Boston crime thread - all posts go here. (Boston: things to do, registered)

[id77]

Originally Posted by massnative71

That's what I meant, the daytime. A random tourist isn't going to be walking through there at 2am. Anybody with a half a brain always knew not to go walking through there after dark in the first place. But people usually expect a certain amount of safety enjoying a nice summer afternoon. I guess even that's asking too much now?

And they get that. I'm there with my kid a couple days a week in the summer and never had a problem or felt unsafe. Do you feel unsafe when you're there?

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by massnative71

That's what I meant, the daytime. A random tourist isn't going to be walking through there at 2am. Anybody with a half a brain always knew not to go walking through there after dark in the first place. But people usually expect a certain amount of safety enjoying a nice summer afternoon. I guess even that's asking too much now?

Is there any data that says Boston is less safe for the average person now than it was a decade ago? Because I would argue the opposite is true. I think random crime is less of an issue now than it was 10, 20, 30+ years ago. I think the big thing that has changed is our exposure to it. It used to be that if someone was mugged using the ATM outside of their office, you only heard about it if you knew someone who knew the person. Today when that happens, a bystander (or the mugger's friend) is filming it and posting it on social media where it goes viral before being picked up by a bunch of local blogs, reddit, and eventually the major papers and media outlets. We're regularly inundated with actual footage of these incidents when many (maybe even most) would barely warrant a blurb in the back pages of the Herald 10+ years ago.

But in spite of our increased exposure to these incidents and how jarring some of the footage can be, they don't reflect the experience of the vast majority of people going about their daily lives in the city. I'd actually argue that the downside of increased overall safety for the "average" person is that it makes it easier for the unaffected to be unconcerned with the non-random violence that takes place in the city's tougher neighborhoods. "Affluent yuppies" who move to the city and ignore crime in Boston is a common theme on this forum - it's hard for that to be true if random crime really is more of an issue than it used to be.

[GeePee]

Originally Posted by massnative71

OK, go ahead and tell me how dangerous the Common was in 2002. And all the people who got attacked on the T back then. Look forward to your response.

No you don't. You don't look forward to anybody's response after making a statement like "boston is NOT safer than it was" even after seeing all the data saying otherwise. and people who are in it telling you otherwise.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by GeePee

No you don't. You don't look forward to anybody's response after making a statement like "boston is NOT safer than it was" even after seeing all the data saying otherwise. and people who are in it telling you otherwise.

I think we are in a bit of a nebulous flux right now that is difficult to gauge due to lagging stats as well as potentially under-reported activity. Perhaps over the long run this will prove to be nothing. However it may indicate a trending change. It certainly wouldn't surprise me although we do have one of the best, albeit imperfect, big city PD's in the nation.

[GeePee]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

I think we are in a bit of a nebulous flux right now that is difficult to gauge due to lagging stats as well as potentially under-reported activity. Perhaps over the long run this will prove to be nothing. However it may indicate a trending change. It certainly wouldn't surprise me, although we do have one of the best big city PD's in the nation.

I really don't know anybody personally who still lives here that would say they feel less safe now than before. It's quite the opposite in fact.
Yes, there are people like my parents and aunts who think it is Bagdad out there.. you know why? they have the news on constantly and rarely leave their houses now.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by WestieWhitie

There’s a lot more to crime than gangbangers shooting each other, and even with those your chances of being shot as an innocent bystander have actually gone up despite the number of shootings being down thanks to gentrification because gangbangers rents now having their pissing contests all over the city and not just the usual places regular folks would not visit unless they wanted to score some dope or pick up a hooker. .

Do you have any verifiable information that backs up your assertions? What leads you to believe it's more dangerous for the 'average' person in Boston? I couldn't find anything.

Originally Posted by WestieWhitie

Also your chances of getting the sh*t beaten out of you or having your shop ransacked have gone up now that no one gets prosecuted for such minor indiscretions.

So they aren't prosecuting assault?

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by GeePee

I really don't know anybody personally who still lives here that would say they feel less safe now than before. It's quite the opposite in fact.
Yes, there are people like my parents and aunts who think it is Bagdad out there.. you know why? they have the news on constantly and rarely leave their houses now.

I've never "felt unsafe" in Boston but that doesn't mean there has never been significant crime in parts of the city, including neighborhoods in which I lived.

[massnative71]

I passed through Boston Common yesterday afternoon, and will say that I saw a higher number of sketchy characters than I remember at any time in the past. What also stood out is the lack of police presence. A busy holiday, you always would have expected them out in full force (mounted units and all). Where the heck are they? Is the BPD that understaffed these days? I can certainly see this being unnerving for a random visitor.

[msRB311]

Everyone feels safe until something bad happens to them or someone they know. Feel free to keep on feeling safe. It always happens to someone else right? I probably would feel safe if I was walking around the common during the day too.

If I had teenage kids or even kids in their early 20s I probably would not want them hanging out in the city at night right now. I would just worry about who they would encounter or talk to. That is kind of sad to feel that way...but I wouldnt feel worried about myself.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by lrfox

"Affluent yuppies" who move to the city and ignore crime in Boston is a common theme on this forum - it's hard for that to be true if random crime really is more of an issue than it used to be.

The odds of becoming a victim are still relatively low, to where it's possible to discount the risk if one chooses to be that way. I also get the sense that certain posters here (and other like forums and social media, etc.) do in fact see the writing on the wall more than they let on.