Posted by Read the comments section on any social media news post that reports anything good or bad about your city and the same narrative held by suburban and rural-dwelling individuals will be predictably conveyed. It’s the narrative that if you even think of entering the city, you will get shot.
For the record, I have lived in Rochester, New York zip code for over a decade and have never been the victim of violent crime. I have never even been in a situation where I felt that my safety was in jeopardy. Not even once. Most of the people I know who live or have lived in Rochester have also never experienced anything resembling the supposed foregone conclusion that being in any part of the city means taking your life in your hands. I know a lot of people who live in Rochester, and I have yet to meet one person who has been shot or shot at to my knowledge.
There are concentrated areas in the city where individual and gang violence is common. These streets and neighborhoods are often the backdrop for what suburban and rural residents see when they turn on the news or scroll on X. Unsurprisingly, these areas were decades-long victims of targeted racist government policies like redlining and “The War On Drugs.” Unable to thrive and blossom both socioeconomically and socially, neighborhoods where these detrimental policies had their fiercest impact are often still the most poor and most violent.
That doesn’t mean these areas are “bad.” Despite heightened violence that threatens daily safety, there is the religious leader who instills the lessons of faith in an effort to combat the exposure to gang violence. Maybe it’s a teacher who works late to ensure at-risk youth have access to additional educational opportunities. Perhaps it’s simply the group of parents who collectively have eyes on the street, setting the tone for personal accountability with regard to local youth. Painting with a broad brush and calling these neighborhoods “bad” or “dangerous” negates the efforts by so many who make sacrifices each day in an effort to be the change they want to see. They are good neighborhoods full of wonderful people who are plagued by the actions of a handful of misguided youth.
But again, the pockets of violence that do exist are not representative of the city as a whole. Most neighborhoods, including downtown, are safe, especially during the daytime and early evening hours. Does that mean that these areas are devoid of violent crime? Of course not. Violence happens everywhere.
So what if I based my impression of suburban and rural life on a handful of news stories and statistics? What if this swayed my impression of communities as a whole?
A Victor, New York resident stabbed another man to death in 2024 after following him home from a nearby suburban bar.
A man was stabbed and killed by a woman in Canandaigua, New York this past year.
The same community south of Rochester reported more than three times number of rapes compared to the national average.
And these just scratch the surface of stories where serious crimes populate suburban-Rochester narratives. But residents of these suburban communities will likely be quick to point out that these are exceptions in an otherwise peaceful existence. My response, of course, is to afford Rochester or other population centers the same “yeah but,” contextual approach and understanding. With a few exceptions, our city is safe to live in and visit, as are the suburban and rural communities I have mentioned above.
Speaking of painting with a broad brush, I have often found that the same people who believe that cities are cesspools of violence, and would never set foot in them, are also the people who believe those who live in cities are weak, fragile “snowflakes.” I have always found this to be an interesting take, as logic would suggest that people who live in areas where their safety is most in jeopardy would inherently grow a thicker skin. In contrast, those who avoided these areas of supposed crime and violence would be the ones who would lack the calluses of life. For me, toughness is the single mom who lives in an underserved neighborhood and saw all 5 of her children through college. Tough is the teacher who knows that so many of her students are malnourished, mistreated or gang-affiliated, and still does everything she can to give every child a chance to transcend. Toughness isn’t casting stones from afar, it’s exhaustingly pushing forward to make a difference and against all odds, lift their families and communities.
No city, town, suburb, or neighborhood is “one thing.” Rochester has a high crime rate in concentrated areas. But this does not define the city, nor is it an ever-present backdrop that affects everyone. And even in the areas that are afflicted by the most violence, a majority of the residents work hard everyday to lift their neighborhoods and be the change they want to see. This can occur through family, faith communities, schools, libraries, community centers, non-profits and individuals. These are my heroes. These are the toughest people I have ever met.
In sum, much of Rochester is safe for the most part. And in the areas where higher crime rates exist, the majority of residents and community leaders are strong folks who are either forced or have chosen to face their difficult circumstances head-on. In either case, saying that a city is bad based on its crime statistics is tremendously ignorant, one-dimensional, and shortsighted. Let’s appreciate the difficulties that communities uniquely experience and try to be the change we want to see instead of casting stones from the periphery. A truly “United States” starts there.
***I am an urbanist influencer and do not have a formal degree in urban planning. While I am deeply passionate about urban design, trends, issues and topics, I believe in this time of undisciplined media to be honest and transparent regarding my lack of any kind of formal journalism or urban planning education. I still believe in my ability to present my viewpoints on interesting topics, but I fully admit that I have not been trained in the higher-educational rigors of expertise on such perspectives. My goal is to challenge people to think differently, not to be the the cited source of unquestionable truth. This footer will now accompany every Urban Phoenix piece, and I am proud to offer this transparency in a time when opinion is often coveted over rigorously-tested fact.***