<p>I've looked at the website and wikipedia for the safety of the area and its surroundings. So, it encroaches the lower income areas of Woodlawn from the south side (literally a block away is the south side written about in music) ... and I was wondering, does anyone have experiences and evidence as to how safe the university is? I mean, I'm pretty sure it is, as the police force is extremely active, but what kinds of precautions do you all take? I personally grew up in an inner city neighborhood, but not one like Chicago.</p>
<p>It’s extremely safe on campus, but yes, it’s a bit sketchy to the south. I do not advise heading too far south on your own; it’s good to be in a group down there.</p>
<p>As for on-campus - just be aware of your surroundings, and try to be a little street smart (e.g. if two hooded men are walking in your direction with intent and purpose, cross the street). I often end up walking across campus late at night (12 AM) from the Reg. back down to BJ, and I’ve yet to feel threatened. No headphones, obviously. I take the bus when possible, especially when it’s late.</p>
<p>People will say diff. things about cell phone usage at night. Some people think it’s wise to keep one out to talk on even if there’s nobody on the other line because it apparently deters muggers because of a potential witness? (Something like that.) I personally don’t do this, but it doesn’t sound like a bad idea.</p>
<p>Also, there are safe shuttle services (Saferide) you can use whenever you feel a bit nervous. You can also call a number and have a police car tail you to your destination (ha), and the police department has these call boxes set up everywhere around campus. Just hit a button and I think what happens is that they’ll send someone to pick you up.</p>
<p>Er, I come from a very safe neighborhood in the suburbs of Atlanta, and I really haven’t had to make much of an adjustment. You should be fine.</p>
<p>I come from Fargo (yes, it does exist) and I feel perfectly safe at UChicago. As Neltharion said, the school offers plenty of options for students concerning safety. I honestly feel safer at UChicago than I do back home… but that’s probably because Fargo seems to have an unusually high number of sex offenders per capita (I swear, there must be some kind of law that sex offenders have to live in Fargo at least once in their life). I know it sounds kind of suspicious when the admissions office says that they have the world’s second largest private police force–after all, why would they need one so big if it’s so safe? The police force’s size, however, is more for preventative than reactive measures.
I’m sorry if this rambles a bit… I’m kind of tired. : )</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I, an 18-year-old white male, have never felt unsafe on the University of Chicago campus. I have never encountered crime, no do I know any student who has encountered crime. </p></li>
<li><p>Hyde Park, to the north of campus, feels just as safe as the campus.</p></li>
<li><p>I have never traveled past 63rd street, so I can’t speak to the dangers of the south side. (I’ve only been there a few months; I’ll head down eventually.)</p></li>
<li><p>The public rails feel rather unsafe (they’re old, unclean, occasionally have creepers in them), but I’ve never used them alone; the buses feel fine.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The precautions I take as a University of Chicago student are the same ones I take as a resident of Hometown and the same ones I’d take on the glamorous Upper East Side of Manhattan, where the ritzy and the creepers intermingle quite nicely (just to give lasermouse9’s last point some perspective.)</p>
<p>Also…Chicago and Chicagoland is filled with euphemisms. “South Side” is a euphemism for poor and black; “North Side” is a euphemism for wealthy and white. Thus, to call Hyde Park “South Side Chicago” is true in a geographical sense, but it tends to come off as an insult, and one that ignores HP’s beauties and socioeconomic diversity. Similarly, there are a lot of neighborhoods that the real estate agents might call “North Side Chicago”… doesn’t mean they are any better/safer than down here.</p>
<p>As an 18-year old, white, rather scrawny and intimidating looking female, I have never felt unsafe since I came to UChicago. I don’t know anyone who’s been the victim of a crime. I’ve done a fair amount of wandering around Hyde Park at night (never alone, always with at least one other person), and it’s very quiet and residential. There are spots within Hyde Park that are, as we say, sketchy, but as long as you’re with a group, you’re very safe. South of campus, of course, is a different story. I feel very safe in the area around BJ, since I live there, but south of 61st can get interesting. I’ve been south as far as 63rd three times, two of those times I was with a large group and felt absolutely safe, one time I was with a smaller group and it was kind of questionable, but we were still safe. </p>
<p>Public transportation can be interesting after dark, but most of the “creepers” are pretty harmless as long as you’re in a group and you don’t look too wary. I’ve never had trouble with buses, but the Red Line (that goes down town) can get pretty questionable at night. I’m never worried enough about it to change my plans, though. The operative word is GROUPS.</p>
<p>In short, Hyde Park is super safe, but be careful south of the Midway.</p>
<p>I was down at the south side, and my hispanic friend (who was coincidentally in jail for the past 10 months for possession of a unregistered firearm, and was part of a gang at that time), warned me not to go far without a group. I’m not trying to scare you, but just use common sense. See 2 men with hoods coming at you? Turn the other way and book it. Keep a cell on you, for emergencies.</p>
<p>I mean, muggings happen. They happen at many (every?) college campus, in every city, and in my hometown. (As I’ve said before on these forums, my hometown is like Hyde Park, but worse, in a lot of respects-- with a troubled police force, on top of other things!)</p>
<p>I take two general common sense precautions, and I encourage others to do similarly, regardless of where you end up on a college campus.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>If you’re going to a party, don’t take your full wallet. Take your ID (real, fake, whatever), some cash (including a lot of singles!!!) and you’re good to go. My fears are less about being mugged and more about when you go to a big party and absentmindedly toss your stuff in somebody’s room… only to find that some of it is missing by the time you go looking for it. Or you end up hooking up with a perfect stranger who happens to slip your SS card out of your wallet when you’re asleep… these things have happened to my friends.</p></li>
<li><p>Wedge a $20 in your shoe, bra, or whatnot. This is the “take me home, cabbie” 20.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>One thing to keep in mind is that “Hyde Park”, as used here, covers a pretty broad area. </p>
<p>There are pockets in HP that are quite safe - anything east of Woodlawn and north of the Midway will not be too threatening, but as others have said, “muggings happen” along with lots of bicycle thefts and such. </p>
<p>As you head west of Woodlawn, especially north of the campus proper (i.e. north of 55th), things can get pretty mixed. For example, the area around 51st and Drexel had some serious drug related crime a few years back. </p>
<p>Statistically, a relatively small number of UofC students get mugged each year. You’re likely to get through 4 years without it happening to you, and without it happening to your friends. Certainly that was my D’s experience. But realize it is an urban campus, learn the ropes and get your bearings before you become too adventurous. </p>
<p>Be aware too that the surroundings have changed radically in the past 15 years. before the late 1990s, Woodlawn was indeed a tough area. The part near campus (i.e. north of 63rd) is now pretty gentrified. Years back, the area west of Washington Park along Garfield was a busy tough area. Now it is a mostly deserted tough area. Most of the housing has been torn down. The biggest change has happened north of 47th and east of Drexel. In years past, it was one of the toughest 'hoods in Chicago. Now all the public housing is gone, replaced by mixed income developments that have created a true middle class enclave in the city, with a number of UofC employees living there - they get some good financing deals. </p>
<p>So don’t listen to folks that have not been there in many years, but do keep your wits about you.</p>
<p>Most of the crime I hear about is a result of people being stupid. For instance, I know someone whose apartment was robbed when one of the tenants left the door unlocked. Bicycles are stolen when people don’t lock them properly to bike racks. And there was a crime alert email a few months ago about a drunk woman who had been sexually assaulted at an apartment party. So unless you’re stupid about the way you comport yourself in public, nothing will happen.</p>
<p>Oh yea? D had a wheel stolen from her bike because one wheel was not locked. And the bike was in a gated area. The crook reached through the iron fence to which the bike was locked to steal the wheel. </p>
<p>Spend much time in the area and you’re likely to see lots of bikes with missing parts.</p>
<p>^^ I thought I would point out in my post that the identity theft situation was a non-UChicago friend and a non-UChicago thief. All the same, though, there’s a considerable amount of risk in many partying and related activities, most of which you already know about.</p>
<p>Goblins live under Botany Pond’s stone bridge. I once saw them attack a traveling herd of first years and drag a couple under the water to feed.</p>
<p>I would say UChicago is like USC in a way. The neighborhood it is in is relatively nice, but a certain direction away from the school and you’re in the middle of a warzone.</p>