Why are we in Socal stuck with a wide spread and GANG problem, but the BAY AREA does not have these issues? (San Jose: crime, neighborhoods)

[RockhetHD]

[ZenMaster2008]

I've heard the opposite, that gangs are growing and gang violence as well.

[buckeyenative01]

Oakland has a huge gang problem.

Gangs are everywhere though. It just so happens that ten miles north of South Central lies the entertainment capital of the world which I personally think is one of the reasons why LA's gang problem is in the spotlight more so than anywhere else.

[pbergen]

OP, are you serious? gangs are a huge concern in the bay area.

[Coolhand68]

There is nowhere in California that is immune to gang problems. I would say the Bay Area has an equal amount of gang members per capita as L.A. When you count San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland and all of the towns and cities between it's staggering.

[hsw]

Crime and/or gangs are only relevant if affect upstanding taxpayers where they live/work/shop, etc

Most of SF's crime is in the economically irrelevant EastBay suburbs (SF's version of South-Central or the vast Eastern LA wastelands) and irrelevant parts of City of SF (SF is essentially a tourist town of many slums aside from a few ultra-wealthy areas like PacificHts or PresidioHts)

But plenty of crime exists along the 101 corridor in SiliconValley and often affects rather affluent areas like PaloAlto and Atherton

Feel much safer walking around BeverlyHills than in PaloAlto or City of SF....BHPD and LAPD seem far more competent than any police force in SF region in protecting taxpayers....no surprise why many affluent people from SV have wkend places in BH

[the one]

what?!?!?!

most of SF's crime will happen within the city. the city has enough projects and sketchy neighborhoods of its own. you dont have to leave the city to see crime and gangs and thugs.

and the crime that exists in oakland, hayward or other parts of the bay area does not belong to SF, it belongs to oakland.

your assessment of SF is completley wrong.


a tourists town of many slums.


ya, like the sunset, or the richmond, and st francis wood is pretty slummy.

either way, SF like any big city has gangs. as does oakland. one major difference is that gangs dont really run the show. you have loose bands of thugs causing chaos. they dont have to be affiliated. there is affiliation, but it is not necessary. in LA affiliation provides protection.

Originally Posted by hsw

Crime and/or gangs are only relevant if affect upstanding taxpayers where they live/work/shop, etc

Most of SF's crime is in the economically irrelevant EastBay suburbs (SF's version of South-Central or the vast Eastern LA wastelands) and irrelevant parts of City of SF (SF is essentially a tourist town of many slums aside from a few ultra-wealthy areas like PacificHts or PresidioHts)

But plenty of crime exists along the 101 corridor in SiliconValley and often affects rather affluent areas like PaloAlto and Atherton

Feel much safer walking around BeverlyHills than in PaloAlto or City of SF....BHPD and LAPD seem far more competent than any police force in SF region in protecting taxpayers....no surprise why many affluent people from SV have wkend places in BH

[KnoxTown]

Oakland, parts of San Fran, Richmond, etc...

[NorthernCalifornia]

This is because the entire area has been trying to exclude poor people for the past 40 years and when you deny opportunities people make their own. Gangs in LA are about having a place, however lousy, in society. Improve schools, rehabilitate poor areas, de-segregate the population and stop terrorizing minorities with the police and you may find, after 10-20 years, that the gang problems decrease. Good luck with that!

[alaplex]

I think what you are saying that gangs are prevalent in every area of LA except of very high end areas such as Century City, Westwood, Bev Hills, Belair, etc. No middle ground here is there. Either among the elite or the crap. Yes, there are gang problems everywhere but go to downtown LA then go to downton San Francisco. Don't see many decent folk in LA but see them in San Francisco. Gangs are much more prevalent here. Goes hand in hand with immigration. More immigrants from 3rd world countries, more violence, Period.