Eastex/Jensen area My first thought on the Eastex/Jensen area, where my family moved to in 2011, was frightening because the quality of the houses were poor, the neighborhoods lacked interaction, depressing sights of homeless animals, and the shopping centers seemed outdated and abandoned. Coming from a somewhat nice, calm, and friendly neighborhood, this move was anything but pleasant. As of 2014, the Eastex/Jensen area has a total population of 32,069. The population consists of 77 percent from the Hispanic origin, followed by 17 percent African American, five percent White, and less than one percent other. The educational background of the area is lead by 38 percent who have no high school education, followed by 29 percent who have some high school education, 17 percent who have some college, nine percent who achieved a bachelors degree, four percent who have an associates degree, and three percent who have a graduates degree. The median household income for the area is $32,114, while the average household income is $41,369, and the per capita income is $11,456. With such a high percentage of people who have little to no high school education, it’s no wonder why income in the area is so low, and may be a leading factor for the crime rate in the area to be above the national average. My biggest concern for the Eastex/Jensen area is the safety of the residents, the safety of visitors’, and where the direction of the area is heading. The annual rate of violent crimes in the Eastex/Jensen area is 60 percent higher than the Houston rate as a whole, accounting for 18.8 per 1,000 of the population. The annual rate of firearm related violent crimes in the area is 70 percent higher than the rate in Houston overall, accounting for 7.3 per 1,000 of the population. In my few years living in the Eastex/Jensen area, I’ve encountered several alarming experiences that have worried me about the dangers in my area. It began with the sounds of the area at night. I would have trouble sleeping because I would hear occasional gunshots, the screeching of cars daily, and sirens going by that became routine. Most of the crime in the area includes burglary, assault, property crime risk, and automotive theft. I frequently hear my mother talking about local businesses that get broken into, or attempted robberies. An example would be a nearby Family Dollar that was robbed recently. These robberies affect the local businesses, and affect my family’s willingness to go out to these stores. That may be a reason why many of the shopping centers end up broken down or abandoned. Luckily, our house is gated which adds a sense of security, but worrisome because it’s almost a requirement for the area. Yet, because our house is nicer than most in the area, I fear that our house may be a potential target for criminals. On one occasion, my friend asked me hang out at his house in the evening to watch a soccer game. I didn’t have a car at the time, nor I couldn’t find a ride, so I decided to walk since it was only about a mile away. On my way, I had to walk underneath the freeway and was walking alongside the feeder of Highway 59. Out of nowhere, a black van stopped next to me, so I quickly looked over. The driver, a hefty African American male who was shirtless, was demanding me to get in the vehicle. I refused and began walking faster, but he kept driving slowly next to me and yelled it once more. I told him to “fuck off,” and he drove ahead of me only to make a right and stop, where I would eventually cross his path. I wasn’t going to take the risk, so I quickly turned and sprinted into a nearby gas station. I don’t know what his intentions were, but that was one of the most frightening moments of my life, and wonder what else goes on in these streets. I haven’t walked anywhere since then in the area, and I told my family about what happened. As a result, my sister no longer walks the dog in the neighborhood, and instead goes to a park in another area of
