Right around the Great Mall, there’s a collection of brand new communities offering about 5000 condos, townhouses, and single family homes in the proximity of a correctional facility, the Elmwood. Since there are so many potential homes in the area, buyers often ask about the level of safety to be expected from living so close to a correctional facility.

Having lived in the area for three decades, here’s my view. Aside from an eyesore, this correctional facility should pose no additional security threat to surrounding property. From the city crime reports, there’s actually no sign of higher crime rates in the area. While other crime statistics may prove this one way or another, the whole point of a correctional facility is to act as a deterrent for past and potential transgressions. If you’re a criminal element and you can see already where you might end up, you’ll likely think twice about committing a crime right in front of a correctional facility.

As for the Elmwood, it’s a juvenile detention and medium security facility, not a bunch of hardened criminals. For the past decade, it’s been rumored that it would be relocated somewhere less offending. But, nothing has been forthcoming. The latest guess is for a move in 2017.

As for me, I feel safer walking around Elmwood at night than much of metro LA in the day time.