Why is the crime rate in the Idaho Springs - Black Hawk area so high?

[poochcol]

Thanks for the information. Shame, it appears the town's missing out on being a good selling point to those who want to live in a decent mountain town that's within commuting distance of Denver without being pricey.

[TCHP]

If it its crime stats were great, I don't know that a Idaho Springs Denver commute would be the easiest thing to have year round. While it appears to only be 30 some minutes, its steep, subject to extreme weather swings, and a lot of traffic that is either extremely slow of raging fast.

[poochcol]

Originally Posted by TCHP

If it its crime stats were great, I don't know that a Idaho Springs Denver commute would be the easiest thing to have year round. While it appears to only be 30 some minutes, its steep, subject to extreme weather swings, and a lot of traffic that is either extremely slow of raging fast.

According to my research, about every mountain town that was a bit closer to Denver was expensive, so the demand is there.

[LandBaron85]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Black Hawk is artificially skewed because of arrests at the casinos. People drinking and fighting. Move off the casino strip and it’s fine.

Agreed

[poochcol]

Originally Posted by wiseguy15

I worked in IS for many years before I left CO two years ago. My guess about the high crime rate is legalized marijuana as there are a ton of dispensaries in IS and Clear Creek County. Many are located next to I70 to make it convenient for the tourists heading into the mountains to stock up. IMO legalized pot brought a seedy element to CO, a group whose main focus was to get high and do as little work as possible. For those with that ambition, either their parents were supporting them or they engaged in crime to support their habit. IS is a low cost place to live, relative to anywhere else in the Denver metro area, so what better place for potheads to live than IS with plentiful MJ stores and many places to squat?
[...]
To the OP, if you are thinking about IS do visit through the year a few times. Winter can be gloomy, not much sun in that valley, and traffic a pain with all the skiers. Summer can be better but traffic is also bad; shoulder seasons are nice. It is a rather poor town, only one supermarket (which locals hate), and not many places to go out for dining or entertainment.

I've found in research in other countries with legalized marijuana that most of the problems, when they do occur, are the result of travelers coming in. Without researching into CO's situation, I'm guessing that you'll see the marijuana-related issues you're talking about peter out over time as it becomes legalized in more of the country, as well as people getting used to it. Its potential to make people do bad things is less than alcohol, after all.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by poochcol

Thanks for the information. Shame, it appears the town's missing out on being a good selling point to those who want to live in a decent mountain town that's within commuting distance of Denver without being pricey.

Its sort of a sh*thole. The drive in winter would suck and you have a major interstate running right through the middle of it. Its not overly attractive as a "mountain" town.

[cesium]

My wife used to work up there, and I've spent my time in the town too.


My take: there's two very different crowds living there. There are some reasonably well off folks occupying the houses that sit to the North of town. Sort of a hippie vibe, but in a good way. Some of them commute to Denver, some are local, some are retired.


Then you have a crowd that's transiently living in the motels. I think a lot of them are seeking work in Denver or the resort towns, but find cheaper living in IS.



The tourists may bring in some trouble, but I think most are looking to grab a pizza and beers after a day in the mountains. The bigger influence I'd see is the interstate. The East side of town definitely feels like a truck stop, and that can bring along a super sketchy crowd.


I'd have few qualms about living in town, and the people I know who do rarely lock their doors. It's not a bad place to live, but it's not immune from the same seedy element that you see in Denver.


For those mentioning marijuana. Yes, there are quite a few dispensaries up there, mostly catering to people driving into the resort towns. I can't imagine that it's helping the situation, but these issues go way farther back than 2014. These towns have been in trouble ever since mining left, and are now struggling with growing pains from an injection of tourist dollars and Denver refugees.

[WestGuest]

Originally Posted by wiseguy15

I worked in IS for many years before I left CO two years ago. My guess about the high crime rate is legalized marijuana as there are a ton of dispensaries in IS and Clear Creek County. Many are located next to I70 to make it convenient for the tourists heading into the mountains to stock up. IMO legalized pot brought a seedy element to CO, a group whose main focus was to get high and do as little work as possible. For those with that ambition, either their parents were supporting them or they engaged in crime to support their habit. IS is a low cost place to live, relative to anywhere else in the Denver metro area, so what better place for potheads to live than IS with plentiful MJ stores and many places to squat?

I saw a great example of this in 2016 when I drove Guanella Pass from the Georgetown side. There were people camping along the road all the way up to the top of the pass, none on the backside. There was no cell phone coverage on the back side of the pass, Park County, so all the campers stayed on the Clear Creek County side. Though I did not stop to ask, it looked like the MJ crowd squatting on Federal Land illegally and still retaining their cell phone service. Prior to legalized MJ you would make that drive and see no roadside campers as there were so few of them that rules were enforced. Now the inmates have taken over the insane asylum.

To the OP, if you are thinking about IS do visit through the year a few times. Winter can be gloomy, not much sun in that valley, and traffic a pain with all the skiers. Summer can be better but traffic is also bad; shoulder seasons are nice. It is a rather poor town, only one supermarket (which locals hate), and not many places to go out for dining or entertainment.

As someone with a graduate degree in Criminology and 35 years prosecuting and defending criminals you guess is foolish and best and based on your pre-concieved biases.. Go watch "Reefer Madness" so you will have some authority to cite when you post that a few puffs of marijuana makes you want to rape and murder.. Those against legalization have for the past 60 years been trying to make any case they could against marijuana. They have failed as more places legalize. On the other hand meth, speed, heroin are dangerous and I have no sympathy for the addicts or the dealers. Please distinguish these drugs or you can do a lot of harm.

[WestGuest]

As for the crime rate in general violent crimes are double the average (per capita). This isn't Detroit, Camden,Chicago or Juarez and excuses are worthless-its an issue that needs to be addressed.