Is Columbus dangerous to live in? (Cleveland, Westerville: best city, crime, neighborhood)

[onesmartcookie38]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

I live in Hilltop, considered one of the highest crime areas of the city. You know how many times I've been a victim in 5 years? 0. Ironically, the only crime I've ever witnessed here *was* an arson. A couple of garages were set on fire in the alley behind my house.

The drops in crime rates nationally have been going on since the early 1990s, so I don't think it has anything to do with the recent recession. If anything, common thinking is that during tough economic times, crimes increase, particularly those related to theft. What do you know, that's exactly the catergories that went up. Murder too can sometimes be attributed to this in the form of higher stress making people desperate.

Your city comparison is not really fair, either. Columbus city encompasses about 217 square miles while DC is 68.3. That's a lot more room for people to commit crimes in. That's why you can't just look at the numbers but the rate per 100,000. You said in another post that murder, burglary and robbery were most important to you. Here are the 2009 rates for Columbus and DC:

Murder
Columbus: 13.3
DC: 23.8

Burglary
Columbus: 1920.4
DC: 616.4

Robbery
Columbus: 447.6
DC: 666.7

2 out of your 3 most important catergories are much worse in DC. The overall violent crime rate in DC is also significantly higher. And my argument is not that Columbus can't improve on its crime, only that the rates are not getting worse overall and that crime is not as significant an issue as you are describing. This isn't East St Louis.

Your numbers conflict with City Data's. Are you saying City Data's numbers are wrong?

[onesmartcookie38]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

Thank you, exactly. I think a more valid comparison for Columbus would be with cities like Austin, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, etc. Cities that are much more similar in size and character.

Again, I'm giving you per 100 thousand people. This is a PERCENTAGE to account for disparity in population size.

[onesmartcookie38]

Originally Posted by wrightflyer

My only problem with this comparison, is that these cities are not really compatible. Ventura, CA is more on par with a city like Dayton when it comes to population size, and does not come close to equaling the scope of size that Columbus has and deals with on a daily basis. It is the capital city of the 11th (?) most populous state and quite a big capital at that.

I did it as per 100 thousand to make up for the disparity in population. Our percentages for crime are way higher. So fine, you don't like reaching for the highest like being as good in crime as Ventura. Lets go for Jacksonville, FL similar in population 813k. And they are complaining all over their pages about how bad their crime is.

Jacksonville Murder 80 per 100k people 9.7, Rapes 316 per 100k people 38.4, Robberies 1693 per 100k 205.9 Assaults 3380 per 100k 411, Burglaries 9588 per 100k people 1165

Columbus Murder 94 per 100k people 12.2, Rapes 566 per 100k people 73.2, Robberies 3359 per 100k people 434.6, Assaults 1432 per 100k 185.3 Burglaries 15234 per 100k people 1970.8

That is today's lesson in compare and contrast. Brought to you by an overpaid Columbus Public School Teacher. lol

[wGoshen]

Columbus is dangerous? News to me. Maybe a good 10% could be considered dangerous, but if you have common sense, you won't live or do work in those areas.

[onesmartcookie38]

Originally Posted by wGoshen

Columbus is dangerous? News to me. Maybe a good 10% could be considered dangerous, but if you have common sense, you won't live or do work in those areas.

10 percent? I'm amazed how many people in Columbus refuse to acknowledge the issue of crime. I have thrown up the numbers, compared and contrasted. If you can't see it, it's because you choose not to. Keep going to the suburbs and ignore the fact that Columbus is riddled with crime. It's headed your way. Make no mistake. We are the 49th most dangerous city in America. If you don't think that's a problem, here's some Koolaid for you.

Here's is another website you can check out: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

It indicates Columbus is safer than 4% of the cities in the US. We are only safer than 4% of cities? Chances of becoming a victim, 1 in 122 in Columbus, 1 in 287 in Ohio. Property crime in Columbus 1 out of 15 in Ohio 1 in 29. Crimes per square mile, national average 41.8, Ohio 40, Columbus 247.

But only 10 percent of Columbus is unsafe. Yeah, right.

[Matthew Hall]

Many people don't acknowledge crime in columbus because they don't know anything about columbus. So few are from here that they simply aren't aware what is happening in town, good or bad. I've met so many here who can tell you about everything they've done in chicago or new york last weekend but have no idea what's going on around the corner from their house, whether its a play or a murder. They just don't feel a sense of 'ownership' here to care enough to find out about these things. I mention local issues and people look at me as if I'm emotionally disturbed. They don't have a clue what I'm talking about. They don't even pretend to care. I've never encountered anything like it in the five U.S. cities I've lived in.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by Matthew Hall

Many people don't acknowledge crime in columbus because they don't know anything about columbus. So few are from here that they simply aren't aware what is happening in town, good or bad. I've met so many here who can tell you about everything they've done in chicago or new york last weekend but have no idea what's going on around the corner from their house, whether its a play or a murder. They just don't feel a sense of 'ownership' here to care enough to find out about these things. I mention local issues and people look at me as if I'm emotionally disturbed. They don't have a clue what I'm talking about. They don't even pretend to care. I've never encountered anything like it in the five U.S. cities I've lived in.

This post is supremely ironic.
If you talk to people in real life the way you do online, it's quite possible people just don't understand what the h*ll you're talking about.

[Yac]

Everybody please calm down or the thread will be closed.
Yac.

[wGoshen]

Originally Posted by onesmartcookie38

10 percent? I'm amazed how many people in Columbus refuse to acknowledge the issue of crime. I have thrown up the numbers, compared and contrasted. If you can't see it, it's because you choose not to. Keep going to the suburbs and ignore the fact that Columbus is riddled with crime. It's headed your way. Make no mistake. We are the 49th most dangerous city in America. If you don't think that's a problem, here's some Koolaid for you.

Here's is another website you can check out: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

It indicates Columbus is safer than 4% of the cities in the US. We are only safer than 4% of cities? Chances of becoming a victim, 1 in 122 in Columbus, 1 in 287 in Ohio. Property crime in Columbus 1 out of 15 in Ohio 1 in 29. Crimes per square mile, national average 41.8, Ohio 40, Columbus 247.

But only 10 percent of Columbus is unsafe. Yeah, right.

I already know that the 1 in 122 stat is completely flawed. With that math, 5700 people in the city each year are victims of crime? Maybe if you take into account littering on property

You fail to acknowledge that a majority of these crimes are in clustered areas. It is not widespread. There are a few trouble spots in the city (Linden, Franklinton, Parsons, etc) but a majority, I'd say about 90%, of the city is perfectly safe for the average person.

[onesmartcookie38]

Originally Posted by wGoshen

I already know that the 1 in 122 stat is completely flawed. With that math, 5700 people in the city each year are victims of crime? Maybe if you take into account littering on property

You fail to acknowledge that a majority of these crimes are in clustered areas. It is not widespread. There are a few trouble spots in the city (Linden, Franklinton, Parsons, etc) but a majority, I'd say about 90%, of the city is perfectly safe for the average person.

Thank you Mayor Coleman. lol
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.....