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I don't have a problem with people who think this "tradition" is awful, because of course it is. I have a problem with ill-informed people who think this is a new trend and evidence that crime is spiralling out of control.
I am with you on this one, this is not a new trend. Chicago has a extremely long history of being a violent crime ridden city. Unfrotunately for many years people tried to portray it as a safer more family oriented alternative to New York and those who bought this are in shock when confronted with actuall crime stats and real news from the city. Is the governor still talking about bringing in the National Guard to police Chicago streets?
I am with you on this one, this is not a new trend. Chicago has a extremely long history of being a violent crime ridden city. Unfrotunately for many years people tried to portray it as a safer more family oriented alternative to New York and those who bought this are in shock when confronted with actuall crime stats and real news from the city. Is the governor still talking about bringing in the National Guard to police Chicago streets?
I've never heard anyone knowledgeable claim that Chicago is safer than New York. Never really heard anyone say its more family-oriented either. The most common claim I've heard is that Chicago is significantly cheaper than NYC and offers enough of the "big city amenities" for all but the most hard-core urbanophiles. When you do a cost-benefit analysis, for many people it makes sense.
Crime-wise, if you restrict yourself to the gentrified north lake front areas (loosely defined as east of the river), the crime rate is significantly lower than the city as a whole. Many people live their whole lives in this subset of the city, and therefore are minimally exposed to the horrific levels of crime in much of the west and south sides.
Location: Cleveland bound with MPLS in the rear-view
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I've actually heard Chicago as being a big family-oriented town too....maybe because it's Midwestern?
The Northside certainly has less violent crime but breakins and larceny are incredibly common and if you are smart you still should be on the lookout and avoid walking by yourself in a quiet place at night. JMO.
Crime-wise, if you restrict yourself to the gentrified north lake front areas (loosely defined as east of the river), the crime rate is significantly lower than the city as a whole. Many people live their whole lives in this subset of the city, and therefore are minimally exposed to the horrific levels of crime in much of the west and south sides.
I have plenty of friends in Chicago and the stories of muggings and car break-ins and even carjakings are not a big news to me. I agree south and west Chicago is particularly bad but I disagree that the exposure to crime in the rest of Chicago is minimal.
To wes336, from most Midwesternes I usually heard that Chicago is a bad exception to the friendly and safe Midwest stereotype.
I have plenty of friends in Chicago and the stories of muggings and car break-ins and even carjakings are not a big news to me. I agree south and west Chicago is particularly bad but I disagree that the exposure to crime in the rest of Chicago is minimal.
I've got plenty of friends in Chicago who've gone decades without problems. Someone with more time than me will have to pull up the statistics, otherwise we're just talking about anecdotes. It wouldn't surprise me if crime rates on the North side are higher than Manhattan, but my subjective impression is that the risk of the crime in the gentrified north side is "minimal". My main point is that crime in Chicago isn't spiraling out of control. If you felt safe in Chicago two years or five years ago, its no worse (and arguably safer) today.
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To wes336, from most Midwesternes I usually heard that Chicago is a bad exception to the friendly and safe Midwest stereotype.
I'm sure most people would agree that Chicago is significantly safer than other many other midwestern cities such as Cleveland, Detroit, and St. Louis. Of course compared to New York, Chicago is clearly doing a worse job overall in lowering crime rates. No one can argue otherwise.
I've got plenty of friends in Chicago who've gone decades without problems. Someone with more time than me will have to pull up the statistics, otherwise we're just talking about anecdotes. It wouldn't surprise me if crime rates on the North side are higher than Manhattan, but my subjective impression is that the risk of the crime in the gentrified north side is "minimal". My main point is that crime in Chicago isn't spiraling out of control. If you felt safe in Chicago two years or five years ago, its no worse (and arguably safer) today.
I'm sure most people would agree that Chicago is significantly safer than other many other midwestern cities such as Cleveland, Detroit, and St. Louis. Of course compared to New York, Chicago is clearly doing a worse job overall in lowering crime rates. No one can argue otherwise.
My friend in a 300K condo in a nice area on Wilson Ave is afraid to walk outside after dark. You call it safe? I am from Brooklyn, I don't get scared easily, so I took her to her local 7/11 were there were plenty of hobos openly and agressively approaching people, especially ladies, asking for cash. I believe a petitte woman can get scared. You call it safe?
What makes a big difference between NYC and Chicago is the way NYPD handles security and treats nuisance offences like those hobos agressively asking for money. You always see cops in New York either on foot or in the patrol cars, in Chicago it is hard to spot one. I always thougth Chicago PD does not do an adequate job considering crime in the city but what do you expect from those old obese cops?
In any ways, New York crime stats are skewed by the Bronx, East New York, Jamaica, Ozone Park etc etc, the same way Chicago numbers are skewed by the south and west sides yet New York numbers are much better anyways.
My friend in a 300K condo in a nice area on Wilson Ave is afraid to walk outside after dark. You call it safe? I am from Brooklyn, I don't get scared easily, so I took her to her local 7/11 were there were plenty of hobos openly and agressively approaching people, especially ladies, asking for cash. I believe a petitte woman can get scared. You call it safe?
What makes a big difference between NYC and Chicago is the way NYPD handles security and treats nuisance offences like those hobos agressively asking for money. You always see cops in New York either on foot or in the patrol cars, in Chicago it is hard to spot one. I always thougth Chicago PD does not do an adequate job considering crime in the city but what do you expect from those old obese cops?
In any ways, New York crime stats are skewed by the Bronx, East New York, Jamaica, Ozone Park etc etc, the same way Chicago numbers are skewed by the south and west sides yet New York numbers are much better anyways.
Where exactly on Wilson Ave? Uptown is pretty much the last ungentrified part of the north lakefront. Its the one exception to the north lakefront rule of thumb.
Location: Cleveland bound with MPLS in the rear-view
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One thing that USED to hurt the Northside (maybe) was its proximity to Cabrini Green. Specifically "Old Town". Aside from the fact that CG was HUD garbage and most projects in any American city have gone under the wrecking ball, Cabrini Green was also adjacent to some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Chicago and the land value was just to high to ignore.
I have plenty of friends in Chicago and the stories of muggings and car break-ins and even carjakings are not a big news to me. I agree south and west Chicago is particularly bad but I disagree that the exposure to crime in the rest of Chicago is minimal.
To wes336, from most Midwesternes I usually heard that Chicago is a bad exception to the friendly and safe Midwest stereotype.
And if you think car break-ins, muggings, etc aren't common in NYC as well, you are sadly misinformed. I wouldn't act like NYC is some safe haven, it's a big city with big city crime. Actually, NYC was probably THE most dangerous city aside from the last 15 years. So don't get on some high horse about this topic. I do believe Chicago needs to take the same steps that NYC did to help reduce crime, as NYC is the perfect example that you can change your city in a short period of time (relatively speaking).
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