I know St Croix has received bad publicity lately re crime. I am thinking of going there in Feb. Is crime really a greater problem there than other islands or is this being blown out of proportion?

In my opinion, yes and yes.<BR><BR>Some islands are safer than St. Croix; others are less safe.<BR><BR>The recent publicity has centered around cruise lines' decisions to drop St. Croix from their itineraries.<BR>These decisions were also based on the relative lack of activities/excursions for cruise passengers in St. Croix.<BR><BR>Some Virgin Islanders also believe that the decisions were related to the territorial government's reluctance to give the cruise lines everything they wanted in connection with a new dock in St. Thomas.<BR><BR>It also doesn't help that the St. Croix cruise ship dock is in Frederiksted, which is a much less charming locale than Christiansted.<BR><BR>Crimes against tourists in St. Croix have occurred in more-or-less deserted beach areas, and in the more urban areas at night, so those are the environments to avoid.<BR><BR>In my opinion, St. Croix is safer than Jamaica and the Dominican Republic (although most problems there can be avoided by staying in gated resorts), and about equal to St. Thomas.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>

Yes, it's unsafe. We have friends who were born and raised on St. Croix who now live on Tortola and they say they won't step foot on St. Croix because of the high crime and poverty.<BR>Please reconsider if you can.

Karen, Listen to cdt (first response) - that information is pretty accurate. I've been going to St. Croix since 1989 (19 trips, most recently this past March) and have never had so much as an anxious moment. Crime falls largely into two categories: 1) Crime of opportunity - deserted beaches, dark secluded locations, back alleys, etc. where you would be an easy mark; 2) Gang or domestic related . It's easy enough to avoid becoming a target for #1 with a little common sense, and #2 should be a non-issue for tourists since it's almost exclusively local on local.<BR><BR>E-mail me if you'd like more information, but don't be afraid of St. Croix.

Please keep in mind that 21 of the 38 rapes so far this year in the USVI occurred in St. Croix, as reported in this article:<BR><BR>http://www.virginislandsdailynews.co...home?id=310254

Re: Rape - True, but none of the crimes were committed against a tourist. Not trying to minimize the horrible crime, just relating the reality that such crimes do not target tourists.

You definitely come across like someone who IS trying to minimize the rape statistics. According to you, as long as no tourists are affected, then it's not really THAT big a deal. The fact is, many tourists are affected by crime in St. Croix and St. Thomas every year, including violent crime. I don't know whether any tourists were raped so far this year because I haven't researched each case. I guess since you're certain no tourists were raped this year, then you must have some connection with the island. In other words, you have some reason to downplay crime there.

You definitely come across as someone who is trying to maximize the rape and crime statstitics. I guess that you are so certain that many tourists are affected by crime you must have some connection to the island and are able to validate your charges unlike those who do live there. Or more likely you have connections with another island or an agenda to trash the USVI and its residents and present it in the very worst light. Crime in the USVI is not downplayed compared to many islands whose tourist boards and PR agents hide any and all criminal activity. Visitors are openly and repetedily warned about safety in and around the VI's including the BVI and how to avoid the situations and places it occurs. The increase of crime that the cruise ships declare caused them to drop St. Croix was several attacks of crew who were in areas that tourists are repeatedly warned not to go and were attmepting to engage in criminal behavior themselves but the agenda was larger than that for one cruise line and its partners. The other cruise line was scheduled to change itinerary and not stop at St. Croix before the others pulled out. Get your facts and knowledge straight before mistating facts. I am in no way connected to the island and have no stake in whether people choose any island or desintation. Since the few who might be scared away by your obsession are more likely not to visit the USVI anyway they are easily replaced by the thousands who visit daily safely without incident. The constant attacks and twisting of statistics to make it fit whatever the agenda is and the trashing of certain destinations is rather boring. Any discussion opens the door to repeated and constant posting of any crime in the USVI and attacks on the poster while hiding behind the guise of informing others with multiple posts with many screen names. Why not post daily crime reports accurately for ALL destinations or is it that the USVI does not hide them so it's a no brainer to find them? What is so wrong with the islanders themselves who live in and are more aware of the crime patterns and issues who post than you sitting behind your computer thousands of miles away surfing several on-line newspapers posting a distorted spin you put on certain statistics and reports in an attempt to scare and intimidate people to not visit the USVI and this board. Then when challenged do nothing but name call and avoid the discussion. No one denys there are problems throughout the Caribbean with illegal activities. Even the residents of the USVI do not deny that there is a problem on their islands. But present a fair and open discussion of ALL islands and do not present a one-target mission. That speaks for itself.

The USVI were rocked by several killings and armed robberies in just the last WEEK alone, including out-of-control things like a woman being set on fire and an execution-style killing. St. Thomas is on track this year to break its own record for number of homicides set back in 1994. Tourists have a right to know that the USVI has an escalating VIOLENT crime problem, which is NOT something occurring on most other islands that are popular tourist destinations. I think most of us realize that links to crime statistics are the cold, hard facts. We expect many people like Alex to try to hide those facts and try to attack the messengers. But the truth always prevails.

Would you please elaborate which cruise ship the woman who was burned to death last year arrived on? Care to elaborate what resort the woman who was shot execution style was staying? The fact that she and her husband murdered her baby had nothing to do with that, correct? They had come for a family vacation, correct? Domestic violence is rampant everywhere and abuse permerates every culture or country. I am not hiding but you are! Post your real name and email address! <BR>Why not point out the whole story instead of hiding behind your bias?

I couldn't agree more with Alex. So what if the natives are raping and murdering each other. The only negative impact is that there will be fewer natives to serve us our drinks are freshen our towels. As long as the tourists keep coming, what does it matter?

so glad to see that Papi has given us insight into the local political situation and the socio-economic problems that plague our fellow citizens. I am sure he can elighten us further about the impact of the drug culture and gangs that can be found in the urban areas of the USVI where unemployment and underemployment, education and poverty are the rule for some. Even with the USVI being ranked third in wealth in Caribbean islands, it does have more than its share of local on local crime. However crime on other islands tends to be less noticable and more white collar, money laundering and the like but some of the most popular islands are reknowned as being drug trafficking centers with government knowledge and blessings. No note of the 15 new police recruited on St. Croix is also a rather substantial omission. No one denies that there can be safety issues where ever one travels in the Caribbean or world wide and one should never become over confident. I am still seeking sources of crime reporting from other islands whose energies are spent hiding crime from the unsuspecting tourists. I have yet to see the USVI scapegoat their problems on outsiders as many islands do or writing the crime off as not a problem.

Papi!!!!<BR><BR>I didn't realize that Ku Klux Klansmen frequented the USVI's!<BR><BR>You sound just like a typical racist American supremacist only concerned with 'what's in it for me'. Those poor folk oughta know their place and serve my needs or suffer the consequences".

Unfortunately those rape statistics above are already out of date. The new tally is 39 rapes in the USVI so far this year with **22** occurring in St. Croix as reported here:<BR><BR>www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=310269<BR><BR>Only about half of the rape cases were solved according to this earlier article, meaning most of the rapists are still at large:<BR><BR>http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=168502<BR>

Jerk, when you post two posts within a few minutes of each other, at least use the same name! And now you are using Alex's name. What an idiot!

Rather than sink to the level of name calling, perhaps you could channel your intense anger into finding solutions to the problem. Maybe we can brainstorm a solution here to solve the crime situation so that St. Croix can regain the "island paradise" status it used to have instead of watching it self destruct.

I have lived on St. Croix for 5 years, having moved here from Kansas City. Most of the bad PR stems from problems between the government and the cruise lines (much to complicated to explain). I am a single woman who has no problem going out in the evening by myself. HOWEVER! Just like any other place if you are out running around at 1 or 2 in the morning especially by yourself your are asking for trouble. One of the problems is having tourists come and try to buy drugs and get themselves into bad locations with poor company. There are lots of wonderful and safe resturants, beach bars, lovely beaches, and kind friendly people. The key, no matter where you go is to stay in well lighted, well frequented areas and be careful where you go alone. St. Croix is much more laid back than St. Thomas and we have Buck Island the only underwater national park. Please check us out more closely before making a decision. Oh yes! My daughter, her husband and my two grandchildren come down and I don't worry about them. Matter of fact less than if they were going into KC.

Linda wants you to think St. Croix is as safe as anyplace. But if you look at the statistics, it has homicide and armed robbery rates WAY higher than most other islands in the Caribbean, which is one reason three cruise lines have stopped going there. Here's two examples of armed robberies that don't fit the "looking for drugs" or "dark back street" scenario she wants you to believe they all are. In one case, two tourists were robbed at gunpoint at the beach. The other was a woman walking to the beach. <BR><BR>www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=150032<BR><BR>www.virginislandsdai lynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=279015<BR><BR>When you're on a small island you shouldn't have to be looking over your shoulder as if you're in the bad part of a big city. Linda is a fool if she doesn't worry about her grandchildren. The rape of minors on St. Croix is a massive problem.

I just returned from a business trip to St Croix and would definitely return there for vacation. I'm from the NYC area and DID feel safe. There is crime, but to me it was much safer than Jamaica. You can leave the resorts - I recommend it in fact - and walk around without being hassled. Some of the nicest people that I've ever met are on the island of St Croix and the restaurants are fabulous in C'sted.

I don't get it! Somebody explain to me why it's always the Virgin Islands that is always being bashed about the crime issue. It cannot be any worse than other places in the Carribean, but you always have these people that just go on and on about the crime in the Virgin Islands, like they have a vendetta or something.