Crime in SLC: twice the national average? (West Valley City, Sandy: rental, violent crime)

[PatrickM]

Hello there. I saw on the city-data SLC page that it has a crime index of 607, and that the national average is only 325. I was always under the assumption that it was a safe place. I did a quick search on this forum for insight into the issue, but couldn't find anything.

So would you say SLC is not a safe place?

Thanks for the feedback!

[coolcats]

I feel less safe in Salt Lake than I did growing up in Iowa. There is a gang/drug/violent crime undercurrent in some neighborhoods. As a result, there seems to be a fair amount of armed robbery, car chases, drug busts on the news. There also seems to be a real problem with car theft. I have never personally witnessed anything like that in here, and I feel completely safe jogging in the early morning hours. But I am a relatively healthy male in a suburban neighborhood.

[dreameyes]

I think it depends where you live. There are areas of SL that I would definately not want to live in! And I'm sorry to say that IMO a big part of why crime has rised here so much is the illegal immigration problem. It may not be PC but it is true that they have brought much crime and violence and poverty with them.

[Ronp100343]

And I'm sorry to say that IMO a big part of why crime has rised here so much is the illegal immigration problem. It may not be PC but it is true that they have brought much crime and violence and poverty with them.

Well it should be PC because it is the truth. They are ruining the US while the government is worried more about Iraq and letting our country go to hell.
When I moved to SLC in 1990 they didn't even know what a gang was. It was super clean and safe. When we moved in 1997 the west side and downtown were being invaded. I can't imagine how bad it is now.

[Calibelle]

Since we are talking how illegal immigration is affecting crime SLC, I will let this go on, but for comments about immigration in general, please post them in the immigration forum, which can be found as a sub forum in politics and other controversies. Thanx y'all!

[RockyMtnr]

Many years ago, the primary Religious group in SLC imported or caused to be imported and/or accepted many nationalities of immigrants. Utah is not a state that is supportive of the populace; having traditionally very low wages and a "less than easy" system in which to survive. Many of these immigrants (from Islands, Asia, etc) had a lot of trouble surviving and formed into gangs. In the 70's, it was laughable. In the 80's, help started arriving from around the country. By the 90's, many parts of SLC had become downright dangerous to live in or walk through and some areas were dangerous long before that.
Added to that is the fact that many smaller cities around the west used to round up their homeless and bus them to SLC thru the late 60's and even into the 80's. It made for an interesting subculture.
Utahns have always drawn many Mexican laborers to work their mink ranches and other small livestock farms. That population was always generally well-behaved and not troublesome.
Salt Lake (the valley) is not a big town - never will be ... but it's a fairly small valley and someone keeps cramming people into it! It is also a predominantly white, conservative and sometimes old-school place tradition-wise and they have not grown enough in other ways to make up for the influx of folks that the area cannot financially support with jobs, fair rental prices and cost of living.
You will notice crime more there - because it sticks out more. They destroyed their "ghettoes" decades ago - well, they called them ghettoes - they were really nice but older inner-city neighborhoods where poor folks could live ... now, they have nowhere. The recipe is slanted more toward disaster than success at this time. Perhaps you can make a difference.

[Elder_Shawn]

We lived downtown for a few years and loved it. We went for walks almost every night and was never bothered. There are homeless shelters around the Gateway shopping district...which is sketchy....but overall I feel comfortable being with my wife downtown at night. We are going to the Jazz game tonight and I'm sure the majority of the fans feel safe. I compare this is with downtown Atlanta in the day time....we were hounded non stop on my last trip there....everyone wanted a "tip" for showing me where Martin Luther King's this and that was located.

[SKIorDIE]

It is getting worse, Mayor Rocky Anderson says it's getting better , but, well he's an idiot. If you go to the suburbs like Sandy, Draper, South Jordan, it's a very safe place, but Stay Away from West Valley City and South Salt Lake.

[Elder_Shawn]

Originally Posted by SKIorDIE

It is getting worse, Mayor Rocky Anderson says it's getting better , but, well he's an idiot. If you go to the suburbs like Sandy, Draper, South Jordan, it's a very safe place, but Stay Away from West Valley City and South Salt Lake.

We really need more armed citizens. I pack heat (legally) every where I go just in case some #@#$ goes down.

[Lulu11]

One thing you have to remember about crime stats is they are only as good as the reporting authority. They base their average on those reporting. Unfortunately, their are more nonreporting than reporting. Note DC's contribution to crime statistics versus Utah's contribution.

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/nibrsstatus.htm