Obie's right. Talking about crime in a neighborhood is a violation of the Fair Housing Act and can get a realtor in trouble. They are only allowed to point customers to sources of information where a customer can make their own determination.
I can't speak to the information in the article posted above, but in Hawaii the MLS people can fine a realtor for even putting things in a listing description like, "The Punaweb Bar and Grill is only a five minute walk from this amazing property" because it's discriminatory/offensive against people who can't walk, and being physically disabled is a protected class. You might see those things in listings, but technically they are in violation, and the realtor will be sanctioned (usually a warning if they fix it) if they are reported. Describing a neighborhood as having "high crime", even in an informal setting, is considered steering, and against a slew of rules, laws, and regulations.
If you want to know "why", research why the TV Series COPS was taken off the air.
I can't speak to the information in the article posted above, but in Hawaii the MLS people can fine a realtor for even putting things in a listing description like, "The Punaweb Bar and Grill is only a five minute walk from this amazing property" because it's discriminatory/offensive against people who can't walk, and being physically disabled is a protected class. You might see those things in listings, but technically they are in violation, and the realtor will be sanctioned (usually a warning if they fix it) if they are reported. Describing a neighborhood as having "high crime", even in an informal setting, is considered steering, and against a slew of rules, laws, and regulations.
If you want to know "why", research why the TV Series COPS was taken off the air.