Victoria is facing a public-safety crisis

[daftandbarmy]

 

[CBH99]

Lethbridge ranking dead last in terms of safest cities? Oh how things must've changed since I moved away just over a decade ago...

I lived in Lethbridge for roughly a decade, and while there I don't think I was ever a victim of crime. I don't even recall seeing much crime (or any crime that I can recall actually) outside of the typical nonsense you'd see from college kids outside of the bars

Since moving away, especially over the last 6 years or so, I've seen a lot of hotshotting of drugs down to the Lethbridge area. Maybe it's always been like that & I was just blessed with rose colored glasses for all those years? Maybe it's taken a turn for the worse & isn't the city I remember? Who knows...



I've made my extreme bias towards Lethbridge Police Service known, but I'd be skepticle of any crime data being reported by that agency.

(I know for an absolute fact that any data coming out about a specific category of crime from the 2012-2014 timeframe is WILDLY inaccurate - and that inaccurate info probably led to an inaccurate reporting from victim services, etc)

 

[CBH99]

You can go three blocks in some parts of some citizens and have a radical different vibe between point A and point B.

That is so true.

For anybody familiar with Edmonton, in the downtown core we have an east-west road called 104 Ave. It passes by a large university called Grant MacEwan University (re Grant Mac, for short)

Along 104 Ave and to the south of it, plenty of places to eat & shop. Gyms, tanning & hair salons, vibrant student housing, coffee shops, etc.

But to the north? Older 3-story walk ups fill entire neighborhoods (granted the airport used to be there so buildings couldn't be any taller than that) but fairly low income areas, fairly dense with people who've recently immigrated to Canada. (Heavy Somalian population)

Each area has a totally different vibe and are literally seperated by 1 street...


..


Same applies to 107 Street, also in the downtown core that crosses 104 Ave.

To the west side of that, an interesting mix of older but trendy houses & historical buildings, with the Brewery District nestled in there.

...To the east side of it, you can purchase a condo for $35k to $45k...

 

[mariomike]

Not a story about Victoria, but this is an interesting article on how while the crime rates may be down in North American cities, disorder is a significant problem that is driving perceptions of high crime.

It's Time to Talk About America's Disorder Problem

On disorder, and why it matters

thecausalfallacy.com

I think the reality of public life in 2024 America is that disorder is the problem.

Right.

I liked what I saw as a tourist in Japan. Their manners impress me.

My RMT is from Japan. She says a lot of things, but most importantly, they priortize the group over the individual.

Sometimes it looks the opposite way over here to me. At least, that is my perception. I could be wrong - again.

As far as world-wide tourism is concerned, I think most countries welcome tourists - as long as they obey the law and follow the rules.

Manners, in some tourists, may be somewhat lacking.

The entertainment district in downtown Victoria is the worst for various types of violence because: entertainment

Likely the same in any major city. Tourists from out of town are welcome. But, some - who may be lacking in manners - put a serious strain on emergency services - especially at night.