Why is crime soo bad is certain areas?? (St. Louis: violent crime, credit)

[ktCakes]

This is an extremely complex issue which is why an entire segment of sociology is dedicated to criminology.

In general, crime comes from many factors but a huge contributor is poverty and lack of education. Because, St. Louis (like a lot of northern cities) is extremely segregated (though getting better) there has been a two hundred year history of racism that has led to cyclical poverty and a poor education system. Right now, the St. Louis Public Schools aren't even accredited. Kids can't get a good education in this system. Poverty also increases the chances of teen pregnancy and single parent households. When you live in a since of hopelessness, you are not going to see a better future for yourself. When you see the only way to make money involves crime and it is normalized in your environment, then that is what you will grow to pursue. When you have gang members threatening you from the time you are 10 years old that you need to join their gang or be a target and no one at home to look out for you...what do you think a scared kid is going to do?



Yes, there are some people who are able to break out of this cycle, but I GUARANTEE they do not do it alone.

[aaronstlcards]

Originally Posted by Marksman84

To the OP - just curious, are you coming from the St. George area? It's very nice out there, gorgeous scenery and recreational ops near the Virgin River/Gorge.

The crime in STL is not that bad, it's really no better or worse than any other city. Just stay out of certain undesirable areas (north city, parts of south city, Jefferson County) and you'll be fine.

Your biggest challenge in St. Louis will be culture shock. This is definitely not the West or Rockies.

What! Jefferson County? Really?!

[STLCardsBlues1989]

From my understanding, St. Louis city is counted separately from St. Louis County. At the same time, any place has good and bad neighborhoods. St. Louis has some fantastic neighborhoods you could live in.

As far as why it has more crime, I'm not sure. I've noticed higher crime rates in older, more diverse cities. I am NOT saying that diversity causes crime. However, in the past, much crime has been caused by racial tension, which St. Louis has some history of. I don't think it's as bad as it used to be. But this racial tension (around the country) did cause some violence and resentment. Whites, in many places, not St. Louis necessarily, did, at one time, prevent blacks from getting education and better jobs, and blacks were often paid less.

This leads to more poverty and hopelessness. It seems that areas with higher violence generally have higher poverty. Poverty (and any tension that exist because of it) tend to breed violence. Violence scares people away, which leads to lower population/tax base, and more poverty, which leads to bad schools, which leads to more violence and more poverty. It seems that in these situations, many factors contribute to high violence in areas of St. Louis compared to some western cities that do not have the same population, and may not have had the same racial issues in the past. But many diverse areas have low crime rates, so that's not always the case, but that does seem to the case in many inner cities. Poverty breeds poverty.

I am not saying that diversity causes violence and poverty, but they generally are found in the same places. That, and an older city with older infrastructure can certainly be harder to maintain. And older cities have had more time to develop reputations, These reputations hurt the image of the city, chase people away, and cause more poverty (or at least prevent some investment from entering the city). A city's reputation also gets ingrained into the minds of those who live there, so they also want to leave or they accept things the way they are.

Part of the solution, in my opinion, to helping poverty and violence in cities can be to offer better schools and more services and more jobs to the people. Generally, as poverty decreases, violent crime and property crime also decrease. A new mindset, I think, needs to happen. People need to believe in cities again. Unfortunately, the cities that generally need the most help are the ones that people disdain the most because they think they are festering pits and not worth any help.

I live in a rural area with a lot of poverty. We don't have as much crime. I'm not sure what the major difference is, but the schools here are decent, though still underfunded. I think having higher density can cause more crime, because more people are crammed together. And here, if you break into someone's house in the middle of the night, you are likely to get shot. I am NOT saying that more guns in the city is a solution, but that's just that way it is here. That, and most people are related (or have known each other for a long time), and if you commit a crime, there are fewer suspects for the police to choose from. I'm not sure this area has a crime culture like in parts of the city, although there is quite a gun culture here. Most people hunt, for sport and for food. There is a very low minority population here, but that's not necessarily the cause of lower crime. You just don't have as many gangs here, there's not as much to steal, and everybody knows you, so I think that can discourage some crime. I think there is generally less hopelessness here, compared to the inner city, even though we still have a lot of poverty.

Just my opinion.

[Marksman84]

Originally Posted by aaronstlcards

What! Jefferson County? Really?!

OK, for all the country bumpkins out there in JoCo - I am only referring to the meth lab-laden segments of said county - not ALL of it. Thank you.

Now - Git R Done!

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by Marksman84

OK, for all the country bumpkins out there in JoCo - I am only referring to the meth lab-laden segments of said county - not ALL of it. Thank you.

Now - Git R Done!

Good heavens, that could be anywhere in rural Missouri!

[Caldus]

OP, I think your concerns about crime are legitimate, but I mean in the end it can always happen no matter where you are. Ever since I've lived here for 3 years (Tower Grove Park), the following incidents have happened to me:

- My car parked outside got smashed (hit and run) and had to get a new car as a result.
- Friend came over one night and found her car got broken into as she was leaving.
- People broke into my place one day while I was at work and they stole TV, laptop, games, etc.

Based on what I have read (both here and on my neighborhood's online group), I'm apparently very unlucky. Not trying to scare you or anything, but I guess in the end no matter where you are there's always the potential for crime. I agree with the others that there are definitely bad pockets in the northern areas of the city.

[Marksman84]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

Good heavens, that could be anywhere in rural Missouri!

And as Jefferson County is close to the area the OP is inquiring about (Metro St. Louis), thus it is mentioned as opposed to Boone Country or another rural area. I agree, I'm sure there are meth labs in every Missouri County (except Callaway, that's more of a marijuana county).

[Eyeam]

As far as why it has more crime, I'm not sure. I've noticed higher crime rates in older, more diverse cities. I am NOT saying that diversity causes crime. However, in the past, much crime has been caused by racial tension, which St. Louis has some history of. I don't think it's as bad as it used to be. But this racial tension (around the country) did cause some violence and resentment. Whites, in many places, not St. Louis necessarily, did, at one time, prevent blacks from getting education and better jobs, and blacks were often paid less.

San Jose, CA is an extremely diverse city with one of the lowest crime rates in the nation (pop. just shy of 1 million). You know what SJ doesn't have, though? A high black population (I think it's less than 5%). There are a couple of bad white parts in this area (isn't most of South City crime white trash? Also Madison, IL comes to mind). But the majority of our really bad areas seem to be almost exclusively black neighborhoods. Look at places on the East Side, like Brooklyn, Venice, Washington Park - and North County on the MO side.

As racist as that might seem, it's really not. There just happens to be a very strong correlation here between crime and the black population. For my current job, I end up in some not so great parts of St. Louis (Section 8 apartment complexes) and the majority of the black people I talk to are some of the most real, and friendliest people that I've met around here. I'm white, a military veteran, and I have a shaved head with a goatee - You'd think they'd look at me like I'm a neo-nazi and treat me poorly - but they're always incredibly friendly. They've always made me feel welcome while I was there working.

At one of the places, I felt very bad because in the course of one day, 4 or 5 people come into the office where I was working to report break ins while they weren't home. I was only there for 5 or 6 hours. The people coming into the office reporting those things seemed very nice, and I felt bad for them that their situation wasn't better.

[ktCakes]

Originally Posted by Eyeam

But the majority of our really bad areas seem to be almost exclusively black neighborhoods. Look at places on the East Side, like Brooklyn, Venice, Washington Park - and North County on the MO side.

As racist as that might seem, it's really not. There just happens to be a very strong correlation here between crime and the black population.

That's not race. That's poverty and lack of access to a good education.

[Eyeam]

That's not race. That's poverty and lack of access to a good education.

True - but why are some of the highest crime rate cities in the nation also the ones with the highest black populations? Why do blacks have the hardest time getting out of poverty? I couldn't afford an education either when I decided to go to college - so I joined the military. Certainly there are options for these people other than crime.