What do you think comprises a bad neighborhood?

[GeneralElectric]

Like the title says. What certain things do you think are generally present in whats considered a "bad neighborhood"?

The reason why I say this is because in my urban planning class we were presented with this question just to think. And its kind of got me thinking.

Some obvious criteria I think of:
-Low income areas, especially below the poverty line
-Higher crime rates (theft, murder, vandalism, drugs)
-Gang presence?

But the question is stated in such a way as to you the observer, not statistically.

What comes to mind to me is:
-Graffiti
-Cops on foot patrolling suburban areas
-Lots of trash on the streets
-Cops in elevated platforms
-Neighborhoods where minorities are the majority*

What do you think TB? When you're walking, how do you know you're in a bad neighborhood?

*I'm not trying to be racist, or imply that minorities are more likely to commit crime. But the word ghetto, in general, refers to a neighborhood where residents generally share a common ancestry/religion/etc and are of generally low income. Another example could be the Irish, Jewish, Italian, Polish, etc ghettos in NYC during the turn of the last century.

[Georynn]

Usually the dead guy in the gutter is a good sign you may be in a bad neighborhood... but, its no definite...

[GeneralElectric]

Originally Posted by Georynn

Usually the dead guy in the gutter is a good sign you may be in a bad neighborhood... but, its no definite...

Is he homeless?

[Georynn]

don't know, perhaps you should ask... or perhaps look in his wallet...

[elgecko]

In bad neighborhoods, there are usually security bars on the window and high powered lighting in front of houses. In really bad neighborhoods, businesses supplement the window bars with full coverage, steel roll-up doors.

[machine gewehr]

If some one pulls me a knife I know I'm in a bad neighborhood.

[NJL]

also look at concentric circle in re crime and how cities can segregate on their own... i studied this in crim jus back in the day..

san antonio is a prime example of how this works..

[BurningSkies]

Gun shots.
Bars on windows.
Lots of loitering.

[Absentia]

I use how many burned out buildings there are, how many people trying to sell you drugs and how many hookers try to open the door to your car.
That's when it's time to turn around.

I do like the out of town people who are scared of walking from cobo to the rencen.

I think what makes a bad neighborhood is the lack of involvement people have in their community especially how little they care.

[Phalex]

When the sound guy goes outside to get something out of the trailer, and comes back in reporting gun shots, and a butt load of cop cars driving by at a high rate of speed.

[funkybass4ever]

More people visiting your area to buy drugs and steal things than people live in the neighborhood, that's what I call a bad neighborhood

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by elgecko

In bad neighborhoods, there are usually security bars on the window and high powered lighting in front of houses. In really bad neighborhoods, businesses supplement the window bars with full coverage, steel roll-up doors.

When I was living/teaching in Stockton one day I was in the office when a consultant came in. He was waiting to see the principal and struck up a conversation with our handyman Manny. He mentioned that he'd just bought a new house. When Manny asked where, the guy puffed out his chest a bit and mentioned a fairly nice area right outside of town adding, "it's a gated community".

To which Manny replies, "Oh yeah, I live in a gated community too."

"Where at?" the guy asks.

"Downtown on 8th street. Man we got gates on the houses, gates on the windows, gates on the doors. We got gates everywhere."

[GeneralElectric]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

When I was living/teaching in Stockton one day I was in the office when a consultant came in. He was waiting to see the principal and struck up a conversation with our handyman Manny. He mentioned that he'd just bought a new house. When Manny asked where, the guy puffed out his chest a bit and mentioned a fairly nice area right outside of town adding, "it's a gated community".

To which Manny replies, "Oh yeah, I live in a gated community too."

"Where at?" the guy asks.

"Downtown on 8th street. Man we got gates on the houses, gates on the windows, gates on the doors. We got gates everywhere."

This is probably the best bit in the thread so far

[ahkiatt]

Hi ma, I'm on national television(COPS)!

[MakiSupaStar]

Lots of gutted out cars on cinder blocks.

[Gard]

I'd disagree with the police foot patrols, if they're comfortable walking, it must be OK. If the neighborhood's real bad, I'd bet they'll stay in the patrol car!

[MakiSupaStar]

Yeah beat cops are a good sign around here. A bad sign is the constant sound of helicopters and their spotlights washing the streets. Another sign you're in a bad neighborhood is when every footstep crunches through crackpipes.

[elgecko]

[jeff foxworthy] If you pay for your fast food through a bulletproof transfer box, receive your food from the same transfer box, then have to leave the place to eat since there are no tables/seating, you just might live in a bad neighborhood [jeff foxworthy/]

[L-A]

I have a different kind of bad neighborhood. I'm within a few kilometres of the provincial mental health research center.

Bad signs are usually of this nature:

• I'm alone with someone else in the bus. Yet, there's a very important conversation going on. Sometimes, I'm the antagonist.
• Some guy walks up to me, strikes up a conversation about music, and after two minutes asks if he can touch my shoes, starts breathing heavily.
• A kid walks by me playing with what I think is a toy car, and ends up stabbing me with the pocket knife it was.
• Two guys spend a half-hour conversing with only "hmmmpf", and there is obviously one who comes out of it being right.

[GeneralElectric]

L-A, you know the crime rates must be through the roof when kids can fashion a hotwheels car into a prison shank.