Do you feel as comfortable driving across the continental U.S as you would have ten years ago?

Down 50%? WTF neighborhood are you living in? I do have to make one correction. I grew up during the 70's and 80's and those numbers you quoted me don't mean a damn thing in most inner cities. I moved out of the area and the crime was virtually non-existent. That's what happens when you and the other neighbors got your back.

All major crime rates are down going back to the 60s and 70s.  Inner cities have always had higher crime rates than anywhere else.  

How much time would you actually be driving through inner cities on a cross-country trip?  You could easily avoid them entirely on a coast-to-coast trip, unless your origin or destination were an inner city.

@Zack -- You seem to be struggling with the concept that your local crime rate MAY OR MAY NOT be indicitive of the national crime rate. Yes, some areas have higher crime rates than in the past. Others have lower crime rates.

If one were to drive across the country, one would experience a large variety of different neighborhoods, which would make one's risk of crime experience more or less reflective of the NATIONAL rate.

Again, why do you feel so afraid when empirical reality should alay your fears?

Dude. I'm done with you.

What can I say? I am in and out of your so called reality.

Whatever you may think I love it when you come into the arena armed with facts. Let the battle begin on those facts.