Crime in Natchitoches (Shreveport, Wilson: apartments, dorms, transferring to)

[silver48]

My daughter will be attending Northwestern in the fall. I recently visited the town and found it to be charming. What was really surprising to me were the number of young people that mentioned the crime on campus and in town. I know there is crime everywhere, but I wonder if it is disproportionately high in Natchitoches. Any response is greatly appreciated.

[sockmonkey70]

Hi there. I am currently a student at NSU..Have been for 3 years now. Yes, there is crime on campus, most notably prevalent in the University Columns Apartments. While I lived there, a drive by shooting occured injuring one person and messing up an apartment pretty bad, as well as a rape. Also, while I lived in the dorms we had a panty theif..But they caught him .

BUT...these are isolated incidents..and as long as your child observes necessary common sense safety precautions, then she should have absolutely NOTHING to worry about..Precautions like never going anywhere alone at night and locking doors should be all she needs to do

I personally love this campus...It's small..You get lots of one on one attention if you need it. There is going to be crime anywhere you go..And it really isn't a terrible thing here..Not something I have to worry about on a daily basis. I just enjoy going to class.

[silver48]

Thank you for the reassurance, sockmonkey70. She really is looking forward to going to school there.

[Southside Flava]

I was born and raised in Natchitoches. I honestly can sy the crime in Natchitoches is a growing problem, especially in the Black Community. However it is mostly young males, who use, deal, or associate themselves with drugs. That has been the biggest killer of our communities. The flip side of that fact is that with better decision making, and more positive impacts in those same communities will give the younger population better ideas of survival in Natchitoches.

[laorbust61]

Originally Posted by silver48

My daughter will be attending Northwestern in the fall. I recently visited the town and found it to be charming. What was really surprising to me were the number of young people that mentioned the crime on campus and in town. I know there is crime everywhere, but I wonder if it is disproportionately high in Natchitoches. Any response is greatly appreciated.

I thought a little bit of perspective on the crime issue might be helpful, Silver. I lived in Natchitoches until I was 21, then moved to Los Angeles. I have seen female and male students from all over the world jogging around the perimeter of the University of Southern Calfiornia campus. At all hours of the day and night. The university sits in one of the worst crime neighborhoods in the city (caused especially by drugs) There is University Police, LAPD and CHP constantly on patrol, so the students don't have any fear of the urban surroundings, but as another poster pointed out, common sense should rule, your daughter should make a point of using the buddy system when walking around town and campus, and should perhaps consider toting some pepper spray or mace for extra protection. Crime is everywhere, even Bel Air and Beverly Hills. I'd venture that Natchitoches is certainly not the worse place I have ever seen as regards crime.

[braidybunch]

My daughter will also be attending as a first time student this fall and since we live so far away, we have never even seen the campus! So, now she has to decide on housing and I was wondering if you have any opinions or advice about the University Columns and University Place apartments. It's really hard to choose having never seen them. Thanks!

[ILUVMAINE]

Originally Posted by silver48

My daughter will be attending Northwestern in the fall. I recently visited the town and found it to be charming. What was really surprising to me were the number of young people that mentioned the crime on campus and in town. I know there is crime everywhere, but I wonder if it is disproportionately high in Natchitoches. Any response is greatly appreciated.

Dear Silver,

I grew up in Shreveport and visited Natchitoches often way back. My sister attended Northwestern before transferring to an Ivy League school. I have been away for almost 20 years and three years ago one of my co-workers was thinking about taking a position as a professor. I told him how wonderful the town was - going by what it was like 20 years ago - and he, his wife, and two small children decided to move. As a going away party I even gave him some of Justin Wilson's cookbook. NOW that being said...............

After they were there for a short period of time his wife was brutally raped. She had a nervous breakdown because of it AND they moved away. I felt just terrible that I had recommended such a wonderful place to them. She has never been right again.

I don't want to paint a gloomy picture BUT I also don't want to give you a rosey picture when it doesn't exist.

If students travel in groups they should be fine. Some will say that rape can happen anywhere! Yes, it does, but your specific question was about Natchitoches and I wanted to give you an honest opinion.

[Eastender67]

I don't want to paint a gloomy picture BUT I also don't want to give you a rosey picture when it doesn't exist.

ONE rape and you want to paint a picture of a dangerous, crime-ridden city? Get real!

[ILUVMAINE]

Originally Posted by Eastender67

ONE rape and you want to paint a picture of a dangerous, crime-ridden city? Get real!

ONE rape! Are you kidding me? You must be a guy!

WHERE in my post did you read that I painted a picture of Natchitoches????? I merely stated a FACT of something I knew had occurred!

Oh, so you're saying one rape here, one murder, one robbery! That's all fine and dandy! It could be so much worst elsewhere!

[TheMuse]

The Columns are older apartments. You'll hear the usual complaints of noisy neighbors and cockroaches. In an apartment for four students you have your own bedroom and share a bath with one other student. All four students share the livingroom area and kitchen-which has a sink, stove, and refrigerator. Tenants share utility costs.

University Place is newer and nicer, but also more expensive and with its own drawbacks. In apartments for four you share a small bedroom and bath with another student. The "kitchen" has a minifridge, microwave, and bar sink. The miniscule living room has room for a loveseat and a couple of chairs. Both are shared with the other two students in the 4-student unit. Utilities are included in the rent. Hallways in the building are open concrete corridors that were never washed during the year we lived there. Management could have used a powerwasher and done the job, they just didn't. Again, noise was sometimes a problem, but I think you'll find that on any campus.

In both housing situations you can pay more money to share with only one other person. Depends on what you can afford and what you can get used to.