# Americans: on a scale of 0 to 12, how much do you worry about becoming a victim of violent crime? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 22, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268 "2014-09-22T19:59:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/1 "2014-09-22T19:59:33Z")
Zero means you don’t worry at all. Twelve means that even if you could wear Iron Man armor outside your house and live inside a castle besides, you’d still be a little nervous. Don’t wait for the poll; there isn’t one. I decided while typing this sentence that I didn’t feel like posting recipes or making jokes. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/2 "2014-09-22T20:06:11Z")
1: Not out of the realm of possibility, but nothing I really think about on a daily basis at all, beyond locking my doors and checking the back seat of my car when I get in at night. Here’s a really good brownie recipe I made last night: [http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/wicked-easy-fudge-brownies-recipe](http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/wicked-easy-fudge-brownies-recipe) ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/3 "2014-09-22T20:07:01Z")
Zero. I don’t personally know anybody who has either, aside from a bar fight. ---
**Author:** ![nani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58956e/32.png) [@nani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nani)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/4 "2014-09-22T20:07:56Z")
1 There’s a new world order/truther delusional that regularly goes to my favorite cafe and who knows when he’ll blow up… but otherwise no. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/5 "2014-09-22T20:08:27Z")
About a 3, I keep aware of my surroundings and take basic precautions but the thought doesn’t occupy my mind very much. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/6 "2014-09-22T20:09:50Z")
About a 7, I’d say. I’m a little paranoid. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/7 "2014-09-22T20:10:15Z")
On a daily basis? 0. Maybe a 1-2 if I’m out of town, especially if it’s a city. Like, I make sure my hotel door is locked & bolted. I don’t walk to my car in the middle of the night alone. But I’m also not actively worrying about violent crime, I just take slightly more precautions than if I were at home. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/8 "2014-09-22T20:10:36Z")
I guess I worry enough to stay out of stupid situations and maintain some awareness of my surroundings. Guess I’ll go with 1. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/9 "2014-09-22T20:11:11Z")
For me, about a 1 and for the wife, about a 3 But ‘victim’ for me means they got away with it. More for attempts than victim in our case. Wife is more aware in her type of danger zones and I am more so in those that apply only to me. If we are together, bring it on. Both CCW and always carry. In a different part of the US, that can go up more and even if the actual danger is less but the LEO’s are noted for ‘thugs’, that would raise it a few more points until I could move. Now days, I have very few reasons to live in those places. A constant state of awareness or ‘paranoia’ is the price we pay to live here to day. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/10 "2014-09-22T20:12:40Z")
Private life? A 1 or a 2 depending on what I am doing. At work? 6-7. It’s happened before, I’m sure it will happen again. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/11 "2014-09-22T20:15:41Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > For me, about a 1 and for the wife, about a 3 > > But ‘victium’ for me means they got away with it. That’s not what I mean by victim. If a knife-wielding fellow attempts to mug me, but I manage to smack the blade out of his hand and send him running, I’ve still be the victim of an attempted robbery despite the fact that it was not successful; likewise if someone tries to breaks into my apartment but I am able to get to my gun in time and so restrain him until the police arrive. In other words, please ignore the pejorative connotations of the word victim. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/12 "2014-09-22T20:18:37Z")
Zero, I live in an area with nearly nonexistent crime, and it’s rural, I stand more chance of being attacked by a coyote-dog hybrid “coydog” or being bitten by a møøse\* Average emergency response times are 20 to 30 minutes (fire, police, animal control), so we need to be self sufficient anyway, we have the means to defend ourselves from criminals and Maine is a Castle Doctrine/Stand your Ground state I’ve lived here for 44 years, and we have never been victims of a crime. \*møøse bites kan be pretti nasti! ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/13 "2014-09-22T20:24:52Z")
4 or 5. It’s definitely a possibility and has happened to friends. I don’t dwell on it though. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/14 "2014-09-22T20:26:24Z")
I’m a 1 or 2. It’s not something that concerns me on a daily basis and it never interferes with the things I want to do… but I still take basic precautions. For example: I lock my doors when I’m home, and I keep a firearm just in case. I’m always reminding people that they’re more likely to be killed, raped or assaulted by someone they know rather than a stranger. Those who have an irrational fear are almost always more worried about strangers than they should be. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/15 "2014-09-22T20:26:48Z")
2.54 on the metric scale. So about a 1 on the OP’s. To be fair, the worst thing that’s happened thus far was someone braking into my car to steal the change from the ash tray. Damned kids! ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/16 "2014-09-22T20:29:25Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > 2.54 on the metric scale. So about a 1 on the OP’s. > > To be fair, the worst thing that’s happened thus far was someone braking into my car to steal the change from the ash tray. Damned kids! Did they take your spellchecker too? 😃 Anyway, that wasn’t a violent crime–by which I mean there was no violence directed against any PERSON. Unless you’re driving an Autobot. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/17 "2014-09-22T20:31:37Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > Zero, I live in an area with nearly nonexistent crime, and it’s rural, I stand more chance of being attacked by a coyote-dog hybrid “coydog” or being bitten by a møøse\* Ha, this is what I was going to say! Sub mountain lion for moose in my current location, though. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/18 "2014-09-22T20:36:27Z")
I’m a 1, maybe a 2. I’m aware that I could be subject to a violent crime but it’s never happened and I doubt it ever will. Unfortunately, my wife is probably a zero - doesn’t believe it could happen to her - and so is not as cautious as I’d like. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/19 "2014-09-22T20:40:24Z")
Violent crime? Hell, I’m about five miles from the Pentagon and six from the White House. I have more to fear from a dirty bomb! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268/20 "2014-09-22T20:46:03Z")
I think generally for myself a one, but I worry about my drivers and put that around a 6. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/americans-on-a-scale-of-0-to-12-how-much-do-you-worry-about-becoming-a-victim-of-violent-crime/699268.md?page=2)