Is Philly crime really as bad as everyone says? (Philadelphia: where to stay, to live)

[solibs]

I was born in NJ. Dad's from Brooklyn, mom's from JC. Lived in the Bronx for a spell and in Brooklyn a while longer.

Originally Posted by StuckPA

I really started to notice a surge in 'outsiders' when I left SP over a year ago so I suppose more of the New Jerseyans are also coming in as well as the New Yorkers. Better for the place I think,more diversity.

But now I'm in lower northeast Philly,where it's back to square one with the diversity. I even start to get a little hopeful when I see new condos going up here,but right now I've heard this place is still too far a commute to center city for some people so I'm just waiting for them to spread further up from Fishtown...then maybe our house will go up in value too

I don't have much hope for the lower northeast if the Roosevelt Blvd. Subway doesn't get built. You already have people in Mayfair complaining about all the Section 8 people getting pushed out of Fishtown and Port Richmond and up that way.

It's already obvious that the area around the el stops are redeveloping. Not saying that they're awesome neighborhoods but, even in this market, you still see the dumpsters, the scaffolding, the real artists lofts . . . some friends of mine are renting a place at Hancock & Montgomery and they're hardly the pioneers there.

But yeah, it's all about that one seat ride to Center City and Frankford is the end of the line.

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by solibs

Two guys from hick towns in Ohio. Your point?

I was thinking more along the lines of these winners -
Marlton woman pleads guilty to vehicular homicide | Philadelphia Inquirer | 09/27/2008 (http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20080927_Marlton_woman_pleads_guilty_to_vehicular_ homicide.html - broken link)

KYW Newsradio 1060 Philadelphia - Jury Selection Begins in Marlton Murder Trial (http://www.kyw1060.com/Jury-Selection-Begins-in-Marlton-Murder-Trial/1607494 - broken link)

6abc.com: Missing Woman Believed Murdered 9/20/06

DelcoTimes - Murder suspect's friends search for answers (http://www.delcotimes.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17241688&BRD=1675&PAG=461&dept_id= 18171&rfi=6 - broken link)

cbs3.com - Teen Sentenced To Life After Brutal Triple Murder (http://cbs3.com/local/alec.kreider.stabbing.2.750414.html - broken link)

Boy's death called part of rampage
***Boy's death called part of rampage*** (Sick, sick, sick!)

[StuckPA]

cbs3.com - Man Critical After I-76 Shooting (http://cbs3.com/topstories/Shooting.Schuylkill.Expressway.2.833274.html - broken link)

Scary thing is I observe the type of sc**bag drivers all the time around here that would do something like that.

I still maintain that I never had a good feeling about this place...
To me there's more bad than good here,lemme put it that way.

[JHG722]

Then leave..............

[welder]

Is Philly crime really as bad as everyone says? The crime in Philly, ain't as BAD as the EAGLES!

[Huckleberry3911948]

you should not have to bring your 9mm. what about all the people that don't.
any violent crime should not be accepted by the community. when the community that supports the violent feels there is a problem then and only then will it get better.
i have a dream.

[waltlantz]

Stats, shmats.

Ok stats ARE important, but nothing can beat living or being in the city for extended periods of time. Lived there for three years, worked there in the summer, visit there every year.

I'm not gonna get into the whole stupid guns argument aside from the fact that BOTH sides are right. Guns don't themselves cause crimes NOR do they stem crime.

My family has lived in Philly for most of their lives. My grandpa ever scince the 30s. Yea yea sure sure, that was "a different time" but as an African American there were places he didn't DARE walk into.

Long story short, any one telling you that cities were so much greater long ago is only half true, kinda fudging the numbers or was not on the recieveing end.

He raised 7 kids there with generally little backlash or adverse effects. Originally was in South Philly, then moved to Oak Lane.

Big Cities have troubles all over, although looking at that chart I think there may be something we can learn from Toronto or Montreal.

Simple fact; If you live in a place where people are WORKING then you don't really have to worry about crime. My grandparents and aunt live in Oak Lane, have had very little problems.

Other aunt lives in NE Philly, perfectly fine. Looking at crime maps,

GENERALLY YES NORTH PHILLY AND WEST PHILLY ARE HAIRY. But still it depends on where you are in the respective districts and neighboorhoods.

Got family in West Philly and never hear about them being any victims of crime and NO they don't have their windows barred.

Most major crime does occur LATE at night, in concentrated POOR areas with many MINORITIES. Primarily OFFENDERS who KNOW EACH OTHER. (I'm not trying to be derogotary, I am black too. But too many of us are dying over stupid things).

In all seriousness people, just keep your wits about you. If you can afford to live in a working area, work there. Cities are ALWAYS gonna have higher violent crime due to many reasons. I live in suburban DC now, so yea it's MUCH quieter DC but it's not like crime doesn't occur in suburbs ya know. It's just different kind of crime.

[LLOJ]

There's a documentary on YouTube called "Law And Disorder In Philadelphia" by Louis Theroux that does a great job in showing what the crime is like in a lot of sections in Philly and why it happens, here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD36JmK4q4I

[Joyce C Smith]

No the crime is a nightmare in portland oregon and too many that i have come in contact with here have been a twilight zone experience. I am from phila and i can't wait to get home. It has been from hell. Phila has elegance in different places, class, character. North phila is rough and yes there are crime spree area and at present the beautiful area of w. Mt. Airy is under attack by the same criminal. Phila is a unique place and it is historical.
If you go someplace else remember i said this about phila. You will come back to it because there is no place like phila after you compare.

[DC4Life]

LOL. Man, y'all have no idea what crime is. Philly ain't all dat bad for real, at least compared to DC. This is what the hood looks like. Once y'all visit some of these places, y'all look at Philly like it's Disneyland or sumtin