If there is a very high likelihood of being a victim, or if you stumble across the crud in the streets so much that it is depressing, I would scram. Other than that you are going to need to take pretty extreme measures not to see vandalism and the occasional condom , to be able to avoid reading about crime , seeing crime , or even feeling at risk of the occasional crime.
We moved to a better location when we started a family. Schools were an issue too. If it were not for the kids we might have stayed because the old neighborhood was extremely convenient to our lifestyles. You just have to weigh it out to your own comfort level.
