What's happening in Clear Lake? (Taylor: live, single, worst)

[texas7]

Originally Posted by RocketSci

That is crazy talk. The 80s and 90s was the wild west in Houston. In 1980 Houston had a population of 1.6 million and 654 murders, for a murder rate of 41 per 100,000. Last year Houston had 269 murders, even with over a million more people, and the murder rate had dropped to 11.8 per 100,000 population.

In 1981 Houston was dubbed the "murder capital of the US" with 701 homicides.

Clear Lake has always had its share of crime and murders. Serial killers, "killing fields", etc.

All I can say is whatever on the stats. I can only comment on what I see now and how I feel personally. Perhaps then crime was localized in certain areas known to be bad areas whereas now it is random and spread across the city. All I can tell you is that I am a native Houstonian and it was nothing compared to what we see now. You could pretty much be out and about and be oblivious to it if you didn't watch the news. Unless you were in the wrong place, you really never had to give it a second thought.

[RocketSci]

Originally Posted by texas7

All I can say is whatever on the stats. I can only comment on what I see now and how I feel personally. Perhaps then crime was localized in certain areas known to be bad areas whereas now it is random and spread across the city. All I can tell you is that I am a native Houstonian and it was nothing compared to what we see now. You could pretty much be out and about and be oblivious to it if you didn't watch the news. Unless you were in the wrong place, you really never had to give it a second thought.

As a native, you must have been very young or very sheltered to not realize how bad it was in the 80s. There is absolutely no comparison how dangerous Houston was then as compared to today. The "whatever", as you say, on the stats represents an incredible number of victims and families, and how one "personally" feels has no relevance to what actually was happening in the city then or today.

Places are often misjudged, both good and bad, on how they are perceived as opposed to how they actually are. This results in an unjustified fear of certain people or areas, and can also result in misguided confidence. Some areas which have a reputation for being "bad" have, over time, often become areas of extremely low crime, even as the predominant ethnic groups change. Some "good" areas have also changed, sometimes for the worst.

Today, I have very little hesitancy to ride my bike through most any area inside the loop, while back in the 80s I was literally stopped by the police in my car and warned that I should leave a neighborhood because "the only white people here are selling guns or buying drugs" - and this was 2 blocks from where I worked! Today, that same area is covered with new townhomes and condos.

While people should respect the fact that bad things happen, and we all must be vigilant, we also need to avoid letting fear predominate our lives.

[texas7]

Sorry - was neither very young or very sheltered. I was into everything and enjoying all of the city back then -- perhaps you were. It seems to be all in perception I guess, but the vast majority of people I know who lived here back then - all agree that crime is much worse now. I believe it has a lot to do with crime being spread citywide versus confined to pockets of bad areas back then. It was easy to avoid it in the 80's whereas now --- it happens anytime and anywhere. I had little hesitancy then or now to be inside the loop.

[jilliannie]

Originally Posted by RocketSci

Today, I have very little hesitancy to ride my bike through most any area inside the loop, while back in the 80s I was literally stopped by the police in my car and warned that I should leave a neighborhood because "the only white people here are selling guns or buying drugs" - and this was 2 blocks from where I worked! Today, that same area is covered with new townhomes and condos.

I would be very hesitant to even drive to half of the inner loop. I visited that part and was the only white person around, but I wasnt buying drugs. The good half of the inner loop residents are easily 90% white like my area but it still seems to get a lot of property crime and vandalism and you still have to watch out for rapes and muggings but maybe its different if youre male.

[14Bricks]

Originally Posted by jilliannie

I would be very hesitant to even drive to half of the inner loop. I visited that part and was the only white person around, but I wasnt buying drugs. The good half of the inner loop residents are easily 90% white like my area but it still seems to get a lot of property crime and vandalism and you still have to watch out for rapes and muggings but maybe its different if youre male.

white people= good. Minorities=bad. WTF!

[RocketSci]

Originally Posted by texas7

Sorry - was neither very young or very sheltered. I was into everything and enjoying all of the city back then -- perhaps you were. It seems to be all in perception I guess, but the vast majority of people I know who lived here back then - all agree that crime is much worse now. I believe it has a lot to do with crime being spread citywide versus confined to pockets of bad areas back then. It was easy to avoid it in the 80's whereas now --- it happens anytime and anywhere. I had little hesitancy then or now to be inside the loop.

What you say is very important, because it clearly shows the danger in basing conclusions on "perception" versus reality. The reality is that Houston's violent crime rate has decreased dramatically since the 80s, yet your perception is that this isn't so. Regarding your comment about "the vast majority of people I know who lived back here then...agree," I similarly asked the people I know and the vast majority agree with me how violent Houston was. Maybe the truth lies somewhere in the middle?

My mother was a firm believer that there were no such thing as "good old days", having grown up during the Depression and WW2 she was never one to look back nostalgically at the past. To her, every new day was always better than the last, and she was always looking forward to the next. I try to follow her example.

[ShelbyGirl1]

Originally Posted by texas7

and still more oddness:

Officials investigating death of man found floating in Clear Lake | abc13.com

This is directly up the Lake from us. Some reports are saying Clear Lake, others reporting Taylor Lake. Still not sure. Very odd indeed, not a mention of it since Fri. Not a single person I've talked to who lives at the end of the Lake knows anything about it!

[crbcrbrgv]

I've had family that has lived here since the 80's and they too believe the crime is worse for the same reason texas7 does. Back in the 80's, crime was more localized to specific areas. There seems to be a lot more randomness to it.

[BCEagles01]

Originally Posted by RocketSci

That is crazy talk. The 80s and 90s was the wild west in Houston. In 1980 Houston had a population of 1.6 million and 654 murders, for a murder rate of 41 per 100,000. Last year Houston had 269 murders, even with over a million more people, and the murder rate had dropped to 11.8 per 100,000 population.

In 1981 Houston was dubbed the "murder capital of the US" with 701 homicides.

Clear Lake has always had its share of crime and murders. Serial killers, "killing fields", etc.

Trying to wrap those numbers around my head. In 1980 and 1981 ?? 654 ??? 701 ????

Were gangs a big problem then ?

In mylifetime when I was a teen 1990 was the absolute worst year in Boston with 153 or 163 murders. While it is a major east coast city...it is also a small city and so 150-160+ was a big deal up there.

Unfortunately my cousin was one of the 116 in 1991 while walking to school. A month away from graduation. It's a VERY safe city. But if you live in Mattapan,Dorchester or Roxbury. Chestnut Hill, Waltham and Newton may as well be a world away.

Anyhow..sorry about my little rant.

[DanielWayne]

Originally Posted by BCEagles01

Trying to wrap those numbers around my head. In 1980 and 1981 ?? 654 ??? 701 ????

Were gangs a big problem then ?

In mylifetime when I was a teen 1990 was the absolute worst year in Boston with 153 or 163 murders. While it is a major east coast city...it is also a small city and so 150-160+ was a big deal up there.

Unfortunately my cousin was one of the 116 in 1991 while walking to school. A month away from graduation. It's a VERY safe city. But if you live in Mattapan,Dorchester or Roxbury. Chestnut Hill, Waltham and Newton may as well be a world away.

Anyhow..sorry about my little rant.

I was a little kid in E. Texas in 1980, but I believe Houston had a large influx of people from northern states due to the economy.