Crime and Pittsburgh - Increasing? (Philadelphia, Oliver: relocating, house hunting, travel)

[zip95]

Originally Posted by Seaharbour

Well just stay away from the ghetto and your be fine!

Quite true...

The problem is that people who have never experienced diversity have a hard time understanding the difference between a "black people are here" and "this is the ghetto".

[RockLobster]

I lived in South Florida ( Eastern Palm Beach County ) for 5 years. I had more troubles there with robbery, property damage and attempted theft to my property then I had anywhere else. Pittsburgh, Colorado, New York City.
In the city of Pittsburgh I believe much of the crime is being driven by poor economics within the city. Drug trafficking is the way for instant cash and along with this comes the associated violence. Occasionally this leaves the tight border between the drug abuse community and enters the mainstream in the form of 'drive by' or non associated victims. Of course there are the acts of rape, auto theft, armed robbery that one would expect in urban america. But overall Pittsburgh is still a realtively safe city as American Cities go.
One thing to watch however, is the continued decline of the economic base of many of the minority neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. This will no doubt lead to a continued rise in violence in such places and a rise in tensions between law enforcement and those folks. I'd think the Mayor's office would be pretty concerned. But it seems gambling casino's and shopping venues are being promoted as the way to economically shape the city... bad move !!

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by RockLobster

But it seems gambling casino's and shopping venues are being promoted as the way to economically shape the city... bad move !!

If you build it, they will come..........

[Stagger Lee]

the casinos wont be as bad as people think. I heard the arguments that casinos bring crime and more poverty such as Atlantic city. However, St. Louis, Kansas City, Philly, Detroit and a few others added casinos not making any of their problems worse off. I don't think they are going to add anything to help the economy, but also nothing to make it worse.

[RockLobster]

As of about a year ago, the last time I actually looked at the fugures, there was virtually no 'urban' casino that was helping the local economy of that city outside of Vegas which of course is a big casino. Atlantic City has been a disaster once you venture of the Board Walk. Detroit and Buffalo both overall negatives. The Gov's promise that statewide tax relief coming from the statewide casino's will be a very interesting story down the road. What I hear so far from the open and operating casino's are that numbers are way above predicted levels early on. Hmmmmm...

[pittsburgh,pa]

i been robbed a couple times in 3 friends i know died from gang violence this year

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by pittsburgh,pa

i been robbed a couple times in 3 friends i know died from gang violence this year

Jesus where was this??? I'm so sorry about your friend.

[Seaharbour]

That is very sad!

[pittsburgh,pa]

in homewood

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by pitt_transplant

I just wonder if any pittsburgh vets have noticed a downhill trend with the quality of life here before we make a 30 year commitment.

The bottom line is, crime is increasing across the board in the Commonwealth of PA. I travel alot through the commonwealth to mountain bike and it is disgustingly sad to see the beautiful little towns that used to be the marquee of this commonwealth being infested with crime.