dangerous. Don't believe everything you've heard.

As I said in my original post, I don't think either scenario us particularly likely.

I would disagree with that. The Garfield Park area is heavily drug infested with a number of open air drug markets. It would be odd if you didn't run into at least a few crackheads. You probably wouldn't be able to tell by looking at most of them though.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

Compton in Los Angeles cannot realistically be compared to Englewood in Chicago. The racial/ethnic contrast is great. Per the 2010 Census, Compton is 65% Hispanic, 33% Black, and 26% White (some people report being more than one race/ethnicity). Englewood is 95-98% Black.

Stands to reason you will "stick out" a bit more in Englewood.

Compton (city) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau

Compon, California is a suburb of LA so it's more comparible to a rough suburb of Chicago. Perhaps, Chicago Heghts considering those statistics you just mentioned. However, there are many parts of Da Heghts where white people stick out like sore thumbs, trust me. I don't know but I don't doubt that Compton's the same way.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by urza216

If you ever get scared, just start muttering to yourself and strutting around like you're strung out on three different drugs.. LOL, that's my advice and I'm sticking to it.

My friend would actually do that when he was drinking and homeless guys wouldn't leave him alone. Even the homeless guys would look at him and say "what the ****?" and leave. One time he started humping a stop sign like a dog and the guy who wouldn't leave us alone outside the bar had the funniest look on his face ever.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by urza216

I doubt many people really can say what's likely to happen to a khaki-clad white college professor just walking around the worst parts of Englewood at all hours as I would seriously guess that it has never before

I don't stand behind this comment. It was supposed to be a quotation.

[JacksonPanther]

To the OP, you have a very minor, almost non-existant risk of being killed. If white people were getting killed by black people in Chicago it would be all over the news (think "Hadiya Pendleton" type of coverage).

You do have some risk of being targetted for harrassment by teens with nothing else to do. These are the crimes that don't get reported - being surrounded and having them go through your pockets, or getting punched in the head for no reason. But again, this stuff can and does happen to black people too - if it happens to you I have no idea if it's because you're white.

Sometimes stuff happens just because you happen to be "there" at the wrong time.

You can minimize the chances of this happening by being male, by being a big guy, by not staring at the ground as you pass by, by giving a nod of acknowledgement and looking people in the eye (but not staring - a subtle difference). Black kids assume that whte people are scared, and exploit that fear. So don't act scared. Keep your head up, and walk like a man with purpose. Which is what you should be doing anywhere in Chicago...

Originally Posted by michaelwest

I will be arriving in Chicago this July for a five month stay. I am a white male researcher with the gang prevention unit at the University of Sydney in Australia. As part of my research I plan to extensively visit the Southside and Westside whilst in Chicago, primarily focusing my studies on West Garfield Park and Austin in the west and the Englewood, West Englewood, Gage Park region in the south. I am well aware that there is a very high level of gang violence in these areas.

What risk though will I actually face while visiting these neighbourhoods?

I've spent time in similar problematic neighbourhoods in LA (South central, compton, watts, etc), which despite their reputation are obviously still normal suburbs where people carry out their day to day lives, albeit in the presence of higher than average levels of crime.

I will spend the initial weeks getting the lay of the land by driving through the region (day and night), but then hope to spend time walking around during the day later on. Is there a considerable risk of being mugged in the daytime? As a white person am I likely to be heckled? How (to the best of your knowledge) would people hanging around in the street react if I approached them in a friendly manner? Will my Australian accent have any positive/negative effect?

[TBideon]

That may be effective for some hoods, but what should OP do if he is attacked? Fight back? Curl up? Escape isn't always an option.

[ptug101]

well you can legally carry a handgun in Chicago,now. I would suggest you get the proper paper
work and get one. kids get out of line or ask for your Iphone just blow him away

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by TBideon

That may be effective for some hoods, but what should OP do if he is attacked? Fight back? Curl up? Escape isn't always an option.

This question is not restricted to Austin and Englewood, is it? People get attacked outside Wrigley - what do they do? People get attacked at the South Side Irish parade - what do they do? People get attacked in Boystown - what do they do?

No matter where you are, if you get attacked you need to QUICKLY assess the situation - is it fists, knives, guns? How many attackers? Any bystanders who might help or call police, or worst case egg them on?

[Plzeň]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

2/3 of the land mass, but not of the population.

Okay. And?