Safety

[dakota]

HI, I was wondering where on the big island of hawaii is it safe to live without crime?

[Dave Smith]

Is this a trick question? I think it's safe to live pretty much everywhere without crime.

But as to where the crime is, there's no place, on the Big Island or elsewhere, completely devoid of it. The biggest problem in Puna, which is the size of Oahu, and other rural parts of the island is property crime (burglaries and such). I don't think most folks worry too much about violent crime, even in the bigger towns of Hilo and Kailua.

[PaulW]

Maybe a comma is missing.

You can never completely get away from crime. Perhaps there is less chance of it in a gated community in Kona but
at least in Puna I'd say crime isn't really something to worry about too much, compared to all the other benefits
of living here.

[missydog1]

The people I know who live in gated communities in Kohala, with security cameras on the only road in, and police presence, have nice safe neighborhoods.

People would like to burglarize them, no doubt, but they can't get in.

Even in Waikoloa Village, where I have family, people aren't too concerned.
You can try to minimize the east side/Puna problems, but really it's much different over there. It's like living in suburbia in California, whereas with Puna I feel more like its got all the concerns of urban Berkeley/Oakland, where I used to live, only thieves can hide better.

My own area north of Hilo is hardly immune from concerns, but in my neighborhood everybody seems to know everyone else, and that is not true in the average large subdivision in Puna.

[Devany]

We have a very safe neighborhood, Pauka'a... just 2 miles north of Hilo. Neighborhood watch is strong. No crime in the last 11 years whatsoever. Everyone knows everyone. Everyone knows what people drive. It is extremely safe. I have friends in Honokaa that have never locked their doors in 20 years. Also friends in Hilo that leave their doors unlocked. All is not scary here.

On the other hand, my husband was showing property in Hawaiian Acres and was met by a shot gun toting guy. He said that there had been 4 home invasions, a rape and a kidnap on that block in the last month. EEEEEEK!

quote:

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Originally posted by dakota

HI, I was wondering where on the big island of hawaii is it safe to live without crime?

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Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany

www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com

[MarkP]

The subdivisions in Puna are very affordable compared to other areas. They attract some people who can afford nowhere else. Some of these people can afford nowhere else because they are total screw-ups, substance abusers, etc. It therefor follows that una has a somewhat higher rate of crime than Waikoloa or Waimea.

To be honest I was naiive when I bought in Eden Roc. However, it has not turned out too badly. I don't know everyone on my road but among my immediate neighbors there is one who is stand-offish and just weird and there are two who are great. The weird/hostile element is there but there are more and more well adjusted people every day.

[missydog1]

Pauka'a also has a lot of million dollar plus properties. It's a wealthy neighborhood. Same principle.

Hilo has a lot of different neighborhoods, from safe to sketchy. (I've looked at a ton of property in Hilo and lived there for a bit over two years. (and yes, we had some crime, even though we had felt very safe there for a year, one night we were hit, and another time a neighbor was.)

[missydog1]

I told this story once before and offended some people, but it's just an anecdote of one perspective. A young guy who worked with my son, who had grown up in Ainaloa, explained to him that the concept of property was pretty loose when he grew up. He and his friends thought nothing of dropping by other families kitchens when they weren't home and helping themselves.

As for haoles, he said the ones in Orchidland and HPP and so forth were like shopping areas full of pickings, conveniently near home but not home turf.

Just a POV from someone who grew up in a poor family here. Those who "got" should provide for those who don't got. Not that everyone has that outlook, but some do.

[Carey]

We have found that here, as in everywhere, the "character' of the neighborhood varies, even from street to street within a subdivision. One neighbor can be all it takes to change the "safety" of an area (We had that in a fairly exclusive suburb in Chicago & have seen it here).

There are many areas here that have strong neighborhood community, and have little to no crime. Some are very expensive (one thing to note, although Pauka'a is an expensive neighborhood, it is not a gated community, so there is no filter, just a strong neighborhood community) some are working class, and some that are very poor (we have delivered "Christmas Wish" presents for a few years, and have seen some very strong communities in very poor areas).

[TheodoreJay]

Safety is relative, for example crime stats for Pahoa are much lower than Kona in general, where as Hilo is pretty scary but judging by stats for Denver I should be really afraid. My biggest daily safety concern is not geting killed on the road to work. Also, I have been mugged (hit over the head) on Capitol Hill in Denver and Denver is know as a relatively safe city vs. other large cities.

Yep agree if you live in neighbor hoods where low lifes live its easier for them to stop by and have free lunch while you are not there :/

If I had to pick a relatively "safe" area on the Island it probably would be a town like Volcano but of course there's nothing to do up there if you don't work for the park or travel related employment or some farming.

So choose your neighbors wisely and hope the good ones don't bail