How Russian-speaking immigrants live in the most dangerous cities of America

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has named the most dangerous city in the United States. The list once again topped Detroit. Despite claims by the city’s police chief, James Craig, that the criminal activity of the population has decreased significantly and over the past couple of years the number of crimes has decreased by 5%, Detroit is still considered the most brutal in America.

The Motor City was home to a record 2016 violent crimes in 13, including murder, rape, assault and robbery, according to the bureau.

People who want to emigrate to America are interested in the safest places to live. A few years ago michigan governor rick snider even proposed populate the deserted in recent years, Detroit migrants to somehow fix the situation.

Forumdaily decided to find out how Russian-speaking immigrants live in cities that are among the five most unsafe and dysfunctional in criminal terms.

Last year, in Detroit, 303 was killed on 669 000 people (45 on 100 000 residents), which is 3% higher than a year earlier. However, this is not the highest rate. 100 ranks first in the number of murders 000 man takes St. Louis (60 man), followed by Baltimore (51 man). The sad five included Rockford and Memphis.

Rockford

Violent crime: 1658 on 100 thousand people

Kill count: 17 on 100 thousand people

Fifth place in the list of the most dangerous cities in America, according to the FBI report, is the city of Rockford. In just one year, the number of violent crimes in a city with a population of 151 290 people increased by 4%.

Over the past week, several rather high-profile crimes have occurred in a small city in Illinois, one of them is the murder of a 27-year-old guy in broad daylight on Cole Avenue. According to police, the murder suspect has already been detained.

Do the Russian-speaking residents of Rockford follow the crime situation in the city and is there a feeling that this is an unsafe place?

“I haven’t heard about high-profile and high-profile crimes in Rockford. Fortunately, there were no mass riots or crimes as such. The fact that the city is in the top 5 most dangerous in America is most likely a combination of ordinary robberies and murders,” said Kamran Tairov, an immigrant from Rockford.

The fact that the city is in the top 5 most dangerous in America is most likely a combination of ordinary robberies and murders, says Kamran Tairov.

Kamran has lived in Rockford for more than 12 years and knows firsthand that safety largely depends on the neighborhood: “There are good and bad neighborhoods everywhere. High crime is observed only in poor areas of the city,” he believes the young man.

Many people complain that it is difficult to find good jobs in cities with high crime rates. Our interlocutor doesn't think so: “Work in Rockford was pretty easy to find. He who seeks will always find,” Kamran Tairov expresses healthy optimism.

Baltimore

Violent crime: 1780 on 100 thousand people

Number of murders: 51 to 100 thousand people

Population: 622 271 rights

Protests in Baltimore in 2015 rocked the whole of America. Riots broke out after the funeral of 25-year-old African American Freddie Gray, who was injured during his arrest and died in hospital.

Hundreds of detainees, more than 20 victims, the damage to the city is estimated at tens of millions of dollars. The police are still trying to restore order in the streets, as well as restore the trust of citizens.

Stepan, who has lived in Baltimore for more than 8 years, was an indirect witness to the riots in the city: “I remember 2 years ago, because of the riots, a curfew was declared. Even though we lived quite far from the center of events and everything was calm, we still decided not to disturb it. Fortunately, we only read about clashes with the police, looting, and riots in the news. This did not affect us.".

Stepan, who has lived in Baltimore for more than eight years, was a direct witness to the unrest in the city - he had to observe a curfew.

Our interlocutor admitted that he closely follows the news in order to keep abreast of events: “I recently read that some protests have begun again, but here, as usual, everything is calm. And in general, everything is quiet in Baltimore - you just need to know where to walk and what time. I wouldn’t recommend it late at night - I got into small troubles with the locals a couple of times, and surprisingly, my Russian accent saved me.”

Memphis

Violent crime: 1 820 to 100 thousand people

Kill count: 30 on 100 thousand people

Population: 656 715 people

The city is mired in gang warfare, drug trafficking and murder. Memphis’s crime reports are often full of headlines: “Unknowns have opened fire on passersby.”

A similar crime occurred 2 weeks ago in the northern part of the city, the scenario is the same - a 26-year-old guy opened fire on passers-by, as a result, four were wounded. The victims were hospitalized, the youngest was only 17 years old.

Vladimir Stozhkov moved to Memphis in March 2017; he knew that the criminal situation in the city left much to be desired, but this did not influence his choice: “Several factors influenced the move and choice of the city. A very good employer plus the division of the city into several zones. “I live and work in the easternmost part of Memphis, which is much safer,” Vladimir shared with us. — In the USA, they usually look for work all over the country, and then choose from the options where to move. In America the population is much more mobile than in Russia. “Everyone here constantly moves to other cities if they are offered a good job.”

Vladimir Stozhkov moved to Memphis in March 2017, he knew that the criminal situation in the city leaves much to be desired, but this did not affect his choice.

Our interlocutor admitted that he doesn’t particularly follow crime reports: “To be honest, I don’t read crime chronicles. I don’t remember any criminal event in Memphis where the whole city was discussing it,” Vladimir noted.

St. Louis

Violent crime: 1 913 to 100 thousand people

Number of murders: 60 to 100 thousand people

Population: 318 727 people

In St. Louis, initially peaceful protests often end in riots and arrests.

Another wave of protests broke out in mid-September 2017, when the court acquitted the former police officer Jason Stockley, who in 2011 had shot the African American Anthony Lamar Smith. Then the police detained the protester 123. During the clashes, several police officers were injured, and many buildings were also damaged.

Tamara, who has lived in St. Louis for about six years, believes that the city is not the best to live in: “Our black population predominates - about 60%, but whites, on the contrary, are leaving, especially young people. Children graduate from college and move to big cities, leaving mostly older people. Another problem is prisons. Unfortunately, our small city is home to more than 20 prisons and other correctional institutions. Criminals are brought to us from other states and cities... And after release, many do not rush to their home, and stay with us, in St. Louis. Another problem is drug addiction. My daughter’s teacher at school showed statistics - in 2016 alone, about 700 young people aged 18 to 26 died from drugs in St. Louis. And every year this figure is growing. For a city with a population of 300 thousand people, these are terrible numbers.

When Tamara settled in St. Louis, she knew that the city was not famous for its high level of well-being and safety, and admitted that in the future, for the sake of her daughter, she would still like to move to another city or even to another state: “Specially did not choose, so there were family circumstances. I heard about crime, of course, but I didn’t face it myself. It all depends on where you live: if in an expensive area, there is no crime and everything is calm. ”

Detroit

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Violent crime: 2 047 to 100 thousand people

Kill count: 45 on 100 thousand people

Population: 695 437 people

The fact that Detroit is not in vain occupies the dominant line in the list of the most dangerous cities in America, says the headlines of the latest local news: “The four-year-old girl suffered as a result of a shootout in north-west Detroit” looking for a young man suspected of killing his roommate. ”

Local residents are so used to this that news about crimes no longer evokes special emotions in them: “People in the poor areas periodically shoot at each other, but no one pays much attention to it,” says Olesya Anishchik.

Olesya lived in Detroit for only a year, and for more than five years in the suburbs. I knew that the “ghost town” was considered one of the most dangerous in America, but the circumstances were such that I had to settle here: “It was only scary in one place where I lived. But it was a suburb. In any case, no one has canceled the basic safety rules.”

“It was only scary in one place where I lived. But it was a suburb,” says Olesya.

Despite significant economic and demographic decline, there are no particular problems with employment in Detroit. And Olesya found a job without difficulty: “I’m an engineer, it was easy for me. Michigan is the heart of the auto industry, with plenty of work for engineers. Yes, and other technical and scientific specialties are listed here. It’s probably difficult for humanists. However, like everywhere else.”

All the heroes agreed on one thing: living in criminal areas and cities is certainly scary, everywhere - in Russia, in Europe, and in the USA. Basic safety rules must always be followed in any situation. Often people get used to the fact that crime chronicles occupy a large part of the news, and simply try not to get into them.

Read also on ForumDaily:

15 of the most criminogenic states of America

FBI called the most cruel city of America

10 is the worst for the life of US cities

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