Moving or new to Houston? This sums up the city perfect

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by lhafer

It's not necessarily that I feel like I will get mugged all the time. But I can't leave my door unlocked, definitely can't leave my car unlocked in my driveway, can't leave my garage door open or thieves will steal my stuff or try to break in through the door to the garage, people getting robbed in their driveways, etc. And yes, all this has happened in my own neighborhood - stuff that isn't newsworthy Channel 2, but word gets around on our community FB page, which is extremely active. As I said, I love my neighborhood, but the crime (both petty and fairly significant) is getting way way worse.

I have spent a month in different major cities in another state/country the past 2 years where I left the windows open at night without fear. I left the car unlocked, without fear. I don't get that feeling here, and it saddens me.

One thing I find interesting is that people from other places - especially the Midwest and Northeast - seem astonished that crime, specifically property crime, happens everywhere in Houston, in the burbs and in the city core, even in rural areas. It's as if they're saying crime is totally segregated away in those other places in a way that's very different from Houston. I have no idea if this is truly reality or just some strange stereotype (mainly of those Midwest and Northeast metro areas).

Now, it's true that Houston has in my lifetime always been a high-crime city, but the violent crime problem is much much less than when I was growing up - Houston was even the murder capital of America in the early 1980s, before the crack epidemic brought violent in other cities up to Houston's levels. Violent crime has lessened within the city and spread around to more of the suburban areas, which is to be expected I suppose - but I think it's still less overall (anyone have stats handy?).

Unfortunately the whole area is rife with property crime, and for the most part very little is done about it by local law enforcement - though I'm not sure how much can be done by them.

[jerbear30]

Originally Posted by lhafer

It's not necessarily that I feel like I will get mugged all the time. But I can't leave my door unlocked, definitely can't leave my car unlocked in my driveway, can't leave my garage door open or thieves will steal my stuff or try to break in through the door to the garage, people getting robbed in their driveways, etc. And yes, all this has happened in my own neighborhood - stuff that isn't newsworthy Channel 2, but word gets around on our community FB page, which is extremely active. As I said, I love my neighborhood, but the crime (both petty and fairly significant) is getting way way worse.

I have spent a month in different major cities in another state/country the past 2 years where I left the windows open at night without fear. I left the car unlocked, without fear. I don't get that feeling here, and it saddens me.

As I've indicated, I'm not someone who is a strong advocate for what a great city Houston is, but your complaint doesn't make any sense to me. Just statistically speaking, I don't see Houston being a place known for its crime. It has crime, just like all other major cities but the crime is not disproportionate, is it? Also, when you say it's getting worse? I mean, there are no statistics that support that at all. Or if there are, it's going to have to be more than your community Facebook page that substantiates it. If you do live in a subdivision or community that is seeing a surge in crime, that's one thing, but that is happening in communities here and there in all major cities. Again, this is not a Houston issue that I know of. There may be statistics to support this and I'll accept them if they're reputably sourced.

[PaoloC]

Originally Posted by jerbear30

As I've indicated, I'm not someone who is a strong advocate for what a great city Houston is, but your complaint doesn't make any sense to me. Just statistically speaking, I don't see Houston being a place known for its crime. It has crime, just like all other major cities but the crime is not disproportionate, is it? Also, when you say it's getting worse? I mean, there are no statistics that support that at all. Or if there are, it's going to have to be more than your community Facebook page that substantiates it. If you do live in a subdivision or community that is seeing a surge in crime, that's one thing, but that is happening in communities here and there in all major cities. Again, this is not a Houston issue that I know of. There may be statistics to support this and I'll accept them if they're reputably sourced.

I would say that we should all be more worried of the idiots that are infesting this city and its burbs, than of the crime that is on an average scale compared to most of the major american cities...

Collisions kill 14 in weeks before holiday weekend ramp-up - Houston Chronicle