The Crime? Is it really that bad?

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by tdatl

it all depends on where you live & how smartly you live... much of crime avoidance is simple common sense.

i have lived in three of the metros that perenially have among the highest crime rates -- Memphis, St. Louis, and Atlanta. I've spent 10 yrs. between them, and the only issue i've ever had is a break-in by a drug addict neighbor. I can tell you worse crime stories from low-crime Boone, NC if you're interested.

It's not that I'm concerned of being a victim of a crime, it's a matter of the pride I have in the city I grew up in, and negative reports such as the crime statistics hurt the city's image. I live in San Diego now (ready to leave, btw), and the people's mentality here is they look down their noses at cities like Atlanta and talk about how great San Diego is because of how safe and peaceful it is (and the weather, which they also say is related to why it's safe), while Atlanta is trashy and has a bunch of low-lifes. I just get real defensive when people talk about my city like that.

[Harrie]

Well, I've been in Atlanta since January 2006 and when I hear or read people say the crime is so bad here, I practically start laughing. I'm from New Orleans. The local news there is and has been for as many years as I can remembered filled with the latest local crime, crime, crime, CRIME! I haven't studied statistics at all and you can easily disregard what I say because of that, and I have no other special knowledge either, don't even keep up. That said, I know there is definitely crime here but it's a big, big place with a whole lot of people, and in my mind the crime is comparatively LOW.