Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Montana
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
 
Old 04-07-2010, 05:57 AM
 
Location: Florida
20 posts, read 59,882 times
Reputation: 10

Advertisements

Hi,

I know this is a crazy question. I am moving up to the Helena area to be with family. I am moving from a very dangerous part of the country but I've noticed on some crime sites that helena can be quite dangerous. Not like where I am but I did not know I had to be concerned so much. I am trying to leave a bad area. My family of course says its really not that bad but I am just curious about your opinion. I am sorry if this is an annoying question. I am coming up anyway, I love it there and of course my family. Is there an area to stay away from? When I move there of course I'll be going everywhere. Please let me know your opinion.
Thank You
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 04-07-2010, 08:52 AM
 
Location: NW Montana
6,259 posts, read 14,670,675 times
Reputation: 3460
Quote:
Originally Posted by nickismontana View Post
Hi,

I know this is a crazy question. I am moving up to the Helena area to be with family. I am moving from a very dangerous part of the country but I've noticed on some crime sites that helena can be quite dangerous. Not like where I am but I did not know I had to be concerned so much. I am trying to leave a bad area. My family of course says its really not that bad but I am just curious about your opinion. I am sorry if this is an annoying question. I am coming up anyway, I love it there and of course my family. Is there an area to stay away from? When I move there of course I'll be going everywhere. Please let me know your opinion.
Thank You
Here is a thread with some answers as well as a little humor.http://www.city-data.com/forum/monta...culture-5.html
#47 has a good take on it. Trust me if you are coming from south fl you will laugh at the "gangs" here. One thing is that the area is so vast that you can get into trouble on the rezervations, they are their own nations. In Helena proper I do not think you will find too many issues, I moved here from Oregon and I worry more about plowing a deer when I drive than crime. However I am smart about myself.
Good luck and you will not believe the winter until you live through one, then you will know you have lived.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-07-2010, 09:43 AM
 
Location: Lost in Montana *recalculating*...
19,743 posts, read 22,635,943 times
Reputation: 24902
I'm hoping there are gangs of deer there.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-07-2010, 10:24 AM
 
Location: Where the mountains touch the sky
6,756 posts, read 8,573,379 times
Reputation: 14969
Actually, there is a time when the crime rate in Helena soars and people live in fear of their lives.
A large gang of well organized criminals move in and take over the town for 90 days every other year.

While they are in town, your wallet, your property and your liberty are always at risk.

Unfortunately, we elect them, so the fault is ours.

Other than that, there is a representation of the drug culture here, so we have theft and dangerous driving, and they do tend to beat each other up on a regular basis.
They aren't a large segment of the population, but perpetuate the majority of serious crimes.
There are some groups of kids, not truly gangs in the modern sense, but they do graffitti, vandalism and other kinds of property damage.

Overall, the crime rate is pretty small, and mostly property crime.
If you are outside city limits, the crime rate is miniscule.

The population in the city is about 32,000, with another 30,000 in the valley, so while there isn't a lot of crime, it is noticed more because it is more apparent in the limited population.

You have a much higher chance of hitting a deer with your car in the city limits than you do of having your car broken into.
Overall, it is pretty safe.

Lots of gun owners here so criminals aren't stupid enough to try a lot of things they get away with in other places. There is the castle doctrine here where you are not required to run screaming like a little girl if someone tries to hurt you, you can protect yourself and make sure they can't hurt anyone else ever again.

Under that criteria, most criminals look for safer jobsites than here.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-07-2010, 01:40 PM
 
Location: Florida
20 posts, read 59,882 times
Reputation: 10
Thank you all for commenting. That was funny MTSilvertip although you aint seen nothing till you see the junk that happens with our Ft. Lauderdale/Miami politics. Its funny my Dad is originally from Helena so winters are nothing to him. My mom is originally from Wisconsin (so am I) and she said the winters are not as bad as Wisconsin gets (a lot less moisture). I feel so much better about things now. Thank you all. You have to be carefull anywhere but at least I won't have to constantly look over my shoulder like down here.

Thank you all
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-08-2010, 09:27 AM
 
Location: Brendansport, Sagitta IV
8,087 posts, read 15,153,325 times
Reputation: 3740
Quote:
Originally Posted by MTSilvertip View Post
Actually, there is a time when the crime rate in Helena soars and people live in fear of their lives.

A large gang of well organized criminals move in and take over the town for 90 days every other year.

While they are in town, your wallet, your property and your liberty are always at risk.

Unfortunately, we elect them, so the fault is ours.
Heheh At least Montana's are only part-time criminals; the rest of the time they have to do honest work, just like any other gun-totin' boot-wearin' cowboy

"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws." -- Tacitus
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-18-2010, 01:45 AM
 
3 posts, read 9,796 times
Reputation: 10
Not bad crime.

My family has lived here since 2007. Some guy ran into my mom's car over on Boulder Avenue and the same car got its window smashed due to some teenage vandals.

The last major thing that happened crime-wise was last year when a teen shot and killed two people not far from where I live. He took off on foot, but they located him and he was sent to jail.

I wouldn't want to walk around downtown at night, but that's just me.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-19-2010, 02:29 PM
 
92 posts, read 315,837 times
Reputation: 51
I've never heard of crime problems in Helena. Back in the 90's, the Great Falls Tribune had a week long series of articles about the supposed "gang" problems in Great Falls (population ~50,000 people), which was a joke.

To give you an idea of the "horrible" climate you may come to expect: Back in the 90s, I was driving down I-15 and my battery light turned on. I stopped in Helena and opened up the hood to find my snapped alternator belt laying on top of the engine. Since it was a Sunday, no garages were open at the time, but there was a Champion auto parts store open. Not only did they sell me a new belt, they also helped me install the new belt. Such "awful" customer service.

I hope you encounter such "awful" experiences in Helena. OK, that was great to see someone going way above and beyond what they needed to do.

Sarcasm aside, I don't think there is much to worry about. As others mentioned, watch out for those gangs of deer...and the snow! And that sleeping giant!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-19-2010, 04:01 PM
 
29 posts, read 28,656 times
Reputation: 43
I don't live in Helena but I've been there enough times on business and even have a few friends there.
Like every city in the country, there are areas to avoid moving into, if possible.
You might want to walk into one of the police stations and ask where the highest crime areas are before making any rental agreements, though.
Don't worry, you'll be just fine. Welcome to Montana!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 10-20-2010, 01:08 AM
 
Location: In The Outland
6,023 posts, read 14,059,923 times
Reputation: 3535
Several years back we were loading out at the end of an arts and crafts show at the civic center in Helena that we had a booth at.
I caught some scumbag lowlife moron stealing the tailgate off of my 1999 Chev Silverado, right in broad daylight in front of lots of folks. (That rig was a piece of trash)
When he saw me running to him he dropped the tailgate, jumped into his rig and burned rubber.
I was going to hurt him and he knew it. I hate thieves
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Montana
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top