I have been reading many posts here and it seems that many people love Costa Rica.
But, thansk to reading Lonely PLanet CR, my husband got scarred a bit as they mentioned not only that you should never leave anything in your car, lots of scams etc. but also the fact that 24 thousand people were killed in 6 years.
Please give me your feedback.

As a single female traveler, I felt very safe. So safe - and enamoured - that I'm going back again solo in several weeks.

Where did your husband get those numbers? The average rate of murder per year is 250-300. Just use common sense, don't leave valuables in your car, don't wear flashy jewelry and just enjoy CR.

Leaving things in your car,is, unfortunately not a good idea.
We've been a half dozen times and never been scammed....just use a bit of common sense.
24000 killed in 6 years? Funny and not true.
Costa Rica is a great place to visit.

Jerry

I felt totally safe. I never met an unkind or even grumpy Tico. We brought our 2 children - our visits included touristy areas and a small village. NEVER felt in danger. I had read Lonely Planet, too, and had a twinge of concern, but none of it materialized.

I took 4 kids under 9 there for a month and most recently 2 kids until 13. I was never scammed and I felt safe at all times.

24,000 in six years!!!!! I don't think so.

Petty theft can be an annoying problem particularly if they get something important like a passport or your money. It is true that you should never leave anything in your car while sight seeing or even having lunch unless you can keep an eye on your car. Getting your rental car away from the airport helps avoid the punctured tire scam where it goes flat down the road and there just happens to be someone willing to assist immediately. Don't wear jewelry, don't carry a lot of money while touring and walking around (many places have safes in the rooms or in the office), carry a copy of your passport and keep your passport in a safe also.

Costa Rica is safe if you use common sense. I wouldn't walk around New York City with a pocket full of money either but I sure wouldn't stop going there because of the crime.

Felt safe . I took my children . Use caution like you would in any new surrounding ...

Thank you to all of you for responding so quickly!!!

I usually plan vacations by reading on the discussion groups, my husband is a matter of fact person (in this case travel guide Moon Books.)

Jesse,unfortunately, that' what the Moon handbooks (year 2001) says on pg. 153 (American Development bank suggests that as many as 24,000 costa rican may have met violent deaths in recent 6 years period prompting a national march in August 2000 to promt government action).
However based on all the reports and discussion here on Fodors I did feel that Costa Rica is safe, but just for the peace of his mind I wanted to post it. I regain my confidence again and am at full speed on the planning.

Actually I read recently somewhere that Costa Rica has a lower rate of violent crime than the U.S. ..... Use common sense , you will be fine . You are doing the proper research . Faith

The murder rate in CR is about the same as in the USA. Burglary and robbery rates are much higher, but tourists are not the main targets.

I found that actual report btw. It's not that 24,000 people died in 6 years, it's an estimated time based on the entire population.

A UNDP study, "Violence in Costa Rica: the View from Public Health", by Guido Miranda and Luis del Valle points out that even in peaceful Costa Rica, violence has reduced the life expectancy of males by nearly four months, and that in the six years taken into account, violent deaths led to the loss of an estimated 24,000 years of life.

So, as I & everyone here has said, use common sense as you would anywhere else.

Tully, that's exactly what my husband needs to see- the actual excerpt from the report, great, thanks. I am not happy that the travel book we are using took just an excerpt which turned out to be not so acurate, grrrr. but all's well in the end thanks to you for reading and replying