PhillyCrime

It’s been a while since the Fresh Prince (Will Smith) could call Philadelphia the City of Brotherly Love. In 2007, the crime rates in Philly rose so high, the city earned itself a new nickname—‘Killadelphia’. In 2007, the murder rate in the city was more than a murder a day. Even more shocking, teenagers and young adults were the main source of the killings. Fortunately, crime rates have decreased in magnitude in the past three years, but not enough to boast about. The city still has a low crime index of 12; meaning 88% of cities in the US are safer than Philly. If you break the city down into regions, some areas are safer than others; the safest being Henry Avenue and Wissahickon Dr with a crime index of 86 (100 is safest) and the most dangerous being along Drexel U and Walnut Street where the crime index is a shockingly dangerous low of 0 (zero)–meaning this is the most unsafe area in the country. Annually, a total of 20,902 violent crimes and 60,931 property crimes were committed in Philly. Over 300 of the violent crimes were cold blooded murder, more than 1,000 were rape crimes, and the rest were combined robbery and assaults. In 2008, the city saw the violent crime rate drop an overall 3%. Some areas unfortunately increased 3-12.3%, but others managed to decrease their violent crime rate by 26.9%.

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Though some areas of Philadelphia are overflowing with dangerous criminals and are considered unsafe, other neighborhoods are perfectly safe for families to build a permanent home. Steering clear of the heart of the city, the safest neighborhoods are located near the city limits. Here are the top five safest neighborhoods in Philadelphia:

1. Henry Avenue/Wissahickon Dr:  Neighborhoods in this eastern strip score a high 86 out of 100 on the national crime index scale. Homes are medium cost compared to other homes in Pennsylvania as well as nationwide. The community is considered rural and has a coastal setting with decent public school systems.
2. Allens Ln/Wissahickon Ave: Scoring 85 on the crime index, this neighborhood has a median house value of $445,049—pretty high compared to the rest of Pennsylvania. The family friendly suburban area is mostly comprised of historic homes and has a high education rating. The community is among the 15% most wealthy communities in America.
3. Byberry: This middle class neighborhood has a median house value of $193,582. The education level is one point below the national average, but the school systems are constantly improving. As far as safety goes, Byberry scored 85 on the crime index (out of 100). continue reading…

Unfortunately, Philadelphia’s crime rate is well above the nation’s average. With a crime index of 12 (meaning the city is safer than approximately 12% of the cities in the US), the city is hardly considered a safe place to live. One in every twenty-five homes in Philadelphia gets broken into each year. The population of Philadelphia is around 1,517,550–that’s an average of 60,702 property crimes per year. These unlucky homes most likely fell victim to property crime because they were not properly protected.  On a brighter note, there are ways to protect yourself and your family from being affected by crime in Philadelphia. To protect your home against burglars and violence, the best step to take is to install a home security system.

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While many aspects of Philadelphia crime continue to get worse, there are some major areas of improvement that deserve recognition. Between 2007 and 2008, the murder rate dropped 15%, reaching its lowest point since the 1960s. Even more impressive, major crime—the truly horrible stuff—is at its lowest level since the 1970s. Instead of assuming criminals are choosing to become moral citizens on their own, we should thank the local police and higher law enforcement officials for this much needed decline in crime.

The man behind the better policing efforts is Mayor Michael Nutter. Since his election in 2008, he has made crime reduction his main priority along with the new police commissioner Charles Ramsey. Their plan of action was to target the districts with the highest crime rates and fill them with additional officers. Sadly, people continue to murder each despite the increased police offers in town. Most of the murders are over drugs, domestic violence, or other disputes usually involving alcohol.

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If you’re raising kids in Philadelphia, it’s important to educate them about the dangers of the outside world. Even if you live in a safe neighborhood, crime is always just around the corner in Philly. Make sure they understand the reality of the criminal world so they understand the importance of staying safe. While you want to educate your children, you don’t want to scare them into feeling threatened or unsafe in their surroundings. It’s important to express your concerns in a way that lets your kids know the dangers out there but also assures them they’re safe as long as they follow the rules.

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