crime in the peterborg area????

Same here

"the worst poverty you have ever seen" Quite a statement. Maybe, you should speak for yourself. I don't quite think we are on the levels of other places in the Caribbean or even the world!

RL

The poverty might not be as bad as other places in the world, but this the "U.S." virgin Islands!
You have to compare it with poverty in other U.S. areas with the same property values and tax basis.
Compared to that, the poverty allowed to exist in the USVI is abysmal.

Nonsense. Cabrini Green in Chicago, some areas of the Bronx, East St. Louis - I could go on & on. You really must get out more often. 🙂

I wonder if you can get a vacation villa in Cabrini Green South Chicago! I wonder how much property taxes are.
Of course there is worse poverty in other places in the US. Just not in places people actually pay a premium to visit and live. If you dont agree, name one place you can find multimillion dollar beachfront homes in the US and also find the amount of crime and poverty that there is here. I dont see to many tourist paying thousands of dollars to take a trip to East St Louis Missouri!
The true test to my view is this. Everywhere else in the US where there is as much money and as many tourist as there are here, there is also a commitment to safety and investment in infrastructure that is obviously lacking here.

"name one place you can find multimillion dollar beachfront homes in the US and also find the amount of crime and poverty that there is here'
Miami Beach FL comes pretty close in terms of property crime. I'm sure there are other places too.

Also, we do no have a whole lot of multimillion dollar beachfront homes in the STX (don't know about STT). STJ yes, and their crime rates are lower. Our average income and property values are a LOT less than most highly desirable beachfront areas in the US. So you may be comparing the pretty views, but you are really comparing apples and oranges when it comes to property values.

Also, while we are the "US" Virgin Islands, you rightly separated out the US part. I think that many residents here would agree that when you come down here you really must leave alot of the preconceptions that you associate with the "US" on the airplane (or better yet on the mainland). We are "US" in name only. The VI is ultimately Caribbean and is better compared against other Caribbean countries (with which we are more similar), rather than the USA.

"Everywhere else in the US where there is as much money and as many tourist as there are here, there is also a commitment to safety and investment in infrastructure that is obviously lacking here".

This is absolutely NOT true. Cities like Orlando, Las Vegas, South Beach FL, Myrtle Beach SC are all highly touted tourist destinations and all have crime averages well above national levels. In fact, crime levels tend to correlate with the number of tourists because tourists make easier targets as well as other reasons (increased carrying cash, deceased self-awareness etc...). If you study crime statistics in other Caribbean islands and also study tourism patterns, this statement holds true in the Caribbean too.

stxem, in the stateside cities you mentioned are the crimes that lead to those higher numbers crimes against tourists?

My impression is that there is generally not a large amount of crime against tourists here (relatively speaking), although this is based on incomplete information gleaned from police blotter reports.

I don't think like previously stated that the US Virgin Islands are super poor!!!! In fact probably in the whole Caribbean Excluding Barbados, St barths, Puerto Rico The US virgin Islands have less poverty than the rest. In the U.S there are areas like southern Louisianna , sectors of Alabama, Mississippi , South Carolina, West Virginia i have seen more poverty there than the U.S Virgin Islands. The Viginislander is very laid back attitude and what seem to be poverty is just that laid back attitude of living with bare minimum and less complicated life than mainland U.S. In regards to Crime I could assure you that Miami Beach Florida has higher rate than the U.S virgin Islands by Far???? I know that because i am currently living there right now and i see it every day. The only different between Miami beach and Virgin Islands is that the police in Miami Beach is very diligent in apprehending and prosecuting crime. I don't see that in the Virgin Islands and that worries me. For example if a tourist gets mug or there is a violent crime the Miami Beach police will turn the city upside down and they will catch the offender in the VI i see even in the police a Laid Back attitude but there should not be that attitude in the Police. The VI economy depends almost 100% on tourism and the police should be more proactive.

One thing I have not posted in my past postings, Along with firearms and the knowledge to use them I will also be bringing my beloved Cane Corso's, My property will be fenced. This is a very intelligent dog, Great with kid's and with people who are invited into our home. Do a internet search on them, Plan on spending $1500.00 -$ 2500. each, plus shipping for the pups. Yes a gun is cheaper but you need to be there with it, to protect your property.

"In regards to Crime I could assure you that Miami Beach Florida has higher rate than the U.S virgin Islands by Far????"

Rokipatel, there is a good chance that you would be wrong.

http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17619494

Cut and paste that link, it was a big article in the Daily News about a month ago, our crime rate actually makes us one of the most violent places in America. Many will say its all local crime or all drug related but its simply not true. Not trying to be an alarmist but the climate in the VIs are definitely changing, especially as more and more locals get priced out of their own island.

Atlantic City isn't a walk in the park & E. St. Louis, ILLINOIS is immediately across the river from St. Louis where there are lots of visitors. Property taxes here are lower than in many places in the States and crime rates here are much lower than in several places I could name down-island where the news is hushed up by the local media.

No way the Statistics in Miami and the Beaches are wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more than 43 violent crimes in the whole virgin islands just to let you know that in Miami only this past 2 months there were nearly 50 violent crimes and not counting that in the past 6 months they are shooting or killing a cop every month???? It seems to me that this forummer needs to get out of the Islands. In Miami the economy is bad and the crime is out of control that even your patio furniture is getting stolen????? I've never seen it this bad but the cops are doing there best to make it stop. And let's not put Puerto rico In the equation in a weekend in Puerto rico you could have between 6-10 murders the only different that in Puerto rico the drug pushers kill each other rarely you here a honest family or businessmen getting shot or so.

Trade is right, I used to live on an island (name withheld so I don't offend anyone), south of the VIs, and EVERYONE I knew, myself included, had been the victim of crime. Murders were quite rare, I think the death-penalty helped with that, but rapes, assaults, robberies etc were a daily occurrence. The island depends on tourism and the government controls the press, so these crimes are never reported in the media. The corruption is out of control. If people in the government need medical care or schooling for their children etc, they go off-island, so they really don't care what happens to their citizens. I don't think the VIs are that bad.
I don't know the statistics for VIs vs Miami Beach, but have spent time in both places, and I would say that the major difference to me is that if something does happen in Miami Beach, the Police and emergency services are excellent, and will respond very quickly and efficiently.

Exactly what i am been saying that the Police in the VI don't seem to be as proactive as here in Miami beach. Now saying that in the VI there is more crime than Miami is simply not being realistic. I agree with Sabrina other islands in the Caribbean are so corrupted they control the press in order to give a safe Public Image. My family has a House in Casa de Campo in D.R and it is so true how the Press either by corruption or intimidation does not published crimes to keep a clean face. Although in Puerto rico the Press is so free they publish in detail everything. I am sure that there is less crime in the VI that some of the Islands maybe with the exception of Tiny Deluxe St barths most islands have higher crime rates?????

I have heard that Dominica has almost no crime. I also heard some locals talking one day at the gas station about crime down island. They said that the reason no crime is reported is that the locals just handle things themselves. If someone gets too out of hand they simply disappear. Don't know if that is true or not. Just something I overheard.

dougtamjj i just pm'd you.

DR is Clearly 3erd world in all its faces????? There is some crime reported but probably that could only be 25% of all crime in the D.R. In the DR only 35% of the people have access to potable water, electricity, phone this creates a problem that the D.R of communications. Only in wealthy areas like la Romana Casa de campo and touristy Punta cana and the Capital city of Santo Domingo you have what they call Politur ( Tourist Police) this people are more Public Relation that Cops. The main problem that Foreigners have in the D.R is when they step out of the main avenues of the Hotels and Golf Resorts if you decide to visit local towns and cities beware of Muggins, violent car jackings, and the most common extortion. Mostly Policeman and army soldiers participate in this form of badly crime. What happens in the D.R is that the Local Community gets together to extort money form tourist and foreigners living in those areas things like False accusations to create commotions and call the police. For example in my case in 2002 i drove from la Romana to the church of la Virgen de la Altagracia in Higuey. My fathers car in the D.R was a LX-470 Lexus Imagine only Millionaires in the D.R have those cars of course i was targeted. First of all i was stop 4 times by cops inventing all kinds of things like speeding and so on. Well i had to give them money to let me go. Then i got to the church were a man well dress with a Badge wanted to charge me and my girlfriend 5 dollars for entry to the church. I did not see any tourist or local paying anyone for entry. I question the man and the man said that i was using the parking that i must pay. Then another tourist just got on its rental car leaving he was american and i asked him about parking he said there is no charge look at the signed. Then the man change again his story that he was tour man and that i had to pay $ 5.00 dollars each. I was furious by now this guy now had me sorrounded in the Parking lot with another guy i know spanish and i knew the take well i just started walking and went into the church and said to him that if he continues harassing me i will call the Police. Well i went inside when i went outside this guy now was threatening me that i contracted him and know i must pay for his time and business lost 100 dollars and that he was not going to let me leave. Well i called the Police this guy came as soon as he opened his mouth the knew the story better than me so i knew this was a setup to extort money. Well this cop just turn around and told me that i must go to the station that my car will be impounded that the comissary or Judge will determined who is right. He also told me that the comissary was on vacation until Monday that my car will be detained until then yeah right they will steal it for parts. I was extremely angry at the Police and at this cop after 1 and half of going back and forward my girlfriend was tired the Police look at me and said " Give him the Money don't complicate your life with this little incident you have the money don't worry about it?? well i gave him the money right when i was leaving i saw the guy in plain sight giving the Police half of the cash that i gave him. Now i know some Generals and Police chief if anything happens like this to me again i will call them.

Back in early 90's in the D.R a crime commited to a tourist will be punishable harshly this was under the regime of Balaguer quote " Caudillo Dictator" he wan the D.R election like 8 times????? crime was not tolerated but know it is completely different. Another pointer if you rent a car do it with a reputable Budget,avis, national known reputable business if you do it with a local they will scam your credit card. Also another pointer if you must rent give the deposit in cash and get a receipt it is easier??????