I'm visiting Chicago next week. are there any areas i should avoid as far as safety is concerned?

Answer 1

Chicago's reputation in this area is in some ways exaggerated, and the guy who was telling you to avoid the club areas was way, way offbase. If you're going to be out at night, the club areas are a good place to be because there is lots and lots of foot traffic in those places and foot traffic equals witnesses equals a better shot and getting caught and doing jail time as somebody's AIDS infected girlfriend if he decides to get physical. You DO want to invest in a moneybelt because those neighborhoods are lousy with pickpockets, but the muggings tend to happen more on the quiet side streets.

There are places in the city that are something out of your worst possible nightmares, but the thing about Chicago is that those places don't tend to be subtle. Mom's old neighborhood is a hellhole, but it also looks like something out of one of the Mad Max films. It's not a place where you'd feel like wandering, anyway.

Most of the South and West sides are really, really bad, though the far Southwest side is often not only good, but downright pleasant. Hyde Park is an island of safety in a sea of danger, due probably to the huge private police force maintained by the University of Chicago. On the north side, I'd avoid Uptown, and be a little leery around Rogers Park. In Edgewater, the Thorndale stop on the Red line always made me a little nervous, though the Granville stop, two short blocks away, seemed a world apart.

Englewood is a horror story. Don't visit it at any hour, ever. When some of my family cut out of there, murders didn't even make the neighborhood paper any more, because they weren't considered newsworthy. Watch your back near the projects, especially Cabrini or Robert Taylor, and if you must go by one of them, try to dress drably and don't wear a hat. The projects are often disputed territory and turning your hat one way or another can be taken as a gang sign and get your head blown off. No joke. Being white won't protect you from that assumption, either, now that we have dumb rich suburban kids joining some of those gangs, thinking that's cool.

Chicago's a big place, so listing all of the bad neighborhoods would be difficult, but when you walk through one of the safer neighborhoods, and you say, see the gardens out in front of somebody's home, what does that tell you? That the owner felt comfortable enough with the assumption that vandalism wasn't going to happen that he took the risk of investing money in a vulnerable outdoor location, and that that worked out. Hike around and LOOK and you'll start to pick up on signs like that. Pay attention and give it time, and the landscape will talk to you and tell you things the police won't, because they don't want to go out on that political limb.

Answer 2

Crime is everywhere some places more than others.. If you're planing on going outside of the downtown area or the more upscale neighborhoods take a Chicago native with you. The south side (some areas) and westside (some areas) can be very rough and is know for high crime volumes. But also alot of these areas are up and coming because of the reconstructing of the million dollar condos and properties springing up all over the place. Even some suburban areas are not to be trusted so quickly. So ask around and take someone whose lived here with you for extra precaution..

Answer 3

Unless you're looking to make a drug deal, there's no reason you should be wandering into crime-ridden neighborhoods. Even if you did, you'd find most crime happens among the residents.

For the most part, if you stay in places that have attractions for tourists, you'll be fine. Even the "notorious" south side is OK if you stick to places like Hyde Park (home of the Museum of Science and Industry, the Oriental Institute, and the University of Chicago) or Chinatown.

The one place you might go where I would watch out is in the club area on the near north side. Petty theft and muggings are fairly common there, particularly since people often let their guard down after drinking into the wee hours. If you're careful, though, you shouldn't have any problems there either.

Answer 4

Granted, there are areas that are more "dangerous" than others in Chicago. but as others have stated, crime can occur anywhere. There was an incident recently where an off-duty cop was jumped and stabbed by three guys in Lincoln Park, an upscale neighborhood. and there was a guy who was stabbed several times and killed in Uptown, an area that has been converting very quickly to condos and lofts. Chicago is a big city with millions of people so crime is bound to happen. The key is not to become a victim. You do that by being aware of your surroundings, not walking with your head down and afraid to make eye contact, not being afraid to call someone out who is too close or becoming too "friendly". You could be riding the el train late at night and going through a "good" neighborhood and encounter someone or some trouble. or you could be in a "cool" neighborhood and leaving a bar and some guys with "beer muscles" decided to start a fight with you. You can go anywhere in this city. the key to avoiding trouble is being aware of your surroundings.

Answer 5

see ive just moved from chicago everywhere is dangerous but avoid the south side and the west side thats where everything is after that its a really nice city specially downtown thats my favorite hum good luck youll enjoy it

Answer 6

Oh yea. South side at night. Good rule of thumb. If it looks bad it is probably a bad place to be.

Answer 7

You shouldn't go to the South Side if you can avoid it! I have family who live on the south side and believe me, I avoid visiting them if I can. Please especially don't go there at night, not safe- especially for a tourist!

Answer 8

The whole city of chicago.

Answer 9

Just don't be stupid. Even the nicest neighborhoods have crime. Obviously don't go anywhere alone. Stay in well-lit areas.

Answer 10

Don't leave your hotelroom !