datdude

Alright, it's about time we get to the bottom of this with some honesty. So many threads ask "Is such and such University in a bad neighborhood?" Unfortunately, this question often times evokes racist and biased remarks, and even if they're not blatant, many of them straddle the line between truth and offensiveness. Are black people always behind the meaning of "bad neighborhood?"

WashDad

To answer your question, "no."

ucsd_ucla_dad

Definitely not.

hyakku

I'm black for the record.

Generally, when people say bad neighborhood they are referring to black or hispanic neighborhoods. This is generally because black and hispanic people generally comprise more of the lower socioeconomic classes, thus, more crime, thus worse areas. People try to play it off like no, but in reality yes it is, and until people are willing to admit it, nothing will be done.

So yes, people are generally referring to black/spanish neighborhoods when they refer to ghettos and all, and the white equivalent would be something like a stereotypical trailer park. Sad but true.

datdude

Thanks dads for your responses, but why are all the threads of this nature dripping with racially charged content? Sometimes posters say everything but "black people" when describing a certain area. As far as I see it, words like "sketchy," "crime-ridden," "bad," "unsafe," they seem to be code words to inform the intended audience that there are a high percentage of blacks in the area. I don't think I'm being at all naive to say what I'm saying. And I too am black hyakku. Nice response though.

acinva

When people ask about whether a neighborhood is bad or not, I believe they're referring to whether or not it's a SAFE neighborhood.

hyakku

Yes but ask yourself acinva, what does that entail. You can't just say safe. You are going to ask yourself crime rates, drug usage, prevalence of drugs, etc, and all these are more prevalent in black/spanish neighborhoods because they are designed that way. Its an endless downward spiral, and people who continue to assert things like this, while meaning good, only cause more harm. We need to see the world for what it is before we can change it.

Chedva

I don't think it's a racial question. I think it's an economic one. There are a number of white neighborhoods in the Boston area that I would classify as "bad" based on their crime statistics. There are a number of black neighborhoods that I have no problem with walking around at night.

As acinva says, it's whether it's safe, whether one can find an apartment that one would want to live in, etc. But that's socioeconomic, not racial.

ucsd_ucla_dad

I can't speak for other posters but in my mind when I think of a 'bad neighborhood' I think of attributes you indicated such as crime-ridden, unsafe, etc. but I don't think of any particular race since it could apply to any race or any mix of races. Conversely, just because a neighborhood happens to be majority Black doesn't mean it's crime-ridden or unsafe or a 'bad neighborood'.

Shrinkrap

Where I live (and I'm black) there are not enough black people around for the "bad neighborhoods" to be black. There are no black neighborhoods. Socioeconomics do play a role in crime. I read somewhere this is one of five places where the per capita income of blacks is higher than whites. My sister says that because the only two black people are me and my husband and we are both physicians...that's not true...i know two other black physicians in town...

emeraldkity4

A "Bad" neighborhood would be one where it is not safe for residents to walk around the block. Not because they might see a drug buy- but be the likely victim of a robbery,the likely victim of getting their car stolen if it is in their driveway, of even being the victim of a drive by shooting.

Notice I said "likely". My car has been broken into when it was in my driveway, other cars have been vandalized, homes been broken into during the day, but I wouldn't call my neighborhood a bad neighborhood, in fact it is one of the most desirable in the city.

But a neighborhood where people are so demoralized that they no longer care/interfere/notice, when others are assaulted on the street, where no attempt is made to clean up graffiti, to mend broken windows or pick up garbage, that I would consider a bad neighborhood.

For the record my daughter attends the best ( IMO) public high school in the city and while the principal has told students not to walk on the street to get to the bus stop but to cut through the field, even though the mini mart across the street has open drug deals even when a marked police car is parked on the other side of the lot & even though students are often assaulted for their cell phones/shoes/ipods while walking home, I still wouldn't consider it a bad neighborhood.
The residents care about the community, many are involved & they take pride in it.

emeraldkity4

As far as universities go- I know that some schools do make an effort to provide some sort of a bubble for students- in some cities that is more evident than others.
I haven't ever been to Chicago for example- but my daughter worked with "inner city" youth there while based with an Americorps program at University of Chicago. While UChicago was in a "transitioning" neighborhood, they primarily worked with African American youth, however they took them into an area that was apparently considered Hispanic to do urban beautification projects. ( Americorps workers were from all over the country)

I would also consider a "bad" neighborhood to be one that isn't welcoming or at least tolerant of others who are not obviously from the "neighborhood".

red sox 7327

We all know the characteristics of a bad neighborhood. The question is what race is usually associated with such a neighborhood? In my opinion, a bad neighborhood correlates with the socioeconomically disadvantaged, which correlates with race. What are the races that have a greater percentage of disadvantaged individuals? The minority races. Thus, naturally, blacks and hispanics will be more prevalent in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, which are more likely to be bad neighborhoods. With that said, a don't believe a bad neighborhood populated by whites to be any safer or more dangerous than one with mainly blacks because I don't think that the nature of disadvantaged blacks and whites differs by very much.

Wneckid99

no it could mean hispanic area..or white area- just typically its not- its a fact..not a stereotype

cheers

You are right, it is a charged question and, in general, 'bad neighborhood' does indicate proximity to all-black and all-hispanic--or in other parts of the world--all brown-skin neighborhoods.

No reason to pretend otherwise. The 'why' of that state of things is the critical question. That discussion would involve a really really long thread.