Crime...shmime! All major cities are the same (Detroit, St. Louis: high crime, homes)

[Blue water lake]

Detroit is known for crime, but so is every other major city. Only the natives in any city know where you can go at night and where you can't. If Michigan/Detroit ran into a ton of cash (say 700 billion ) there would still be lots of crime. Every goofy cop show since the 70's has New York City as part of a main script. Heck, that's where most international business is done as far as the U.S. goes and I don't belive they are hugging and kissing in the streets. Obviously I'm from Detroit, but I wouldn't know what to do if you stuck me in L.A. I think I might run into some bad situations until I learned the area.

[ocean2026]

Ok so you're admiting you havent been to many other cities but you say they are all the same. It doesn't matter to you if say Detroit had 10 times as many murders as El Paso ( adjusted for population difference) it wouldnt matter to you because not having read any numbers and never having been to many other places, you just FEEL they are all the same.

El Paso might have one 10 sq block area that some - not all- would say they wouldn't walk at night. Detroit might be the opposite, 10 sq blocks one can walk at night -the rest stay away.

"every other city..is known for crime" Really, even all those cities you know nothing about? Do you think CRIME when you hear San Francisco? Seattle? might they not be known for something else?

Yes there is crime in every major city but its the DEGREE of crime that is relevant.

[intelfan11315]

Miami is known for its crime, but I've never felt so uncomfortable in Miami like I did in Detroit. Say what you'd like but Detroit is different from the major cities. It has a feeling of dirt, decay and scum. You don't feel like you are in a nice place when you are walking around detroit.

[Blue water lake]

Reading is fun! Understanding is too! "ALL MAJOR" cities. I have traveled all over this country and Europe too. I have not been to L.A., but most other MAJOR cities. What do you think about Dublin Ireland? or maybe London England? Do you know all the statistics about these places. Comprehending is important; I write that all MAJOR cities are the same is because I have first hand experience. Call the Seattle and San Francisco morgue and get your numbers. I will send you numbers for Dublin and London.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

I think some of it is perception. A city may be dense with high crime, but if Detroit has the same amount of crime with empty blocks and decaying buildings, Detroit will probably be considered more dangerous by most people.

[NCOriolesfan]

Los Angeles, with a population of 3,834,340 had 390 homicides in 2007.
Detroit, with a popualtion of 916,952 had 383 homicides.

Yeah, all big cities are the same. Detroit is a drain on America.

[Bluefly]

While I am one of Detroit's strongest advocates, it's not fair to ignore the deep problems the city faces by pretending it's the same.

Yes, there is rampant poverty and crime in large parts of Miami, New Orleans, LA, Chicago, New York, Oakland, and DC.

But to walk around DC or Boston or Manhattan or LA or Seattle or even Chicago, there is a HUGE difference.

[NCOriolesfan]

They should just bulldoze they entire city, bring in some deer, moose, foxes (not the kind Quame chases) and other wildlife and call it a day. Aside from Gary and East St Louis, it is the worst city I've ever been in. I take that back, Gary is better than Detroit.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

East St. Louis has 15,000 people. It may be rough, but not on the scale that parts of Detroit are.

I don't think bulldozing everything is the answer, but maybe if they could move people into the center city, decrease the land mass of the city, and basically start over, it could work, in theory. It would be unfortunate to lose beautiful churches, homes, and school buildings, though.

[ocean2026]

Detroit has great old buildings - that's about the only thing it really has going for it- bulldozing them would be disaster.