Ambivalent between Big Spring or Denton, TX (Dallas: crime, employment)

[ChristieP]

I thought the same thing...maybe it is their families coming to visit that cause the crime? I dunno.

[Spree]

The best thing to do would be visit both cities, they are vastly different imo. Depending on what kind of lifestyle you want to live would determine which city would suit you best. I'm not sure what the market is like for auto-mechanics, but I would think your husband could find work in either city. Best of luck to you on your decision!

[Rowdy]

I have lived in Big Spring for the past 15 years. My home is within one mile of the Federal Prison as well as several other prisons and I have never felt as safe as I do living in this town. I have lived in Irving, Denton, Abilene and Coleman Texas and none of them could compare to this town in terms of low crime. Prisoners are locked safely aware in these prisons and aren't released at anytime until their time is up. Violent crime is essentially nonexistant since I moved here in 1993. I have left ladders, lawnmovers etc. in my yard for 15 years and they have never been touched. I seldom lock my doors. The primary "crime" here is public intoxication or driving while intoxicated. I don't have a problem with people making negative comments about the town as long as they have some concrete basis for their comments and not just pulling them out of their rear.

[noticefoo]

I'm also moving to Big Spring from Colorado due to a job. I was a little dismayed at how little information there was on the internet for rentals in Big Spring or surrounding areas. Any tips of which areas to avoid in Big Spring? Any insider info in finding good rentals?

Thanks!

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by Rowdy

I have lived in Big Spring for the past 15 years. My home is within one mile of the Federal Prison as well as several other prisons and I have never felt as safe as I do living in this town. I have lived in Irving, Denton, Abilene and Coleman Texas and none of them could compare to this town in terms of low crime. Prisoners are locked safely aware in these prisons and aren't released at anytime until their time is up. Violent crime is essentially nonexistant since I moved here in 1993. I have left ladders, lawnmovers etc. in my yard for 15 years and they have never been touched. I seldom lock my doors. The primary "crime" here is public intoxication or driving while intoxicated. I don't have a problem with people making negative comments about the town as long as they have some concrete basis for their comments and not just pulling them out of their rear.

Are you saying that petty thieves and burglars are rounded up in Big Spring and put into a Federal prison? I would think they'd be in a county jail, unless shoplifting is a Federal crime in Big Spring.

I would think, just from the law of averages, that Big Spring has the same proportion of criminals as anywhere else. The men are just as likely to beat their wives in Big Spring as in Denton, just as likely to shoplift, just as likely to get into drunken fistfights or hold up a 7-11 at gunpoint.

Unless, of course, there is something in the water that damps down criminal urges.

[Rowdy]

Originally Posted by aceplace

Are you saying that petty thieves and burglars are rounded up in Big Spring and put into a Federal prison? I would think they'd be in a county jail, unless shoplifting is a Federal crime in Big Spring.

I would think, just from the law of averages, that Big Spring has the same proportion of criminals as anywhere else. The men are just as likely to beat their wives in Big Spring as in Denton, just as likely to shoplift, just as likely to get into drunken fistfights or hold up a 7-11 at gunpoint.

Unless, of course, there is something in the water that damps down criminal urges.

To be incarcerated in a federal prison you have to be convicted of an offense by the feds for certain types of crimes. It may be bank fraud, high level drug charges, etc. Other persons convicted of charges by the city, county, state are incarcerated in the city jail or state jail.

To be frank I don't know what the actual crime statistics are in Big Spring and Howard County. I gave anecdotal information regarding my own experience of the past 15 years because that's all the information I had toprovide the original poster. As I said I have lived in Big Spring, Dallas, Abilene, Denton, Coleman, Lubbock and I personally feel safer and less threatened by crime here in Big Spring than any of those communities. Thats just my opinion.

[renlouis]

HaHa Ace!! I live in Flower Mound and went to grad school at UNT about 10 years ago and lived in Denton. We moved south to FM only because of my husband's job, which moved from Plano to South Dallas and Denton was just too far at that time. We LOVED Denton! It was a great mix of laid-back and everything you needed. We would go into Dallas with friends on the weekend sometimes, but there is great LIVE music in Denton all the time because UNT has a phenomenal music school. We actually lived at Paces Crossing the whole time we were there because it was very convenient to the school and also the Highway. I think there is a newer complex right near Paces Crossing now. Denton has grown alot in the past 10 years, but I go there a couple of times a year and it still maintains the same community feel. I've never been to Big Spring, so I can't really compare the two - although previous posters seem to have done a great job on that. Best of Luck in your decision and in your new home!!

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by Rowdy

To be incarcerated in a federal prison you have to be convicted of an offense by the feds for certain types of crimes. It may be bank fraud, high level drug charges, etc. Other persons convicted of charges by the city, county, state are incarcerated in the city jail or state jail.

To be frank I don't know what the actual crime statistics are in Big Spring and Howard County. I gave anecdotal information regarding my own experience of the past 15 years because that's all the information I had toprovide the original poster. As I said I have lived in Big Spring, Dallas, Abilene, Denton, Coleman, Lubbock and I personally feel safer and less threatened by crime here in Big Spring than any of those communities. Thats just my opinion.

To be technical about it, stating the way you "feel" is not an expression of opinion... it is a statement of fact. When you make a guess without knowing all the facts, that would be a statement of opinion.

Nobody makes educated guesses about how they feel, they usually know exactly how they feel. If they then tell others what that feeling is, their statement is a statement of fact.

I wouldn't put much stock in your feelings in evaluating how much danger Big Spring would pose to me personally, because I don't trust people to be objective. We all live in a world of more or less self-delusion. We are victims of all the unfortunate experiences of the past that color our present-time perceptions, and make us something less than accurate observers of reality.

So anyway, you claim to feel safer in Big Spring. I believe you, why would you lie? Not that it matters, because the way people feel usually has nothing to do with objective reality, and has no bearing on how anyone else would feel. On the other hand, if you were to be robbed and badly beaten in Big Spring, God forbid, you would never feel safe there again, even though just 1 beating is statistically insignificant and would not materially affect the crime stats.

Bottom line... your feeling of safety is meaningless in deciding whether Big Spring poses an objective, material danger to the average man or woman, or whether Big Spring is significantly more (or less) dangerous than Denton. I'm not trying to dismiss or minimize your feelings in any way. I am just saying they have nothing to do with Big Spring, just with you.

[Rowdy]

Originally Posted by aceplace

To be technical about it, stating the way you "feel" is not an expression of opinion... it is a statement of fact. When you make a guess without knowing all the facts, that would be a statement of opinion.

Nobody makes educated guesses about how they feel, they usually know exactly how they feel. If they then tell others what that feeling is, their statement is a statement of fact.

I wouldn't put much stock in your feelings in evaluating how much danger Big Spring would pose to me personally, because I don't trust people to be objective. We all live in a world of more or less self-delusion. We are victims of all the unfortunate experiences of the past that color our present-time perceptions, and make us something less than accurate observers of reality.

So anyway, you claim to feel safer in Big Spring. I believe you, why would you lie? Not that it matters, because the way people feel usually has nothing to do with objective reality, and has no bearing on how anyone else would feel. On the other hand, if you were to be robbed and badly beaten in Big Spring, God forbid, you would never feel safe there again, even though just 1 beating is statistically insignificant and would not materially affect the crime stats.

Bottom line... your feeling of safety is meaningless in deciding whether Big Spring poses an objective, material danger to the average man or woman, or whether Big Spring is significantly more (or less) dangerous than Denton. I'm not trying to dismiss or minimize your feelings in any way. I am just saying they have nothing to do with Big Spring, just with you.

I try to give some information to a man in honest hope that it was helpful to him and I get lectured by you and told how little you personally value my opinion. It's just sad to me what we have become.

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by Rowdy

I try to give some information to a man in honest hope that it was helpful to him and I get lectured by you and told how little you personally value my opinion. It's just sad to me what we have become.

Rowdy, exactly what is your opinion? I know what you feel like, but I don't know what your opinion is.