Need ACCCURATE advice re: crime in SE Jacksonville

[lightheaded1der]

If your son attends UNF and lives on/near campus, I can't really think of a reason that he would ever even need to be driving through NW Jax. I really tried to think of one, and I can't.

[coolyfett]

Originally Posted by Floridaherbgirl

I am a Mom of a son who has been accepted to UNF. He won't have a car and has never lived in a bad area of town. I am very impressed with the campus and thought taking the city bus from outside the dorm to the two miles down the road to the Towne Center area or even biking would be fine. We have toured around the area and have been told to: be careful when you go downtown and don't ever go to the NW area of town, stay to the SE. That a rectangle area South of the City and East of the river is fine. But.....then I have a friend in state law enforcement that says he would never live anywhere in Jax because of the violent crime these days there and would prefer his children not go to school there.

We are very impressed with UNF and the Towne Center area, and have thought of moving to Ponte Vedra so our youngest as well as myself could attend school there.

What are the real life facts from people living in the area now?

Would it be better to find another college town (Pensacola, Gainesville or Tallahassee) that is safer to live in to attend school or if cautious is the SE area safe overall?

Thanks for your advice!

For the record there is no SouthEast Area of Jacksonville, BUT the UNF area is on the Southside of Jacksonville. That area is safe. That's just lower part of the southside. Now the upper Southside area aka Arlington is a bit rough. But you said UNF not JU so you are fine.

[Floridaherbgirl]

I was told the South side of the city and East of the St. Johns...hence SE side. I had known of people who sent their kids to JU and then others who dropped out because of the 'thugs' in that area of town.

[Floridaherbgirl]

BTW I know that you meant that everyone has the right to bear arms....I didn't think you were being serious about this but this is how my friend who freaked me out (briefly) about my son going to UNF talks. This is what got me wound up in the first place. He is on a security field forum and the consensus if you or a family members frequents Orlando or Jax you need to go armed.

[BabyBoomers2]

We were told that Orange Park and Southside areas are the safest areas to live in........by people who live there now that we met while visiting there.

[projectmaximus]

Originally Posted by Floridaherbgirl

BTW I know that you meant that everyone has the right to bear arms....I didn't think you were being serious about this but this is how my friend who freaked me out (briefly) about my son going to UNF talks. This is what got me wound up in the first place. He is on a security field forum and the consensus if you or a family members frequents Orlando or Jax you need to go armed.

Yeah...i think cooly was just being picky. You obviously meant the southeast area, which you're perfectly correct in saying. But I guess his point is there's no real formally acknowledged area known as the "southeast" the way there is a southside, westside, or northside.

as for safety and security...the blanket statement that the southside and OP are safest is, well, mostly but not entirely true...like most broad and generic statements tend to be.

[Northside904]

Northside doesn't have the crime and violence as NW Jacksonville. Yea, you could get your head shot off in North Jacksonville but that's only if you're involved in the drug business. Contrary to popular belief, Northside has law-abiding citizens (even in the hood) but the criminal element makes us all look bad. A lot of news reports lump North and NW Jax in the same category when they should call it what it is. I'll continue to represent Northside proudly, even if it does have a bad rep.

[Floridaherbgirl]

Northside...I understand what you are saying and know there are good people everywhere. There are good people in Iraq I am confident but I don't want to live there. I am a FL girl, which years ago meant not worrying too much about getting killed. I spent my 20's with my girlfriends dancing in downtown Tampa, knowing there were elements that could cause us harm but also knowing if I didn't get in their business they wouldn't get in mine. I have lived in Chicago and other major cities and I hate being on guard all the time....I don't like the heightened awareness that some areas cause you to have. So, if I have to worry about walking down a street safely I would rather be somewhere else. I respect your courage though, I just don't like the challenge. Even though I am not overprotective of my child, it is his first time away from home and I want him to get his running feet in a as safe an area is possible. Thanks for your reply.