san diego gangs (Oceanside, Carlsbad, Fallbrook: crimes, college, live)

[tsuyoi_racing]

Originally Posted by SD Observer

Well in El Cajon there are mainly White gangs with some Mexican gangs as well. In the other cities you mentioned there are Mexican & Asian street gangs.

The black gang presence is in the Encanto district.

its so unfortunate that we're surrounded by gang-land. only way around it is pay high prices to live on the coast (Leucadia, Encinitas, LaJolla) or move out to the burbs like Temecula.

[kcda]

Originally Posted by tsuyoi_racing

its so unfortunate that we're surrounded by gang-land. only way around it is pay high prices to live on the coast (Leucadia, Encinitas, LaJolla) or move out to the burbs like Temecula.

I must be in all the right places because I've never see gangs in San Diego. Occasionally I will see grafitti but no actual gang members.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by tsuyoi_racing

its so unfortunate that we're surrounded by gang-land. only way around it is pay high prices to live on the coast (Leucadia, Encinitas, LaJolla) or move out to the burbs like Temecula.

Have you actually PERSONALLY come into contact with a gang member or have any incident with them? I'm honestly curious towhere your extreme fear of San Diego gangs comes from. Do news articles seriously get you that worked up?

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by tsuyoi_racing

Given that its in SanDiego, it'll be Latino gang. Gang activity has always been high in Oceanside, San Marcos, Chul Vista, El Cajon and Lemon Grove.

As far as I can tell as of March 2008 you lived in Seattle. So I am curious ... did you move into a gang neighborhood by accident? Having lived here less than six months I find it hard to believe you would have such broad experience in county-wide gang activity.

[tsuyoi_racing]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

As far as I can tell as of March 2008 you lived in Seattle. So I am curious ... did you move into a gang neighborhood by accident? Having lived here less than six months I find it hard to believe you would have such broad experience in county-wide gang activity.

The transition from Seattle to San Diego was quite a shock. Parts of SD feels very dangerous compared to Seattle. There are places in San Marcos, O'side, Escond, Vista, and Carlsbad that you don't want to raise a family in.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/314294-post24.html

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by tsuyoi_racing

The transition from Seattle to San Diego was quite a shock. Parts of SD feels very dangerous compared to Seattle. There are places in San Marcos, O'side, Escond, Vista, and Carlsbad that you don't want to raise a family in.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/314294-post24.html

But have you visited those places? Or did you just read about them here? I've lived in SD 15 years and never had any reason to go to any of the areas you mentioned.

[kcda]

Isn't that the truth, San Diego is a HUGE county and there is no reason you have to go into certain areas. I think the county is one of the largest, even larger than some states back east. If there is no reason or attraction to get off the freeway and drive east in those areas, why would you even go? There are plenty of areas to live in that are safe and you never have to see any of that.

[j760]

Originally Posted by tsuyoi_racing

T There are places in San Marcos, O'side, Escond, Vista, and Carlsbad that you don't want to raise a family in.

There are places like this everywhere, even not far from jolly old Seattle.

[SD Observer]

Originally Posted by tsuyoi_racing

its so unfortunate that we're surrounded by gang-land. only way around it is pay high prices to live on the coast (Leucadia, Encinitas, LaJolla) or move out to the burbs like Temecula.

Don't give the gangs the satisfaction of keeping you in fear. You are not surrounded by gangs. They happen to inhabit the poorer areas and usually are only dangerous to themselves. Although sometimes their drive-bys and case of mistaken identity violence claims an innocent life.

They are lowlife punks who are headed only to prison or to an early death. Go on with your life. If you need to go into a sketchy area keep alert and confident and you will be OK. Just use common sense. Use the same alert caution whether you are in Oceanside, Skyline or Pacific Beach.

I grew up in Chicago and believe me the gangsters in Chi-Town are more numerous , brazen and deadly than in SD.

[Prairieman]

Originally Posted by tsuyoi_racing

There are places in San Marcos, O'side, Escond, Vista, and Carlsbad that you don't want to raise a family in.

It is true that there are undesirable areas with a gang presence in all of those North County cities. The key to the sprawling NC cities is that the gang activity in each city is relatively isolated to geographic pockets, while the rest of the city is often quite desirable. Thus, one can learn the approximate boundaries of the pockets, as well as the monikers of predominant gangs, and thereafter steer clear of the whole affair, as other posters have described. One should not regard the whole community as undesirable, as is the case in many neighborhoods of City Heights and Southeast SD.

Another important point about the NC is that the law enforcement officials and courts have been very pro-active in issuing and updating gang injunctions there. Kudos to them! Here is a link to the SD County DA's website, where the current injunctions (including monikers and maps) are posted. I am aware of only three NC areas with significant gang activity where an injunction has not (yet) been issued: the Back Gate area of Oceanside, the Carlsbad Barrio, and central Fallbrook (there was a big gang sweep there back in April).

Gang Injunctions - San Diego District Attorney

In my opinion, it is more difficult to determine the undesirable areas of cities in the East County than the North County. There are documented gangs in El Cajon, Spring Valley, Lemon Grove and even Santee, but it seems that the gangs are less organized and more spread out there. In addition, no gang injunctions have been issued (yet) in the East County.

To the original poster: I have read that one of the more prominent gangs/cliques in El Cajon call themselves "Hoodlums". It is a primarily Hispanic gang, that seems to be most active in the area around Anza Street and Mollison Avenue, south of Main. Is it possible that the person who keyed your car was trying to make the letter "H" instead of an old English "N"? Just a guess.