Out West ~ What's Left? (crime, buy, gated)

[dreamfollower]

Notwithstanding exclusive areas, what towns do not have a "gang" issue. From this site, it seems every seemingly decent area ends up having a problem below a certain street or in some other immediate direction.

I have never read or heard of vicinities having to be described in such a manner to the degree that it seems to exist here in SoCal.

And this is a perception from someone familiar with the boroughs of Manhattan, New Jersey and surrounds. It is the only thing about SoCal that is enough of a turnoff to reconsider my relocation plans, and I would never have believed it until I came here and witnessed it myself.

How did this happen to such a wonderful state to the extent that it has and can this realistically be reversed at this point ~ and who is to blame?

It is as though the law abiding residents are forced to be relegated to an area totaling about less than 1/3 of the southern half of the state and CA is not a small state! This is so absurd and it is a crime in and of itself.

At this point, let me ask what other western state or town does anyone recommend, since I do prefer to remain west? I want a bit of diversity, creativity and just a more even-keeled place. Is this too much to ask?

[ferretkona]

My wife's hometown of 1500 pop is deep in gang problems. The county still is only 12,000.
My parents live in a town of 50 with none.

Gangs are going to be in townships that buy their c**p.

[UB50]

According to the Chief of Police (Bratton?), anytime two or more people hang out together, that constitutes a gang. We used to think of these people as "cliques" or "friends" but they now consider them to be a "gang."

Most gangs are non-violent (duh -- were we violent with our friends??).

Anyway, that is how they classify gangs from what I have read around here. There are lots of gangs that don't do anything, they just hang out. There are also gangs that cause "mischief." (I would put the taggers or graffiti artists in that bunch.)

Then there are violent gangs, but they are a minority of gangs.

So, there you go. We have lots of groups of "two or more people" who hang out together.

P.S. I tried to find the news articles that referenced this but there were too many articles. Basically, Bratton said this when he decided to target only violent gangs for special policing. If you google and read more of the stories, you might be able to find out more about how "gangs" are classified.

[jzt83]

Your only solution is to leave the country.

[Jakehorror]

Our little midwest hicktown even has gang problems. Spray paint that you cant make heads or tails of, backward sixes painted on the sides of buildings, it's everywhere. Used to be mostly black people in gangs here, now they are cool and it seems that the Mexican gangs have invaded. Now blacks & whites together shake their heads at the problem.
Don't want to be exposed to gang stuff? Try Canada?

[UB50]

If you are scared by groups of two or more people, I'd move to some other place than Southern California.

You might like New Mexico or Arizona. Nevada is really nice too.

[motoman]

That's funny. I've been in LA three years now and I've yet to see a single gang member that I know of. Yeah, I guess they are everywhere.

[JackSparrow]

The gangs here are everywhere, you should stay away.

[motoman]

Oh, I forgot. Jack and I run the meanest gang around. CityData Crips. CDC on the westsi-eed. You know how we do.

[JackSparrow]

Originally Posted by motoman

Oh, I forgot. Jack and I run the meanest gang around. CityData Crips. CDC on the westsi-eed. You know how we do.

Rep-RAW-SENT hooka'

One wheel high, onna blunt inna sky...

woooooooooo WEEEEEEEE!!!!