Crime in Jacksonville, Florida (Miami, Tampa: sex offenders, attorney, house)

[Lawstudent]

Livin,
You are all that you can control so if you are doing your best then you can sleep at night as a good Christian. You can holler all you want about the inequalities in Jax. These inequalities exist everywhere do what you can. But don't cut other people down for seeing the good in their community. Because that is not what a good Christian would do.....is it?

quote "I hate to sound negative but the Chamber of Commerce types have talked about the good side of Jacksonville for too long". Then don't be negative speak about all the good your church and yourself are doing. Karma, send it and receive it. Love...

[riveree]

Originally Posted by LivininJax

The crime wave is rapidly spilling over the Southside. I agree that the Southside is still generally sager but just taking the attitude of "I've got mine and the heck with everbody else" isn't going to make Jacksonville a better place to live.

San Marco is a great neighborhood but very close to some dangerous areas like around Phillips Highway. There are a lot more social problems in San Jose. Mandarin and the Beaches than you might realize. By the way, there is no shortage of hard work in the poor neighborhoods of North Jacksonville.

"Crime rapidly spilling over the Southside".........where????

There is no place immune to crime - not in Duval, not in Clay, not in St. John's - but there is not near the crime problem on the Southside as there is on the Westside and the Northside.....that's just a fact.

I don't support the 'I've got mine' attitude you speak of - frankly it quite sickens me - but I'm fortunate enough and have worked hard enough to be able to live in a safe community. You can live on the Southside and still be empathetic, I don't think there is a conflict between the two.

Most people that post on this forum looking for a home are looking for the same things, and more often than not, the Southside fits the bill for them. Sometimes, the Northside is a better fit (they want rural, or they want to be very close to the airport), and sometimes the Westside is a better fit. I feel confident in myself that I do my best to point people towards the area that will suit them best based on the details they provide, and if that ends up being the Southside most of the time, then so be it.

[littletownblues]

Thanks to all for the good info. Ok the Southside sounds good for having lower numbers in crime based on the info provided. Now, having been through 4 major hurricanes in Palm Beach County I'm traumatized about being close to the coast. I have not sensed any concern about hurricanes in the area, how's the local view on that? do you guys worry about hurricanes in JAX like the folks in S. FL? We're planning to drive to JAX this week to kind of explore the area and check the spots that may work for us. What area is the one to absolutely must stay away from due to crime (we had them in S.Fl too and many tourists became victims)? Thanks.

[kort677]

Originally Posted by littletownblues

Thanks to all for the good info. Ok the Southside sounds good for having lower numbers in crime based on the info provided. Now, having been through 4 major hurricanes in Palm Beach County I'm traumatized about being close to the coast. I have not sensed any concern about hurricanes in the area, how's the local view on that? do you guys worry about hurricanes in JAX like the folks in S. FL? We're planning to drive to JAX this week to kind of explore the area and check the spots that may work for us. What area is the one to absolutely must stay away from due to crime (we had them in S.Fl too and many tourists became victims)? Thanks.

it's not a big concern here, JAX historically has a very low chance of taking a direct hit, the area will sometimes see the remnants of storms and have some close calls and those will produce some strong winds, but your risk here is much much lower than it is in s fla

[riveree]

Originally Posted by littletownblues

Now, having been through 4 major hurricanes in Palm Beach County I'm traumatized about being close to the coast. I have not sensed any concern about hurricanes in the area, how's the local view on that? do you guys worry about hurricanes in JAX like the folks in S. FL? We're planning to drive to JAX this week to kind of explore the area and check the spots that may work for us. What area is the one to absolutely must stay away from due to crime (we had them in S.Fl too and many tourists became victims)? Thanks.

As Kort said above, direct hits are unlikely, but hurricane force winds are common. I'm 6 miles in from the ocean and I've had no problems.

Driving by day, drive anywhere you want. At night, you'd want to avoid the NorthWest region of the city (this is our highest crime area......but of course, be cautious in all areas).

[NorthsideJacksonville]

Originally Posted by LivininJax

Crime is a major problem in Jacksonville and not just confined to the Northside and Westside. We hear about new incidents of violent crime on the once safe Southside every day. Anyone who tells you that you safe just because of living on the Southside is simply not being honest or aware of what is happening.

Honestly, I'm sick of folks making Northside out to be some warzone, like there are armed thugs patrolling Northside with AK-47s waiting to open fire on anyone that doesn't belong. The media doesn't help matters much. North Jacksonville is geographically large that you can be in the hood one minute, and in a rich neighborhood the next. Regency Square & The Avenues Malls are in South Jacksonville, the surrounding neighborhoods range from lower-income to deeply impoverished. I know this from doing my shopping at both shopping centers. If the Northside was so bad, would it have the top-rated high school in Stanton Prep?

[songgirl]

Originally Posted by NorthsideJacksonville

Honestly, I'm sick of folks making Northside out to be some warzone, like there are armed thugs patrolling Northside with AK-47s waiting to open fire on anyone that doesn't belong. The media doesn't help matters much. North Jacksonville is geographically large that you can be in the hood one minute, and in a rich neighborhood the next. Regency Square & The Avenues Malls are in South Jacksonville, the surrounding neighborhoods range from lower-income to deeply impoverished. I know this from doing my shopping at both shopping centers. If the Northside was so bad, would it have the top-rated high school in Stanton Prep?

I agree with you wholeheartedly. My husband works out by the airport and during his lunch hour, he shops on Dunn Ave, Lem Turner, etc, and eats lunch wherever he feels like it. No one has even approached him except to say hello.

Also, I used to work for a well known residential treatment facility and a large part of my job was picking kids up at their homes for court and also transporting them to whatever schools they were attending. This job brought me into the "worst" neighborhoods in the city. Neither I or any of my co-workers ever encountered a major problem, and I worked at this job for 8 years. I got a lot of funny looks but most of the people I encountered were friendly, just like anywhere else in Jax. O.K., maybe not some of these kids parents, but that's another story.

I am white, blond and at that time in my 20's and these neighborhoods were predominantly black. I stuck out like a sore thumbat times, but to tell you the truth, most people in the "bad" neighborhoods treated me very respectfully as I did in return. Also, many of my co-workers lived on the Northside and they truly were some of the best, hardworking people I've ever met.

The high crime rate on the Northside is a fact. But this crime is seldom random. Do I want to live on that side of town? No. But peoples' perception of Jacksonville, as a whole, and even the Northside is undeserved.

[kort677]

Originally Posted by NorthsideJacksonville

Honestly, I'm sick of folks making Northside out to be some warzone, like there are armed thugs patrolling Northside with AK-47s waiting to open fire on anyone that doesn't belong. The media doesn't help matters much. North Jacksonville is geographically large that you can be in the hood one minute, and in a rich neighborhood the next. Regency Square & The Avenues Malls are in South Jacksonville, the surrounding neighborhoods range from lower-income to deeply impoverished. I know this from doing my shopping at both shopping centers. If the Northside was so bad, would it have the top-rated high school in Stanton Prep?

just because the school is physically there does not mean the area is good or bad there is no relationship to the placement of that magnet school and the neighborhood. FWI some of the best colleges in the US are in terrible areas for example, ivy league Columbia university is on the edge of Harlem, temple in Philadelphia is in the middle of a horrible ghetto, USC is on the edge of south central LA, and so on, one has little to do with the other.

[kort677]

Originally Posted by songgirl

The high crime rate on the Northside is a fact.

and that fact is what drives people's perception and I've learned that facts be damned, perception IS reality

[Coffee Mate]

Please.....to the person who submitted the original thread / post.
Please stay on the 'soap-box'...and continue to tell the truth.... don't allow yourself to be cowed or silenced by limp whiney criticisms....
It is never wrong to point out the problems with a town or area...regardless of all the 'politically correct' pressure to white-wash and gloss over all the bad things.....because it might give the wrong impression ....or hurt someones' feelings.
I get that nonsense all the time when people ask me about MY home town...and home area....
To the point....I may be moving to the Jacksonville area for several years...
I won't buy...but will rent....
Where are the Best areas to live....and where are all the 'no-go' zones...
I noticed that Jacksonville has HIGH crime....particularly MURDERS....[not cool at all]...
I will need a very SAFE place to live.....cost is secondary.....

Whoa...never mind.....Looks like IRAQ is a safer place.....at least THERE I'm ALLOWED to defend myself....
Thanks anyhow......

Thanks!