<p>I guess I’m just biased since I’ve lived here all my life and don’t really know anything different. But I still stand by my statement that the majority of crime will not affect the majority of people living or visiting in DC.</p>
<p>It’s just widely known – you don’t go across the Anacostia river unless you want trouble, which is fine because there is absolutely nothing touristy to do there. </p>
<p>I’ve lived here for two years, never been robbed or assaulted, seen or offered drugs (off the college campus). I don’t know anyone who wasn’t acting stupid (ie. walking alone at 3am) who has been robbed or a victim of violent crime in any way. It’s one of the cleaner cities I’ve ever seen. I’ve only lived here for 2 years granted, but in that time I’ve had 4 different apartments in every quadrant of the city but South East, and I’m a student so it’s not like I can afford the super safe neighborhoods.</p>
<p>1) DC is not worse than Cleveland – but Pittsburgh is. Per capita Pittsburgh outranks Cleveland in Murder, Aggravated Assault and Theft. It may not be as pretty as Pittsburgh, but it is not more dangerous. </p>
<p>2) Saying a pure Pittsburgh has more murders than DC is not appropriate. DC has a population of 591,833 people, nearly double Pittsburgh 311,647. In 2008 approximately 70 of the 186 homicides in DC came from Ward 8 (Anacostia, the place you just don’t go). So if you subtract those – the per capita figures are fairly similar. Furthermore, the crime rate for this year is decidedly lower than the past two so far. </p>
<p>I’m with DCHurricane on this one – most people visiting DC will not run into problems. The mall and surrounding area is crawling with Metro Police (MPD) and DC Park Police, NW DC is the nicest and safest part of DC, and there isn’t really much for visitors to do in NE DC (except for maybe visit Ben’s Chili Bowl).</p>
<p>“2) Saying a pure Pittsburgh has more murders than DC is not appropriate. DC has a population of 591,833 people, nearly double Pittsburgh 311,647. In 2008 approximately 70 of the 186 homicides in DC came from Ward 8 (Anacostia, the place you just don’t go). So if you subtract those – the per capita figures are fairly similar. Furthermore, the crime rate for this year is decidedly lower than the past two so far.”</p>
<p>I believe I said PGH has less murders than DC. </p>
<p>“I’m with DCHurricane on this one – most people visiting DC will not run into problems. The mall and surrounding area is crawling with Metro Police (MPD) and DC Park Police, NW DC is the nicest and safest part of DC, and there isn’t really much for visitors to do in NE DC (except for maybe visit Ben’s Chili Bowl).”</p>
<p>Never said most people will encounter crime. </p>
<p>The difference between living in cleveland and pgh is crime in pgh is contained almost exclusively to several neighborhoods, which is the argument you are making about DC. Cleveland, on the other hand, has crime in all parts of the city. My school is in a nice area, yet several of my friends have been victims of violent crimes (one was raped at 10:30 am in a public park). In PGH, unless you are in certain neighborhoods, you are safe. Not the case in Cleveland. DC has some rough areas. The colleges aren’t in bad areas, but they have some horrible areas. I don’t agree with the whole you won’t be a victim unless you are doing something wrong. People in Cleve get robbed in good areas in the middle of the day. </p>
<p>But this isn’t a discussion on crime in cities.</p>