Richmond, with its interesting opportunities and activities at all times of the day, offers students of varying likes and attitudes a wide range of things to do. From downtown to the Fan, whether it’s a restaurant, a club, a concert or an art exhibit – there’s something for everyone. For many students, however, especially those who don’t drive – it means trekking out to wherever one wants to be, an activity that puts many students at risk of criminal activity.
In 2005, Out of 250 U.S. cities with a population of at least 100,000, Richmond ranked third in murder and non-negligent manslaughter, according to FBI statistics. It followed Gary, Ind., and Birmingham, Ala., but ranked higher than cities like Baltimore, Detroit and St. Louis. In violent crime, Richmond ranked 29th overall, with numbers similar to Baton Rouge, La.; Tulsa, Okla.; and Dallas.
These are important figures to keep in mind when walking the streets at night. Frequently as I drive around the area, whether coming home from work or a friend’s place, I notice many who appear to be students walking alone in what I would consider the bad zones in Richmond.
Both The Commonwealth Times and other local papers such as the Richmond Times-Dispatch frequently feature crime logs or at least report notable incidents in the area that have occurred recently. These are tools for you to use – crimes aren’t just “local happenings.” Often, you’ll see patterns where many incidents occur, and that’s very valuable information. Richmond is very peculiar in that some streets could be considered very safe, yet, just two blocks away, one could be placing themselves at great risk. If you have to walk somewhere, it’s best to know where you shouldn’t be at night.
Take it from me: I learned the hard way my sophomore year when a man attempted to assault and rob me. I managed to escape the situation – but the situation definitely could have gone the wrong way had he had a weapon. If I’d paid attention to what had been provided to me by both the papers and other campus safety bulletins, I would’ve known not to walk down Cary Street (deservingly known as “Scary Street” to some) on the way home from a party at 2 a.m.
Ideally, University Police would stop every crime before it occurs, but that’s just not possible for any organization to do. It is the students who must take advantage of the information provided to them in order to help stem some of the incidents that happen around the greater campus areas.
Take advantage of the VCU safety pamphlets that describe how to stay safe in many situations, which are available in many of the VCU buildings and online. Read those crime logs in the CT or Times-Dispatch if you get the chance. Lastly, trust your instincts. If someone or some place seems sketchy – it’s for a reason. So, be sure to do what you can to stay safe.