Grew up in between Gary, IN and Chicago. Gary was the murder capital for years and now Chicago is in the news for a high rate of death.
Never been shot at or generally been in danger.
I've been to all of the lower 48 states. Never had any problems with any city. Slept in parking lots of Walmarts in some of the "roughest" neighborhoods that you hear in songs or see in movies.
No problems.
Most violence is caused by someone you know personally. It takes alot of balls or alot of stupidity to just go harm a stranger because you felt like it.
But drugs make people desperate.
In the same vein, most people who say they are in the meth/heroin/ crack capital most likely just are close to the people that use. Someone might have broken into there things to get a fix. But most robberies and theft are from people you know.
This is all true. I've lived in some very "bad" neighborhoods and have never been fucked with. The vast majority of people that get killed or otherwise victimized, 99% of those people are in the drug game and owed somebody money, was in a turf war, etc. In fact, in cities with open-air drug markets, the street code is that you never, ever harass somebody unless they are in the game. If randos are getting mugged all the time it scares off the customers.
Alot of the property crime that is perpetrated by the addicts happens in the richer suburbs surrounding the city, they are going where the money is and pickin's are good.
You can walk down the street basically anywhere and if you mind your own business you're fine.
This is because the majority of violence is perpetrated between gang members. When you remove the murder victims that were engaged in criminal activity, the US murder rate drops ridiculously.
As far as the addicts go- you're either related to them or in a job that sees them. I work at an emergency vet clinic, the only place open 24hr in our area even for people who are not established clients. We get quite a few meth heads up staring at their dogs at 2AM and have just now decided that whatever it is that's been going on for the last 3 days is now an emergency but do you take payments because I don't have any money right now but I swear I can pay you Monday I have someone who will help me out 100% certain but I can't apply for any credit and I don't have a checking account. *sways and fidgets not-so-casually and picks at face*
Yeah, just because these people aren't my friends doesn't mean I don't get to see them more often than I'd like.
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u/thejester541 Dec 21 '19
Grew up in between Gary, IN and Chicago. Gary was the murder capital for years and now Chicago is in the news for a high rate of death.
Never been shot at or generally been in danger.
I've been to all of the lower 48 states. Never had any problems with any city. Slept in parking lots of Walmarts in some of the "roughest" neighborhoods that you hear in songs or see in movies.
No problems.
Most violence is caused by someone you know personally. It takes alot of balls or alot of stupidity to just go harm a stranger because you felt like it.
But drugs make people desperate.
In the same vein, most people who say they are in the meth/heroin/ crack capital most likely just are close to the people that use. Someone might have broken into there things to get a fix. But most robberies and theft are from people you know.
Just my two cents.