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Study shows Detroit crime in a better light


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Study shows Detroit crime in a better light

June 14, 2005

Downtown Detroit's crime rate is 26% lower than that of the United States as a whole.

And 21% lower than the state of Michigan's crime rate.

Hard to believe?

Well, it's true, if you divide the actual number of downtown crimes by the number of downtown Detroit residents plus the number of daytime commuters who work downtown.

Using this method of measuring, though, still shows that Detroit has a higher downtown crime rate than Chicago, Minneapolis and other Midwestern downtowns.

"Bottom line, you can go to downtown Detroit, knowing your security is as good as the nation or state as a whole. When you look at our reputation nationally, that's amazing," said Hogan, who heads the convention bureau's Tourism Action Group task force on safety and security.

The USA Today report was based not on actual crime data, but on a study by CAP Index of Exton, Pa., which predicts crime risk by using demographic data such as poverty, single-parent households, etc., for the surrounding area.

"What we asked Wayne State to do was an analysis of real crime data and to lay it out there straight for us," Townsend said.

Read the rest of the Detroit Free Press article here

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I read about this earlier today. Too bad my car was broken into in front of the Ren Cen Sunday evening (BEFORE DARK, IN A LINE OF CARS, WITH PEDESTRIANS OUT, AND TRAFFIC FLOWING DOWN JEFFERSON!)

HURMPH!

My car was trashed. :(

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Very true. My philosophy has always been that you can never truely form a creadible opinion on a city until you've actually experienced it in actuality yourself.

I think if everyone who was ever given the opportunity to come to Detroit for a few days, a high percentage of them would leave with an improved image of the city. But since few people come to Detroit (compared to many other cities) it's difficult to get that chance.

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I guess it must be the other neighborhoods that are dangerous.

Here's an example from ATL:

--Downtown ATL is prettyt safe during the day and night; it's what's on the Southside of the city that's dangerous (lots of lower income families and poverty).

Is the same true here in Detroit?

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when driving around detroit... you are pretty sure when you have wondered into a neighborhood you shouldn't be in. However, some neighborhoods which are decent are surrounded by bad neighborhoods which you have to drive through to get to.

Mexicantown's strech of restaurants is quite nice, and I have never had any problems there (other than the pushy panhandler), but you have to drive through some sketchy places to get there. Greektown (the only place most suburbanites will go) has a lot of police patrols and is very safe. The area around the Fox Theater is fine, and Downtown has never created any problems for me as well. I used to go to Lafayette or American Coney at 3 in the morning and not worry about my safety or feel I was in any danger.

As far as dangerous places, I steer clear of St. Aubin, the Warehouse District, and Clark Park.

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Clark Park is NOT dangerous!

I don't know what the "Warehouse District" is, but if you're referring to the Milwaukee Junction/Piquette/New Center Area, then that is totally safe too. You just need to take proper precautions when in any large city in these areas. Clark Park is the epicenter of the fastest growing community in Detroit.

I can understand your point about St. Aubin a little more, being it near Chene, which has that hard core/east side look and feel to it.

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I remember seeing once that one of the most dangerous areas in the city was around Cass Park. I don't know if I buy that though...I've walked through the entire area many times and have never had any problems.

St. Aubin is a bit freaky, since there are just fields with an occasional house. Haha.

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^Oh that's right, I forgot you said you left...hence, your signiture...sorry bout that.

Yah, St. Aubin Park and Marina is now part of the new Tricentennial State Park and Harbor. I wish St. Aubin was used more as the official name since it is a unique name and a good identifier along the riverfront.

So, anyway, to answer your question, yep St. Aubin along the riverfront is a focal point for current and future continued beautification and redevelopment! :)

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That is a pretty amazing study if it is true. I went to a Tigers game at Comerica Park two years ago, and after the game ended, we went to our car which was parked down the street. Nothing happened to our car or us, but I know I was terrified of the people on the street and of how dark and dingy everything was just one block from Comerica park. I hope it has changed some since I was there last.

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Hmmm, I guess I must just be getting use to this place or something. I don't think I have ever been terrified in Detroit. You must have been in Brush Park, because yes, a few years ago, it had the tenancy to get dark, but there's so much activity there right now that it will be completely gentrified in a few more years...well, I'd say 10...there's a lot of infill to be had.

The highly interesting thing right now though is the stark contrasts between new and clean and old, burned down, rubble, vacancy, and whatnot. The atmosphere is like night and day all in one. It's kinda neat to witness.

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I don't think I have ever been terrified in Detroit.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think the closest I've come is the aforementioned St. Aubin-ish area on the near east side. That's more just creepy than it is scary, though. It's like something out of the Twilight Zone and hard to believe it's in a major city.

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