The Phoenix metro area has some wonderful neighborhoods, but this one little community was plagued with a huge crime problem, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. With some dedicated policing, the crime rate has improved and residents say that they feel safe here.

Maryvale is a neighborhood in the greater Phoenix metro area. It's on the west side of the city, stretching from about 35th Avenue to 87th Avenue, and from I-10 to Glendale.
Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA/Wikimedia
Built in the 1950s and 1960s, it was the first planned community in Arizona. The neighborhood featured affordable houses built by developer John F. Long.
Ethan/flickr

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Unfortunately, the neighborhood fell into disrepair starting in the 1980s. Drug dealers moved in, and the crime rate went through the roof. It was one of the most dangerous places in Arizona - and the country.
Kevin Spencer/flickr
The Phoenix police department created task forces to deal with specific areas of crime plaguing the area. With community policing, the crime rate decreased a lot. In 2008, the violent crime rate fell 5 percent; property crime fell 9 percent.
While the overall crime rate is still high, the residents here report that they generally feel safe. Maryvale is a very community-oriented neighborhood with plenty of pride and lots of neighbor involvement in local activities.
Chris English/Wikimedia
The Maryvale Baseball Park, located at 3600 N. 51st Avenue, is home to the Arizona Brewers, and is the spring training facility for the Milwaukee Brewers.
theblackdog2071/flickr

What do you think? Has the crime rate in Arizona improved? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

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