Possibly relocating to Camden- where do we live? (Newark, Collingswood: crimes, credit card)

[Katisu]

Thanks guys. Anyone know how difficult it would be to get a home loan with one person in school full-time? I know it is done here all the time, but markets differ from state to state. I was finishing up my undergrad when we bought our current home, but I did have a full-time job as well.

[FlyersFan]

Originally Posted by DailyJournalist

You never have anything good to say about NJ. Please do not respond to my posts and I will not respond to yours. I think you would be scared to go to a Chuck E Cheese. A city dweller with common sense will be fine in the Rutgers University area of Camden.

I have a better idea.....don't tell me what to respond to. Comparing going to Chuckie E Cheese and venturing into the once murder capital of the United States makes no sense. While standing in the center of the Rutgers campus may offer a degree of safety the streets immediately surrounding the campus are dangerous and having to travel them to reach the center of the Rutgers campus leaves you vunerable to those who prey on those who are foolish enough to think they can travel those streets with any degree of safety. What is it that you don't understand about murder capital of the United States that would make you think as long as you have common sense that its safe to travel the streets of Camden under any circumstances. You would have us believe that all those that were murdered, not to mention raped or mugged, had no common sense ?

[DailyJournalist]

Originally Posted by FlyersFan

I have a better idea.....don't tell me what to respond to. Comparing going to Chuckie E Cheese and venturing into the once murder capital of the United States makes no sense. While standing in the center of the Rutgers campus may offer a degree of safety the streets immediately surrounding the campus are dangerous and having to travel them to reach the center of the Rutgers campus leaves you vunerable to those who prey on those who are foolish enough to think they can travel those streets with any degree of safety. What is it that you don't understand about murder capital of the United States that would make you think as long as you have common sense that its safe to travel the streets of Camden under any circumstances. You would have us believe that all those that were murdered, not to mention raped or mugged, had no common sense ?

Many of those murdered are because they are involved in the drug trade. How many occur next to Rutgers. There are even luxury apartments and and a childrens garden near by.

Lets all live in FlyersFan bubble, give me a break.

[Sassygirl18]

I went to graduate school at Rutgers and I felt safe on campus, but I felt unsafe the second I stepped off campus. I am not one who is prone to fear or nervousness and I work in University City in Philadelphia.

Again, I will say that Rutgers is an excellent school and it's great to go there. But live someplace else and commute to Rutgers. Even if you were able to find a somewhat safe part of Camden, why would you want to live in a place where danger is one or two blocks away? Do you really want to be a prisoner on your own block? What's the point?

And while much of the crime is drug-related, this doesn't mean you couldn't get caught in the crossfire. Many people in Camden and Philadelphia have been killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[Gerania]

The college is located along Cooper St. and north about where the name Camden appears on the map.

CourierPostOnline.com | Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties camdenmap | Courier-Post

That map shows homicides, not all crimes. The area around City Hall/PATCO stop, Rutgers, Cooper and Market to and from the waterfront Victor Lofts and attractions is probably the most heavily patrolled area of the city.

As you've said, you live in an urban environment; you know the rules - keep your eyes open, keep moving, walk to and from the train with other students.

I've felt ill at ease a few times while on foot in Camden and in hind sight, I realized it was because the area was nearly deserted: one car speeding through, one guy standing on the corner a block down, a cyclist on the next street. Too quiet.

[ImCurlybelle]

I'm wondering what makes you choose Camden? It's a god-awful, high-crime, run-down, brutally horrible area !!!! If it's all you can afford, you're better off finding a small 1-2 bedroom apartment in a nicer area ... Don't do it !

[Katisu]

Gerania- that is one of the most interesting things I've seen in a while. One of my majors was criminology and I find the break-down of that map and statistics very interesting. I couldn't get some of the people to open, but looks like most were drug-related and many were recently released from jail/prison/rehab. A good number happened near Whitman Park. A handful were shot by police. Of the people over 30 that were killed, it seemed like they were all involved in arguments with the assailant or involved in some high-risk activity. Not all, of course. There was the homeless man who slept in the park (which I would actually consider high-risk in that town.

There were a few wrong place, wrong timers, but only one (other than homeless guy) in my head stuck out as a true wrong place, wrong time and that was the woman that was used as a " human shield" by another person. The others only seemed that way(at least in my opinion) because the police had no leads or info. Maybe that's because I was making assumptions, though. If you're from Philly, shot at a known drug corner, and dropped off outside of a fire station by your "friends", I'd say you were also up to no good.

These people still didn't deserve to die. I'm DEFINITELY NOT saying that. I just found that map and brief description of the victims and area in which they were found to be very interesting.

[Katisu]

Originally Posted by ImCurlybelle

I'm wondering what makes you choose Camden? It's a god-awful, high-crime, run-down, brutally horrible area !!!! If it's all you can afford, you're better off finding a small 1-2 bedroom apartment in a nicer area ... Don't do it !

we're not neccesarily CHOOSING Camden, we just didn't know much about it. Through our online search for info on Camden, I stumbled onto this forum. I thought it would be a good place to get honest opinions from people who really know the areas surrounding Rutgers-Camden.

[Gerania]

I'm glad that you were able to make use of it. I found it interesting and quite informative.

I'm surprised that there weren't more deaths in Morgan Village. In another thread, someone said that a lot of drugs were sold down there, probably on Morgan St. because of expressway access.

I was a little surprised about the Fairview murder; it's supposed to be one of the better areas. I've also read that the NE, east of the Cooper River, was improving. There was quite a bit of crime there in 2007; I wonder how it fared in 2008?

Originally Posted by Katisu

Gerania- that is one of the most interesting things I've seen in a while. One of my majors was criminology and I find the break-down of that map and statistics very interesting. I couldn't get some of the people to open, but looks like most were drug-related and many were recently released from jail/prison/rehab. A good number happened near Whitman Park. A handful were shot by police. Of the people over 30 that were killed, it seemed like they were all involved in arguments with the assailant or involved in some high-risk activity. Not all, of course. There was the homeless man who slept in the park (which I would actually consider high-risk in that town.

There were a few wrong place, wrong timers, but only one (other than homeless guy) in my head stuck out as a true wrong place, wrong time and that was the woman that was used as a " human shield" by another person. The others only seemed that way(at least in my opinion) because the police had no leads or info. Maybe that's because I was making assumptions, though. If you're from Philly, shot at a known drug corner, and dropped off outside of a fire station by your "friends", I'd say you were also up to no good.

These people still didn't deserve to die. I'm DEFINITELY NOT saying that. I just found that map and brief description of the victims and area in which they were found to be very interesting.

[FlyersFan]

Originally Posted by Sassygirl18

I went to graduate school at Rutgers and I felt safe on campus, but I felt unsafe the second I stepped off campus. I am not one who is prone to fear or nervousness and I work in University City in Philadelphia.

Again, I will say that Rutgers is an excellent school and it's great to go there. But live someplace else and commute to Rutgers. Even if you were able to find a somewhat safe part of Camden, why would you want to live in a place where danger is one or two blocks away? Do you really want to be a prisoner on your own block? What's the point?

And while much of the crime is drug-related, this doesn't mean you couldn't get caught in the crossfire. Many people in Camden and Philadelphia have been killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Well Mr. DailyJournalist heres a point of view from someone who has lived through the daily struggle of life and safety in Camden. If anyone knows and understands the hazards of traveling through Camden its this poster but I suppose you'll find some way to discount her experience there ? If Camden such a safe and desireable location why not sell your castle in Collingswood and buy one of those "luxury condos" in Camden ?