Crime in St. Louis (Clayton, Center: house, public school, living)

[STL Aviator]

Originally Posted by ajf131

I would say that the crime picks up north of Lindell, where the ghetto starts.

North of Lindell isn't ghetto. Half the Central West End is north of Lindell.

[AJohnston_STL]

63139; Dogtown. Great neighborhood, very safe and relatively quiet (city quiet, not rural quiet )

[ajf131]

Originally Posted by STL Aviator

North of Lindell isn't ghetto. Half the Central West End is north of Lindell.

ok, let me rephrase that...east of the Central West End, north of Lindell starting right around Vandeventer is the ghetto. The ghetto is north of the Central West End...I would say north of the Delmar-Kingshighway intersection is where the ghetto begins as far as where the Central West End ends and the ghetto begins.

[OSU_FAN]

As someone who will soon reside in the downtown area, I am wondering about the crime statistics.

I took a look at the police crime report that shows the number of incidents by neighborhood and I see there have been 3 murders and quite a few rapes in the downtown area (since Jan 2008). I was just curious...do you think most of these crimes are happening to the homeless and/or people who are just being stupid and hanging out in places at times where they should not be? Or do you think these crimes are being committed more opportunistically and randomly?

Also, I noticed some areas north of downtown are extremely crime-ridden (i.e. the Jeff Vanderlou neighborhood), what is so bad with those areas that people feel the need to be so violent? (drugs?).

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by OSU_FAN

As someone who will soon reside in the downtown area, I am wondering about the crime statistics.

I took a look at the police crime report that shows the number of incidents by neighborhood and I see there have been 3 murders and quite a few rapes in the downtown area (since Jan 2008). I was just curious...do you think most of these crimes are happening to the homeless and/or people who are just being stupid and hanging out in places at times where they should not be? Or do you think these crimes are being committed more opportunistically and randomly?

Also, I noticed some areas north of downtown are extremely crime-ridden (i.e. the Jeff Vanderlou neighborhood), what is so bad with those areas that people feel the need to be so violent? (drugs?).

I wouldn't worry about living in most of downtown. Once you get off the Wash Ave strip it is more deserted than dangerous at night. Have walked it at all hours.

As for north St. Louis the answer is pretty simple: Leave a bunch of people living on top of each other in poverty and then provide them few opportunities and no moral compass and the effect is a given.

Crime is pretty localized -- don't live there and you will be fine.

[OSU_FAN]

Thanks for the reassurance aragx6! I have been to STL quite a few times and have walked the downtown area day and night and never felt scared for my life. Since the police reports don't tell you the demographics of these crimes I was just curious. It won't change my mind..I love St. Louis!

[STLCardsBlues1989]

One reason North STL has higher crime is simply because it's more blighted. There's less opportunity for the people who live there, so they turn to crime.

[stevio63]

Originally Posted by aragx6

I wouldn't worry about living in most of downtown. Once you get off the Wash Ave strip it is more deserted than dangerous at night. Have walked it at all hours.

As for north St. Louis the answer is pretty simple: Leave a bunch of people living on top of each other in poverty and then provide them few opportunities and no moral compass and the effect is a given.

Crime is pretty localized -- don't live there and you will be fine.

I will just add here a couple of pearls....a "deserted" area is a "potential" dangerous area....so this is not a plus. As far as the "answer" to north st.louis problems.....i would reverse the order and place "no moral compass" as #1...take care of that and you got the other 2 under control...not solved but under control....and opportunities??? the one thing they (people in poverty) have to embrace...they walk away from....education...what's the drop out rate in the city schools...40 to 50%?????

[Brickmama]

I think he meant deserted as in not as much sidewalk traffic as Wash Ave. There are people out and about on the other streets its just not as crowded as Washington.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by stevio63

I will just add here a couple of pearls....a "deserted" area is a "potential" dangerous area....so this is not a plus. As far as the "answer" to north st.louis problems.....i would reverse the order and place "no moral compass" as #1...take care of that and you got the other 2 under control...not solved but under control....and opportunities??? the one thing they (people in poverty) have to embrace...they walk away from....education...what's the drop out rate in the city schools...40 to 50%?????

Crime of the mugging, raping variety is far more likely to happen in areas where there are opportunities.

You'll often find desirable neighborhoods to have higher rape, robbery statistics than deserted industrial type areas that might you feel wary, for the simple fact that there is a plethora of people to rape and rob.