Let’s be real for a second. Don’t we all want to think our neighborhood is a safe haven? Am I supposed to say Jesus? The crucified messiah? Besides, who doesn’t want to believe that? So why no local crime rate billboards? And it’s like the best-kept secret ever; I can’t even believe that no one is talking about this.
Your Neighborhood May Not Be As Safe As You Think
You might be surprised. I also know I was when I was finally forced to look up the crime stats for my own neighborhood. The friendly faces and perfectly manicured lawns didn’t exactly sync with the crime rate. That, right there, got me thinking. Why aren’t we talking about this more? If you ask around however, most people shrug it off as no big deal. Now, if you know where you live and how high the crime rate is, that’s definitely a big deal. That’s the kind of things that get into your daily life and you don’t even realize it.
I’m not trying to scare anyone, don’t get me wrong. Seemed like staying aware of your surroundings, however? That’s always good.
Crime Rates: What They’re Not Telling You
Let’s cut through the noise. Crime stats can be very confusing and sometimes downright misleading. But no one’s going to knock on your front door with a report that says, ‘Five break ins last month.’” But nope, you’ve got to go looking around for that info. Then, when you get it you will find it’s usually wrapped up under fancy numbers or percentages that really don’t mean any thing if you don’t know how to decode it.
For instance, I’ve noticed that many real estate ads ‘forget’ to mention the local crime rate when they’re advertising. Coincidence? Probably not. It’s like there’s an unspoken agreement: “We don’t say it so they’ll never ask.” Of course we’re smarter than that, right?
How Everyday Life Is Affected By Crime Rates
How much does a high crime rate effect you? It can make a big difference. That in turn could affect walking your dog at night, letting your kids play outside, or how well you sleep. It’s like this invisible cloud, and it’s there even if you don’t see anyone talking about it.
I will take an example from my own life. I moved into what I thought was the perfect neighborhood: well kept parks, cute houses, everything. A few months fast forward, I came home to find out my car got broken into. Twice. It wasn’t just me, turns out petty crime in that area was pretty common, had no idea til I moved in. It wasn’t home sweet home, if you know what I mean.
Why Crime Stats are Incomplete
Numbers are great and all, but sometimes the numbers don’t say it all. Maybe your neighborhood has a nice low crime rate, but where’s all that stuff that doesn’t get included in the statistics? We’re now talking about the smaller things – vandalism, stolen packages, people you’ve never seen around before. Crime rates don’t always mirror the bigger picture, but it’s all part of the bigger picture.
And, crime stats don’t even take into consideration things like population density. If you’re in a city where it has more people, it also has a higher crime rate. That doesn’t mean the city is unsafe, though. Not necessarily.
What Can You Do?
So, what’s the move? Is there a way to secure all that you own and stay informed at the same time? Here’s the thing, you have to do your homework first. You don’t have to accept what you hear as fact—do your own research. Like CrimeMapping and NeighborhoodScout, there are websites that will give you a pretty good idea of what’s going on in your area. Don’t be shy, though—ask questions. If you’re buying a house, or renting an apartment, for instance, ask about the crime rate. A massive red flag is if someone is trying to avoid the question.
Don’t stop at checking the crime rate. Also, check out community efforts. Do you have anything similar to your neighborhood watch groups? Is the local police force active and getting out there? Also those things can make a big difference in what a place is really safe.
Final Thoughts: Know Before You Go
Knowledge is power at the end of the day. I don’t mean you should walk around terrified or with your head on a swivel whenever you leave the house, but being conscious of what’s going on around you isn’t such a bad thing. You’re moving into a new neighborhood, or you live in one and just want to know what’s going on, take a couple minutes to see what the crime stats are. House hunting might not be the most exciting part, but it’s certainly one of the most important.
Next time you go for a stroll around your neighborhood or a new place, ask yourself, what aren’t they telling me?