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Low-income areas are often classified as food deserts; places where fast food chains are abundant but grocery stores and fresh produce are scarce. If there are ten liquor stores and no place to buy an apple, that’s a red flag.
You should never take your personal safety for granted. This doesn't mean be paranoid 24/7, but rather have an awareness of what's happening around you and take certain steps to avoid becoming a victim of crime.
Whether we like it or not, some areas are safer than others. And there are some ways to tell which ones you're more likely to find yourself in trouble in.
The most obvious one is to look at the local crime stats. Authorities release these and detail the types of crime and number of incidents in a particular place. If you notice high levels of frequent reports of theft, vandalism, or violent crimes, consider yourself warned. These are major red flags.
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Human feces. If human s**t where they aren’t supposed to, run.
Another glaring sign is evidence of gangs or gang violence. You might spot graffiti with gang symbols on walls, or notice groups of gang members hanging around. If the place makes it into the news often because of frequent gang-related incidents, you'll want to have your high alert turned full blast if you're planning on visiting or living there.
Coming from a city with high levels of gang violence, my personal tip is to contact a resident of the area, or even the police, before planning your journey. Find out where the current hotspots are, what route is safest to get in and out. As an added level of protection, you can ask someone familiar with the place to meet you and escort you in and around.
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Other things - bars on windows, unkept yards, cars that obviously can’t move, everyone has a loud dog in the yard.
Another warning sign might be a high level of police activity in a particular area. We're not talking visible policing, or routine patrols. What we mean is sirens wailing, lights flashing. And the cops responding to incidents. Often.
In less safe neighborhoods, you could also notice a lot of neglected homes or buildings. While this doesn't always indicate high levels of crime, it can... Broken windows, peeling paint, overgrown yards, or structural damage often point to a lack of community investment.
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The same applies to abandoned structures. "If you see a lot of buildings and homes in [the] area that have been empty for many months to a year, it might be a sign that [the] neighborhood is dangerous," warns home security company SafeWise.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has previously said that “research links foreclosed, vacant, and abandoned properties with reduced property values, increased crime, [and] increased risk to public health and welfare.”
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A lack of streetlights can also be a red flag. "Adequate lighting is crucial for preventing crime and ensuring residents feel secure in their environment. Dim or non-functional streetlights make the area feel unsafe, especially at night," explains another home security site, AOSU.
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and when the local police cars are f****d up (dent, accidents, etc).
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Edited to add: rich neighbourhoods won’t hide their cameras, they want people to know they’re being recorded. Poor neighbourhoods hide their cameras lest they get stolen or destroyed.
But sometimes the signs aren't always obvious. Often, the biggest warning sign that you're in danger lies within. If you feel something is off, you're anxious and your gut is just telling you to leave, then it's best to pay attention.
Always trust your own intuition. You'll be surprised at how much you actually already know without even realizing it.
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If the gas station sells more tall single cans of beer than varieties of 6 pack.
If any person walks past with an open beverage in a paper bag.
If the big dogs aren't on leashes or have giant collars, and the little dogs aren't well groomed.
If all the steps are crooked.
If anybody has inside furniture on the outside of their house.
A metal barrel.
A truck pulling a trailer of random metal detritus.
A lack of landscaping.
Tumble weave blowing around
Shoes on the telephone wires.
Graffiti on the gas pumps.
Towel/bed sheet/cardboard curtains
If the homeless people don't get told to "move along" every 12-24hrs.
People in wheelchairs who aren't clearly traveling from a condo or house to a local store or coffee shop.
No coffee shops.
Businesses that list everything they sell on the outside of the building.
Bars that don't have names.
If it's a weekend and you can't hear any lawn mowers.
Gas cans that aren't in a shed.
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