How safe is YOUR Chicago? (Irving: apartment, neighborhood, live in)

[nJohn]

I never had any real problems where I live, except a few stolen reindeer statues during Christmas season, gangs that didn't do anything, and an incident where an ex-convict escaped around my block so police put my street on lock down (brother and father had to sleep at a Motel 8 that night).

I never understood when I was little why none of my friends couldn't come over and play -- their parents viewed my neighborhood as dangerous. . .had to trek to the suburbs where they lived if I wanted any fun.

[Chicago60614]

I've lived in Logan Square and Lakeview for the past 7 years. I've never once felt threatened, and I've never seen or been involved in any criminal activity. I always keep my eye out on my surroundings, but I feel very safe in Lakeview.

[alwaystraveling25]

Originally Posted by chopsky

Where exactly do you live in East Lakeview?

I live near Between Broadway and Lake Shore Drive on Cornelia. I have walked pretty much all over from 1200 West on Wellington to my place before, and all over. I pretty much walk everywhere, and tend to stay in my immediate neighborhood, as far as walking home goes...otherwise I cab it (only at night, I take the bus everywhere else).

[alwaystraveling25]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Kansas City, MO has a higher violent crime I believe. People wouldn't expect that.

It sure does! I lived there for two years and I heard nearly as much everyday about murders, robberies, etc. as much as in Metro Detroit, where I grew up. Kansas City has some very, very rough areas, which is surprising to a lot of people. Anyone who has ever been to 29th and Prospect in KCMO would second that!

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by CarolinaBredChicagoan

I think LK's point has to do with breadth, not depth. Crime, where it occurs, is certainly serious and a major problem. However, from a distance, people might get the impression that every part of Chicago is a shooting gallery. That's clearly not the case. And LK makes a valid point. We all live in Chicago. How does crime touch each of us? How much do we see or feel on any given day? I'm fortunate enough to be able to say (knock on wood), "not much". Many Chicagoans can likely say the same.

Yes, that's exactly my point. Drover is right that crime is a serious issue in Chicago that needs to be dealt with. But it's entirely possible to live here for years without having crime seriously affect your own life--even in parts of the city that are lower on the economic scale. I'm asking Chicago residents if crime has been a major factor in their lives in the time that they've lived here. I personally have had a few incidents that were inconvenient more than anything, and have very rarely feared for my safety.

I remember being worried about crime quite a bit the first time I went to New York City. This was in the 1990s before the Giuliani effect had fully taken hold, and I was visiting long-time residents. They would take the subway after midnight and walk around dark streets, and everything I knew from television and movies told me this was committing suicide. Subsequent visits to New York taught me that this attitude was pretty silly, and that crime fears about New York were largely blown out of proportion in popular culture. But of course, we weren't walking around the South Bronx...

[wickedripeplum]

Well there was some a**hole who shot out the windows of the first floor of my building with a pellet gun, but that's the only crime that's been connected to my life since I moved here. So despite an earlier argument on this board about the relative safety of my neighborhood, I'm still going to go with my Chicago being pretty safe.

[krichton]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Yes, that's exactly my point. Drover is right that crime is a serious issue in Chicago that needs to be dealt with. But it's entirely possible to live here for years without having crime seriously affect your own life--even in parts of the city that are lower on the economic scale. I'm asking Chicago residents if crime has been a major factor in their lives in the time that they've lived here. I personally have had a few incidents that were inconvenient more than anything, and have very rarely feared for my safety.

I remember being worried about crime quite a bit the first time I went to New York City. This was in the 1990s before the Giuliani effect had fully taken hold, and I was visiting long-time residents. They would take the subway after midnight and walk around dark streets, and everything I knew from television and movies told me this was committing suicide. Subsequent visits to New York taught me that this attitude was pretty silly, and that crime fears about New York were largely blown out of proportion in popular culture. But of course, we weren't walking around the South Bronx...

I lived in nyc and have been mugged or had attempts made on me 8 times during the course of 5 years during that time, my friend had a gun pointed at him and his mother on the subway during the afternoon, he's been chased twice and almost killed getting off the wrong train stop in brooklyn. My friends have similiar stories like mine. We all lived in the Noho area.

[skyeINIL]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

But it's entirely possible to live here for years without having crime seriously affect your own life--even in parts of the city that are lower on the economic scale. I'm asking Chicago residents if crime has been a major factor in their lives in the time that they've lived here. I personally have had a few incidents that were inconvenient more than anything, and have very rarely feared for my safety.

I know I sound like a broken record, but I lived on the south side from birth to 21 and crime was never a major factor in my life. I never felt unsafe and never witnessed a crime. So my Chicago was safe.

[VDUB75]

It depends on where you live. Many transplants from other states or the burbs move to trendy north side neighborhoods before they move home or move back to the suburbs, so those areas are pretty safe. Certain areas on the south side and west side can be a little scarry even to those of us who are natives to the city. But for the most part Chicago is pretty safe as long as you use your street smarts.

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

Originally Posted by VDUB75

It depends on where you live. Many transplants from other states or the burbs move to trendy north side neighborhoods before they move home or move back to the suburbs, so those areas are pretty safe. Certain areas on the south side and west side can be a little scarry even to those of us who are natives to the city. But for the most part Chicago is pretty safe as long as you use your street smarts.

Yep. That's the whole point of the thread. I will mention, however, that while trendy north side neighborhoods are generally safe, it's the non-trendy ones that are safer. The quieter 'hoods in the very northwest are very safe. Not much in-house crime, and little reason for crime to travel there. Unlike, say, Lakeview or Lincoln Park, which both experience muggers and others traveling to the area sometimes just to prey on unsuspecting transplants.