Metro Jacksonville

I know some of us actually do business or live in areas that consider unsafe. Some us might have never set foot in certain unsafe area day or night. Imagine you are going to an unsafe area at night, what do you fear most?

I'm not really afraid at all.  Imo, the most violet crimes revolve around domestic disputes and drugs.  If you can avoid getting involved in these issues, most likely you'll be okay no matter where you go.

I can't say that I agree with your assessment. There's plenty of people being hurt or killed by strangers and that have nothing to do with drugs. True, most of the violent crimes do fall under those categories, but if you have to go into a known 'dangerous' area, your chances of falling victim rises greatly.

jbm, our upbringing has shaped the point of view we come from.  I grew up in areas that most would label as dangerous.  In fact, as I type, in one right now in Central Florida visiting family and friends.  You always have to be careful of how you carry yourself in any environment, but I don't feel anymore fearful in one area of town, as opposed to another.

As far as strangers attacking you in a bad neighborhood, I would say robbery would be the worst that would happen. If no one in that neighborhood knows you they won't try to kill you for nothing. Body language is the key. When criminals look for strangers to jack, they look for the "nervous looking around fast walking type". If you are there.... you are there, so you might as well behave like you should be where you are.

For example: if you walking down the street talking on your cell phone, and when some thugs walk by you get silent and look at them. The thugs will know you are not comfortable and may try you. In bad Hoods the best thing to do is act natural and mind your own business. This is hard for some people.

Cooly is correct, it always seems to be the one person who was a victim already that gets hit. It isn;t the "bad" neighborhoods either. My biggest fear is just being in the wrong place at the worng time. You can not really do anything about that...like the lady the homeless dude tried to rape on the Riverwalk, or the old lady that just got accidently shot at the superette.....

I, myself don't have a problem with having to be in a 'dangerous' area...but I'm well trained on what to look for and how to defend myself...most people are not, and most people think they are, and they're not. Actually most incidents happen closer to home than not.

UTG, you nailed it...it generally comes down to just that...the 'wrong place/wrong time'

I find myself afraid to answer polls where the word criminal is spelled wrong :-)

 :D

That poll is retarded.. Why would anyone be afraid of the police? That is a stupid poll and made up by someone with a hidden agenda. Who the hell is afraid of being shot by the police for being in a dangerous area? The only people who are afraid of being shot by police are the idiots who have a reason to be afraid, They are doing something illegal that could get them shot.. In those cases, TOO BAD you deserve it... It is very rare that a cop shoots someone that is innocent.. I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, it does, but it is VERY rare...

Please, keep it polite soxfan.

I don't think that the creation of this poll was to express some hidden aganda.  It likely spins off of another thread and is intended to make the point that the average person is not and should not be afraid of the police.  Look at the results, no one voted that they are afraid of the cops.  Most are concerned about falling victim to criminals.

I apologize for the tone. I felt that the poll was sided toward belittling the police. I took a little bit of offense to the first two options. I have many friends in law enforcement and would bet my life that they wouldn't shoot a person for the color of their skin or just for being in a shady place. They're trained to defend themselves, if shooting someone to protect themselves and or others is needed, then so be it. I would trust them before some thug... Again I apologize for the tone in the last post..

don't worry about it. It is not big deal.

Sadly, the crime in Jacksonville is no longer confined to drug users and those involved in domestic disputes. I used to be pretty fearless myself, but I rarely go downtown with my wife anymore at night unless I know we'll be able to get a close parking spot in a well-lit area. This apprehension isn't imagined or resulting from ignorance of how urban areas work, but rather was hard-earned through actual events. A friend stabbed earlier this year for pocket change. He was simply minding his own business walking back to his car. In September, my co-worker's son went to the Landing to visit a friend who worked at one of the restaurants. He was shot by a complete stranger over his Blackberry. There were no police anywhere. When he staggered over to a wedding party in front of the Landing, pouring blood and begging for someone to call 911, they ran without helping him. A woman was stabbed while jogging the Riverwalk a week or two ago. A man had his eyes sliced out in Riverside. And everytime I go downtown at night I'm accosted by aggressive panhandlers in poorly-lit corridors with very little police presence anywhere. You don't have cash, you get cursed at and threatened. Jacksonville has a very real crime problem that keeps a lot of people out of the core at night.

Quote from: KenFSU on December 15, 2008, 03:20:00 PM
Sadly, the crime in Jacksonville is no longer confined to drug users and those involved in domestic disputes. I used to be pretty fearless myself, but I rarely go downtown with my wife anymore at night unless I know we'll be able to get a close parking spot in a well-lit area. This apprehension isn't imagined or resulting from ignorance of how urban areas work, but rather was hard-earned through actual events. A friend stabbed earlier this year for pocket change. He was simply minding his own business walking back to his car. In September, my co-worker's son went to the Landing to visit a friend who worked at one of the restaurants. He was shot by a complete stranger over his Blackberry. There were no police anywhere. When he staggered over to a wedding party in front of the Landing, pouring blood and begging for someone to call 911, they ran without helping him. A woman was stabbed while jogging the Riverwalk a week or two ago. A man had his eyes sliced out in Riverside. And everytime I go downtown at night I'm accosted by aggressive panhandlers in poorly-lit corridors with very little police presence anywhere. You don't have cash, you get cursed at and threatened. Jacksonville has a very real crime problem that keeps a lot of people out of the core at night.

Thats true, but you can be a victim anywhere, though some areas have a higher risk.  New Years eve 2007 on the westside myself, my wife and father in law were robbed at gun point 30 feet from our home.  two guys took me by surprise and gave me a pretty good beating with a couple of shotgun butts, while a third covered  my wife and father in law.  When I'm in jax now I carry.

It might help if the police would get out of their cars and walk around in the urban areas.  You arent deterring too much crime by driving by an area at 40 mph in your patrol car.  Then you are left only with reacting to crime which has already happened.

Mass arrests of bums downtown would certainly help matters greatly also.  The fact that we have allowed our urban spaces to become the dumping grounds for the insane, the addicted and pretty criminals is a tragedy.  Bring back the old state mental hospital system (with reforms) and criminalize the behavior bums engage in and watch downtown bloom.  Having a Mayor with some sense would help this cause greatly also.

BTW, if I see any suspicious activity around my house and block, I check it out.  I also am armed which is the most important part of any criminal deterrence plan IMO.  The key in neighborhoods is for people to be vigilant.  Also, if criminals are coming in your house, shoot them to defend your family.

this is why it is very unsettling when i heard NAACP (please see the other thread) decided to politicize the criminals shot by police. I mean, we need more police work, not less. and yes, I make it a habit to carry my handgun anywhere i go. If I am threatened or shot at, i will shoot back.

Agreed.  We need more aggressive policing, not less.

The only time I see Police in Riverside is during the dinner shift at Mossfire... theres litterally tens of them around then.

Who is afraid of the police SHOOTING you...they are more likly to crash into you....I jest..... :(

I hope someone in the Peyton administration reads this thread. The residents of Jacksonville are tired of the crime in this city and the proliferation of vagrants on our streets and in our parks. Police officers need to get out of their cars and address the issues. The criminals and bums in this city have been empowered by knowing that there are no consequences for their behavior. Why even have cops if they are only going to show up after the fact and then claim that there's nothing they can do?

Cooly has a good pt on looking like you belong where you are. When I lived it D.C. it seemed that people always stopped me out of crowds to ask for directions. Maybe I look approachable, but I also always carried myself as if I knew exactly where I was going even when I didn't.
I answered the poll but it definitely seemed to be biased in some way.
“And everytime I go downtown at night I'm accosted by aggressive panhandlers in poorly-lit corridors with very little police presence anywhere. You don't have cash, you get cursed at and threatened.”
In response to above, try my approach and curse and yell and them as soon as they ask for money. You should have seen how fast the guy ran away from me on Sat night when I was accosted leaving the landing, and he was apparently “lame”.
“The only time I see Police in Riverside is during the dinner shift at Mossfire... theres litterally tens of them around then.” â€" My theory is they get a huge discount. Maybe the owner’s dad was a cop or something.