Oakland, Richmond named among the most dangerous cities (Los Angeles, San Francisco: apartments, sex offender)

[bayarea-girl]

gizmo980, if you like fast food then I guess there are places to eat. Richmond is pretty big and the area I am referring to had no libraries. Many people hanging outside selling drugs, fighting, or talking (getting arrested by the police) is what I saw. Not my cup of tea, if it works for you great. I am glad to see that you are part of the solution and not the problem.

[bayarea-girl]

Also, wanted to comment about LA as that is where I am from. LA is a BIG place. A lot of areas that were considered to be dangerous in the 80's started to get cleaned up in the 90's. Crime in LA is way down. Compton is a city and is not LA it is part of Southern Cal. Just like Inglewood, Santa Monica, are cities in Southern Cal.

I can say that I would prefer to live in Compton or Inglewood at this time than Oakland or Richmond. Southern Cal has cleaned up their act since I lived there. The difference that I see with Oakland and SanFran when it comes to crime is that 80% of SanFran has no problem and 80% of Oakland and Richmond have huge crime problems. In Oakland/Richmond crime is just every where. In SanFran you can be far from it or as close to it as you want to be. For LA/Southern Cal it is such a large place that you can also be far from it.

The gangs in So. Cal are probably worse and has a worse reputation than any where else in the country at one time (So. Cal has a lot of the high speed chases, every one wants to be on camera). But Oakland and Richmond has its own awful reputation that I think will take at least another 20 years to recover from.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by bayarea-girl

gizmo980, if you like fast food then I guess there are places to eat.

I don't eat fast food. Seriously, there are some good places around, but I'll save that for another thread.

Richmond is pretty big and the area I am referring to had no libraries. Many people hanging outside selling drugs, fighting, or talking (getting arrested by the police) is what I saw. Not my cup of tea, if it works for you great. I am glad to see that you are part of the solution and not the problem.

Thanks... and I'm not judging you for turning down the job, just saying that you have to look deeper to see the good parts of Richmond. It definitely has its problems, but luckily many people care - so I hope it improves in the near future.

[Taboo2]

Originally Posted by Abashi

The liberal city of Irvine is the second safest in California, while the conservative city of San Bernardino is the fourth most dangerous.

San Francisco couldn't be worse than Los Angeles, so something is wrong with that one. I have been to San Francisco, I havn't seen any crime.

The high crime rates in these bay area cities are largely petty such as smoking marijuana. Violent crime is far more severe in southern California.

Crime has nothing to do with liberal or conservative cities.

It has to do with poor people (of all races) stealing and hurting each other because they think it is ok and have not much else to look forward to.

The laws are the same up 'n down this state and the people who take the time to sit on jury's whether they be liberal or conservative, all pretty much want the city they live in to be a safe place. I suppose some of the liberal cities identify with criminals a little to much but overall it does not make a difference. Many poor people on jurys really want to nail the criminals because they have to live on the block with them. It hits home.

Interesting fact: The news this morning stated Oakland only has 38% (or was it 31%) African Americans, they are leaving town to go where housing is cheaper (the valley?). So to those who think the crime is connected to the african american community now have to rethink the blame game.

People who lived in Oakland in the 50's used to say until black people came around the city was nice ( i wouldn't know), but i think it has nothing to do with a persons race and everything to do with families and a LACK OF MONEY and thinking you have NO FUTURE.

[Taboo2]

Originally Posted by Radical347

Have you actually been to Los Angeles? I have, plenty of times, and I haven't seen any crime. I'm sure it exists, just like everywhere, but LA really isn't a crime-ridden hellhole like everyone seems to want it to be.

I saw a guy beating up a girl in Westwood and when we started filming it he ran over and smashed the passenger window trying to pull the camera away from me. My friend has trouble backing up so i opened the door an jumped out of the car to box with him and then she managed to get the car moving so i grabbed back the camera and jumped back in the car.

Yeah, there is PLENTY of violence in LA. And that was in the GOOD part of town.

[bayarea-girl]

Taboo2, on many people will you hear about getting shot or people fighting about drugs in Westwood compared to Oakland or Richmond? Crime happens every where but more frequent in Oakland/Richmond areas.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by bayarea-girl

Wasn't in the Bay in the 80's early 90's yes. But when you go to a restaurant let's say around Lake Merrit at a well recognized Italian eatery that many frequent and during the day a group of thugs robb the place at gun point, hmmmmmm I'd call that pretty unsafe and just dangerous.

But this is not a normal occurence in the least. Not even for Oakland.

I don't know how safer it is becoming.

Usually the Chronicle is first to point out Oakland's crime-but lately there havent really been any unusual criminal events to report on so they've just rehased the old news thanks to Chip Johnson-a columnist who recently said reported on one person moving as a result of a crime that happened in 2007.

I am actually moving back to Oakland from Marin County in the coming months and cant hardly wait.

[Taboo2]

Originally Posted by bayarea-girl

Taboo2, on many people will you hear about getting shot or people fighting about drugs in Westwood compared to Oakland or Richmond? Crime happens every where but more frequent in Oakland/Richmond areas.

Personally i have never ever had any crime issues in Oakland.

I actually hung out in Oakland quite a bit near high street and foothill (not the best neighborhood in east oakland) also on park blvd and hollywood but that was hardly oakland.

We would walk over the the liquor store and to puff n stuff and never once saw any crime or were victims of crime.

I would go to eastmont mall and durant square and never was a victim nor saw any crimes being committed.

We neither saw crime nor were victimized AND we were white(possibly looked at as easy targets).

Now in LA? I saw a car broken into in west hollywood. I saw numerous fights in Carson. I saw a dude beating up his girlfriend in Westwood. I had a friend whose house was broken into IN BEVERLY HILLS. My cousin has been attacked in Wilmington.

Sorry LA lost this one to me.

[City Boy]

Originally Posted by bayarea-girl

I can say that I would prefer to live in Compton or Inglewood at this time than Oakland or Richmond. Southern Cal has cleaned up their act since I lived there. The difference that I see with Oakland and SanFran when it comes to crime is that 80% of SanFran has no problem and 80% of Oakland and Richmond have huge crime problems. In Oakland/Richmond crime is just every where. In SanFran you can be far from it or as close to it as you want to be. For LA/Southern Cal it is such a large place that you can also be far from it.

The gangs in So. Cal are probably worse and has a worse reputation than any where else in the country at one time (So. Cal has a lot of the high speed chases, every one wants to be on camera). But Oakland and Richmond has its own awful reputation that I think will take at least another 20 years to recover from.

It seems as if you don't know what you're talking about saying San Francisco doesn't have crime problems 80% of the time. The media has you brainwashed.

Also there are no area's in Compton like the Oakland hills. So you'd rather live on a gang infested block in Compton than a million dollar home In oakland. I don't believe you're from the Bay Area. Oakland covers a huge area and to act like it's all bad shows you don't know what you're talking about.

[bayarea-girl]

City Boy, I am not from Oakland and proud of it. I lived there for 6 years of my 12 year stay in the Bay Area. Know too much about Oakland and saw it through its changes (some good some bad and some things changed whiles others just stayed the same and will probably not change).

Am not brainwashed maybe you are. Am tired of people closing their eyes to the crime situation in the Bay. Don't be defensive, where is Compton, Westwood, Beverly Hills, all the places that were named in previous posts in terms of criminal activity compared to Oakland/Richmond? Facts are facts. CityBoy how long have you lived in LA? When was the last time you were there? People talk about LA as if they lived there. Why do people like to compare the Oakland Hills to be like Beverly Hills. It is not and will never be. In today's economy tell me if those properties in the Oakland Hills are still worth 1 mill. Don't think so, even MC Hammer wouldn't debate me on this. Like all cities every area has its good and bad side. Even Compton, Inglewood, Oakland has a good side. But most of Oakland has bad parts. Don't get me to start naming the sections. Even the people in Oakland are straight ghetto (not all but the majority).

Taboo2, crime happens every where. Before I left the Bay area they had a restaurant that I was at just the day before Milano in Oakland being robbed in the day light. I was robbed in Oakland and so was my husband. A friend of my husband's was car jacked at gun point. Look up how many sex offenders live in Oakland. Compare that to other cities or LA. Also, the areas you mentioned are not that bad you are right get deeper into Oakland and or hang out over the weekend or late at night and tell me if it is still safe (just head down towards the airport). I don't think so. Would you send your kids to a public school there? Let's be honest. People who visit any place during the day thinks a place is nice. There are parts of the Mission area that look great DURING THE DAY. But I wouldn't live there.

When I was comparing SF to Oakland/Richmond it is true that 80% of SanFran has no problem. Oakland/Richmond overall has a huge problem.

Again, Carson is not LA. Westwood and Beverly Hills are rare places that one will find crime. Beverly Hills jail doesn't have an overcrowding problem unlike Oakland. Those areas are not know for drug or prostitution trafficing. Bring up some facts please.