most dangerous sections in Boston (Brookline, Canton: lawyer, income, living)

[xS☺B☺s]

Originally Posted by CityGirl52

There's got to be an answer for these terrible random acts of such vicious violence toward our fellow man, ya think?

No CG, I don't think there is an answer. As long as there is any person on this earth who feels desperate, deprived, indignant, oppressed or angry or has a psychological disorder, there will always be the possibility of violence. Lying deep underneath all our learned civility lies the reptilian brain. There is a predator and a self-preservationist instinct which is not an aspect of our personae but the foundation.

Oh who knows, maybe someday they will isolate an enzyme balance or something, but frankly I think three days without power during a heat wave and you hear the animal inside you begin to growl.

[Klee552]

I think both of you are so far off from the original question, it is a shame.

[nashman307]

I have been to Boston many times in my life and can tell you that a majority of the really bad stuff has been pushed out of the actual city because of gentrification. Of course, South Boston, North Dottie, and Roxbury aren't exactly Back Bay material either. But for the most part, the crime has left the inner city. However, nearby cities such as Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Revere, and Lynn have inherited Boston's crime. My cousin lives in Revere and someone got shot right in front of her house. They don't call it Lynn, Lynn, City of Sin for nothing. Basically, my mother's horrendous stories of Savin Hill are over, with the exception of racism. Racism is unfortunatley still intact within the lower income neighborhoods probably due to the long-going racial tensions between Roxbury and Dorchester. Also the Irish and Italian families from the outer cities distrusting the Hispanics and Blacks now populating the cities of Everett, Malden, Revere, etc.

[j.johnson]

Ciao9999 is totally right, because i live in the South End, always have, and i live across from the projects. but just because there are condos there doesn't mean its exactly safe. projects are projects

[hartford_renter]

Originally Posted by HenryAlan

See, you are making the basic mistake of thinking that less frequent means more safe. You may be less likely to be mugged in the back bay, but you'd be a fool not to be just as vigilant. The fact is, mugging isn't that common anywhere in Boston, but it does happen in every neighborhood. It's simplistic to think in terms of the neighborhood without regard to personal behavior. Take precautions, and you will be pretty safe in most sections of Boston.

Less frequent does mean more safe. That is by its definition.

[tcrackly]

Handy tool.


Boston crime rates and statistics - Neighborhood Scout

[sylvia rogers]

Well, I've lived in Roxbury since 1952,way before they had split up into "lower Rox., and when I left in 2009, there was a total upheaval of delapadated housing,white folks returned(after going to the burbs),IN THE 60'S, BETTER HOUSING, SCHOOLS, EVEN CONDO'S FILL UP ALOT OF THE AREA'S...Taking down the elevator trains that ran from downtown Boston, thru South End, Rox.,Jamaca Plain,upto Forest Hills, was something we Roxy folks never thought would have happened. Now, new business have moved in on Washington St., and the old vacated furniture building, Ferdinans is being renovated into Goverment offices. Same token the crime rate has only lessened because constant police patrols of the "foot officers" Alls not very well, but, well. Residents take pride in thier "crimestoppers" groups,meeting with the police,and local venders . It all works to secure a safer,nicer, community for ALL....

[rranger]

Originally Posted by HenryAlan

I have to say that I think the people who condemn large swaths of the city as sketchy or dangerous probably haven't spent much time in them and wouldn't recognize criminal activity before it hit them. The vast majority of Boston neighborhoods have a low incidence of crime, especially violent crime. Most violent crime, by the way, is committed between people who know each other. It is rarely random. Aside from that, the crime that might affect joe q public is mostly the kind that is preventable with a small amount of precaution and preparation.

There are very few parts of Dorchester that don't feel safe to me, very few parts of Mattapan, etc. Crime is going to happen in crowded urban areas. That's inescapable, but some of the statements in this thread have been fairly ridiculous.

Thank you Henry Alan. This is the kind of reasoned response that one rarely sees on any of the "urban" forums. I am amazed at the broad brush people tend to apply to our cities (and, I suspect it's usually comfortably numb white suburbanites, though I have no empirical data to back that).

You would think that Mattapan, Dorchester and Roxbury, for example, were rife with AK-47 carrying criminals, when precisely the opposite is true.

People really need to come into town before they judge.

Sign me a long-term "ghetto" resident.

[rranger]

Originally Posted by dazzleman

To argue that Back Bay is no safer than Roxbury because there's crime in both places is absurd. Yes, there's crime in both places, but the level of incidence is vastly different, and your odds of actually being a victim are much in Roxbury than Back Bay, especially if you don't 'fit in' to the neighborhood (which many of us don't).

Really? Funny, my car has been broken into twice in the past 20 years in Back Bay. Wanna guess how many times it's been broken into in Roxbury (where I've lived for most of that time)? I'll give you a clue to help: the range is from zero to zero.

Again, you really need to go to Roxbury before you give it the broad brush treatment.

[lz1982]

You would think that Mattapan, Dorchester and Roxbury, for example, were rife with AK-47 carrying criminals, when precisely the opposite is true.

Yeah, I remember once mentioning to a (white) coworker that I was going to a party in Dorchester, to which his immediate response was something like, "Why, so you can get stabbed?"

The party was in Jones Hill, a perfectly nice neighborhood, but all most people need to hear is "Dorchester."