Is PA "naturally safe" (except for cities and urban areas)? (Philadelphia: college, live in)

[North Beach Person]

OK, I reread your original post and it sounds like you're more concerned with two legged predators than four legged ones.

Crime can happen anywhere, it's more common in urban areas due to population density and some of the associated social problems and social pathology.

The opioid epidemic has really invaded everywhere, although-in my experience-users in rural areas tend to prey on others like them and pretty much leave civilians alone.

Using Maryland as my example, mostly because I'm now more familiar with its stats than I am Pennsylvania's now, the state almost always is in the top 10/15 for violent crime, assaults, property crimes, etc. That number is driven primarily by two jurisdictions (with a third quickly catching up). Pennsylvania is likely much the same.

[selhars]

I think it's pretty clear the OP was talking about "people crime." personal safety, and offenses that people commit. The OP wondered about needing police to keep the area safe.

But somehow the responses got off on some tangent about bears and snakes. Totally unrelated to what the OP was really about. But whatever....

Population centers -- urban areas, if you will -- have more crime - period.

Given that PA is as some jokes say -- Pittsburg and Philadelphia -- with I won't name a state, but let's just say more rural areas in-between -- I think the last majority of PA is "naturally safe."

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by selhars

I think it's pretty clear the OP was talking about "people crime." personal safety, and offenses that people commit. The OP wondered about needing police to keep the area safe.

But somehow the responses got off on some tangent about bears and snakes. Totally unrelated to what the OP was really about. But whatever....

Yeah.

The reality is that in much of rural Pennsylvania the main law enforcement agency is the Pennsylvania State Police. If there's an incident that trooper might be 45 minutes away.

If the Trooper is in the barracks at Marienville and something happens in Tionesta you'll see him (or her) in about that time frame, longer if the roads are bad due to weather.

Some small towns like Summerville in Jefferson County will contract with a town like Clarion to have one of its officers patrol for 15 or 20 hours a week as a side gig.

[RetireinPA]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Yeah.

The reality is that in much of rural Pennsylvania the main law enforcement agency is the Pennsylvania State Police. If there's an incident that trooper might be 45 minutes away.

If the Trooper is in the barracks at Marienville and something happens in Tionesta you'll see him (or her) in about that time frame, longer if the roads are bad due to weather.

Some small towns like Summerville in Jefferson County will contract with a town like Clarion to have one of its officers patrol for 15 or 20 hours a week as a side gig.

thats why we mostly 'roll our own' up there. Lots of problems buried in the cathedral... ;-)


next time you are up you will have to stop by.

[RetireinPA]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Some small towns like Summerville in Jefferson County will contract with a town like Clarion to have one of its officers patrol for 15 or 20 hours a week as a side gig.

anecdote time: I started riding the ATV trails at sproul st forest in the early 90s (now known as whiskey springs) and stayed in renovo at an old RR YMCA known as the 'olde kingsley inn'. At that time they had a small, but 24 hours police force to keep order and write parking tix and nab speeders down 120. as well as the weekly drunk patrol for people exiting the keystone bar on band nite.



Over the years as the RR pensioners died off and the very old houses with no buyers were knocked down, revenues fell and the force fell into 1 officer per shift, then eventually 1 officer.


When joking around with the locals as we got to know quite a few townsfolk, if someone was behaving rowdy I would say "you better settle down or I will call the cop...."


I dont think anyone got it.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by selhars

Given that PA is as some jokes say -- Pittsburg and Philadelphia -- with I won't name a state, but let's just say more rural areas in-between -- I think the last majority of PA is "naturally safe."

The actual quote is: “Between Paoli and Penn Hills, Pennsylvania is Alabama without the Black folk.”

I would say between Thorndale and Trafford, these days, but the principle continues to apply.

[bridge12]

Originally Posted by ElijahAstin

The actual quote is: “Between Paoli and Penn Hills, Pennsylvania is Alabama without the Black folk.”

I would say between Thorndale and Trafford, these days, but the principle continues to apply.

I still think it's really dumb, no offense. Dauphin County has a higher percentage Black than Allegheny County! I know there's a population difference between the two but Harrisburg, York, Lancaster, and even Lebanon are very diverse. Dauphin County alone has 57,000 Black people. You're more likely to run into someone non-white in south central PA than the Pittsburgh metro.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by bridge12

I still think it's really dumb, no offense. Dauphin County has a higher percentage Black than Allegheny County! I know there's a population difference between the two but Harrisburg, York, Lancaster, and even Lebanon are very diverse. Dauphin County alone has 57,000 Black people. You're more likely to run into someone non-white in south central PA than the Pittsburgh metro.

James Carville said it, not me, so no offense taken. You are correct that it’s not a universally accurate statement based on the smaller urban centers that dot the landscape between Southeastern and Southwestern Pennsylvania, but there’s a lot of broad truth to it.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by ElijahAstin

James Carville said it, not me, so no offense taken. You are correct that it’s not a universally accurate statement based on the smaller urban centers that dot the landscape between Southeastern and Southwestern Pennsylvania, but there’s a lot of broad truth to it.

If it had been said about Maryland, the leading citizens would be demanding that consultants be hired and charettes held to fight against and change the characterization.

Pennsylvanians just said, "Who gives a ****"?

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

If it had been said about Maryland, the leading citizens would be demanding that consultants be hired and charettes held to fight against and change the characterization.

Pennsylvanians just said, "Who gives a ****"?

What would Maryland’s phrase even be? Between Rising Sun and Rockville, Maryland is Maryland without the Maryland?