The thing about crime in Newark, especially violent crime and such, is that it's not really involving random people on the street. It's between people who know each other and have beef with each other. With most cities, you can reduce the crime rate with education and community outreach. However, when it's your cousin being a punk, no amount of community outreach is going to prevent the dumb fuck from stirring up a fight.

You remember how there was all that talk about stranger danger in the 1990s? And then you looked at statistics, and saw that the vast VAST majority of kidnapping, molestation, rape, etc was done by people that the child already knew, and that there wasn't this huge mess of strangers eager to steal some punk ass kid? That's the deal with violent crime in Newark. Nobody is going to jump you for your discount Nike shoes, and GAP Outlet jeans. They don't give a crap.

What will happen is that people will solve their issues with fists instead of words, but that doesn't really involve innocent bystanders. If you're generally a good person, people will leave you alone. I'm a skinny gay dude swanning about the neighbourhood, and nobody gives a fuck, because I mind my own business, and keep it moving.

EDIT: If you leave your bike locked up to something with a cheap ass chain, it's going to get jacked. Keep an eye on your crap, and you'll be fine. Also, be friendly to the unhoused people hanging around. They're not going to bother you, but an acknowledgement of "good morning" or something isn't going to hurt you. The most that someone will ask is if you can spare a buck or two for a coffee or if someone can bum a cigarette. A simple, "sorry, I'm out, but good luck" will go far. Your kindness is rewarded with information, like "Hey, that door over there is locked right now. Try that next one over," and everyone around there keeps an eye on you to make sure nobody's bothering you.