When we talk about feeling safe in cities, you’d think that people living in crime ridden places like San Francisco, Chicago, New York City, etc., might feel afraid more than others. But in Tallahassee, Florida?
According to a recent poll taken by the city and the county in resides in, about half of the city’s residents are at least somewhat afraid. More specifically, they are scared of being shot.
It was reported that the Tallahassee-Leon County Council on the Status of Men and Boys conducted an online survey throughout the greater Tallahassee region focusing on residents’ perception of safety, what causes most violence, and what could help solve those problems.
Per the data, the survey received 668 valid responses. And nearly half of those all admitted to being fearful of being shot or having a loved one shot.
To break the survey down a bit, the first part focused on how safe people in the area felt. For the most part, people do actually feel safe in Tallahassee, with 92 percent saying they feel secure during the day and 73 percent feeling the same at night.
And yet, despite that supposed lack of fear, 45 percent later said that they held at least some level of concern when it comes to gun violence.
But how could that be?
Well, looking at crime stats in the area, the city saw 733 shooting incidents between 2019 and 2023 when the research was compiled. And while that might seem like a lot, further research shows that, by far, most of the shootings took place in one of only four neighborhoods.
This means the likelihood of someone actually being shot who doesn’t live or work in those areas is rather slim.
So why, then, are people so afraid?
Well, a large part of that is the media’s influence over the community. As you know, crimes like shootings are almost always reported on, making them seem more prevalent. Additionally, there is also a large focus placed on how dangerous guns can be.
Thankfully, not all respondents noted more gun control as part of the solution. So, at least some of them aren’t actually living in fear.
