Well within the Top Ten, six of the neighborhoods are out South and four are out West. It should be noted that the South Side is much more bigger than the West Side. I bring that up because I feel like some people who are from out South believe that the small area means there are less places you can go to escape the madness if you stay on the West Side. Actually, there is some truth in that. Don’t get me wrong; there are few places on the West Side where there isn’t a whole lot of violence and some good neighborhoods. However, most people who stay on the West Side and want to get away from the area, usually move to the near western suburbs. On the other hand, even though there are a lot of bad areas on the South Side, there are also some good ones. Places like Hyde Park and Beverly, are places that have some of the lowest crime rates in the city.
The thing about those areas, and also places like Bronzeville, they are going through degentrification and integration. Truth be told, the same thing is happening on the West Side. White people who once fled to the suburbs, have consistently moving back into Chicago over the years. The same effect is also taking place in other major cities like New York, Atlanta and within cities in California. It doesn’t matter what part of the city you are at, or what city you are in; if you are poor, then you face the same circumstances. Black people with lack of opportunities, jobs and recreation usually resort to violence. Your preference to what side of the city you like, mostly depends on which criminals you feel more comfortable around. In conclusion, it’s not about the neighborhoods, it is about the people. We should recognize our conditions, and do our best to improve those conditions.
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