<p>I have a friend who just got into JHU for next fall. He's an adult, so he'll be living off campus.</p>
<p>He's seen "The Wire" and, like any sensible white man, is afraid that his living accomodations will be in the ghetto. He approached me about the "best" and "worst" neighborhoods around JHU, because he'd heard that I lived in Maryland for a year. To be honest, I have no idea what the environment around JHU is like.</p>
<p>I know the reputation that the area around USC (Inglewood, CA) has, and I've seen firsthand that the danger is wildly exaggerated by the spoiled suburbanites who go there. However, I don't want to lead my homeboy astray on this.</p>
<p>Any level-headed imput is appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>I've been here for 3 years and I'm still alive. I won't lie; there are security incidents that happen every week or so but if you're smart and travel with people, don't go out late at night in dark alley ways, and generally aren't stupid, you'll be fine. There are sections off campus that are sketchy and other parts that have really nice homes and neighborhoods. As far as ON campus, it is really safe. There are Hopkins campus officers as well as Allied Barton security-for-hires.
Also it depends on where he is staying. Generally the "off campus" housing options that students choose are usually safe but it all depends how far / where he is living.</p>
<p>“…like any sensible white man, is afraid his living accommodations will be in the ghetto.” What did you mean here? Why highlight race? Are you saying only white men care about crime? Are you saying that a majority black area is “ghetto”? I don’t want to read into what you said, so please explain.</p>
<p>Personally, I spent my entire summer at JHU and I’m a girl. Around the campus, me and my friend’s stayed out until about 11 PM and I didn’t once feel unsafe. It was one of the best experiences of my life and JHU is an awesome place to be and the neighborhood is fine. Yes, it’s Baltimore, but JHU area is relatively safe.</p>
<p>I actually used to live in that area for 6 years (I could see JHU from my house). The area around the university is not all that bad (as far as Baltimore goes). The Wire takes place primarily on the other side of Martin Luther King Junior Blvd, which is across town. As far as the neighborhoods go, Wyman Park, where I used to live, is decent. Hampden is alright in my opinion, historically it’s a pretty racist neighborhood so you get a lot of white trash but I certainly wouldn’t be too worried. The area is not a “ghetto,” so if you want to go to Johns Hopkins, don’t let yourself get discouraged by the fact that it’s in Baltimore.</p>