Serious question about Rio de Janeiro safety?

Question

Okay, so no jewelery or flashy watches, no fanny packs ("Hello, I'm wearing plain clothes to fit in and this is my fanny pack!"), take the taxi, keep an eye out, try to be around or people, try to get around with a friend if you're bringing one. Easy.

But I'm wondering:
1.) If I'm in Copacabana, Leblon, or Ipanema, is it still as dangerous? Even in these upscale neighborhoods, I still can't go about shopping, in Ipanema for example, and be more relaxed?
2.) There's a jogging/biking trail running along those beaches, right? When I'm jogging, will I still be a target? Assume I obviously won't be jogging with an MP3 player or anything.. just shorts, socks,shoes, what's there to rob?
3.) So there's the Parque Nacional De Tijuca in Rio. And they have trails. Will I be a target to get mugged, also?
4.) In general, if I'm outside of Rio, Sao Paulo, and Salvador, is crime rate still high?
5.) How do I go about actually taking a photo?

I keep saying websites and crime reports about how Rio is like a murderer's playground or something. Then, I open a professional guidebook and they have like 300pgs and mention crime/safety on only about 1/2 of a a page at the end of the book. Throughout the book, they just talk about all the parks and museums and malls as if it's any other city, and I should just go take the metro or taxi wherever I want, except the favellas, and be okay. Now, I obviously don't believe that Rio is so dangerous that it would ruin a vacation (although a tour bus did just get robbed with armed grenades and all), but on the other hand, the guidebooks almost seem like they want to sell the trip by not mentioning the negatives too much (although the guidebooks don't get $$$ from selling the trip, just through selling themselves).

Answer 1

Rio is just not as bad as all that. The last time I was there we were running pretty wild and had no problems at all. You are right to not flash watches or jewerly and make sure the money doesn't bulge in your pocket but if you just take common sense precautions you won't have any problems.

Answer 2

1) They're relativily safe. Yes, you can be more relaxed.

2) No, you won't.

3) That's dangerous and tourist keep beeing robbed there.

4) Not as high as Rio de Janeiro, but still more dangerous than most of the cities in the world. But I say it again: not dangerous enough to make someone give up a trip. Probably nothing will happen. And it's nothing of the other world, I heard there are cities in the US that have problems with violence too, like Washington or Detroit.

5) Just look around to see if there is any "suspect" (the "suspects", I won't describe them in the name of political correctness)



In the end, to be robbed or not is a lottery.