Like most cities, criminality is highly dependent on where you are and what time it is. The rampant homelessness issue is clearly evident and the only city from my experience that rivals Seattle's homeless rate is Honolulu. Honolulu also imposed stricter criminal laws at the time I lived there.

We did not encounter any direct criminality against us while we lived there, although my wife had a close call. She stayed late to finish up work and left her internal office door unlocked to grab food. Within that 15 minute window, someone hopped a fencing structure, gained entry to the building, and managed to steal anything he thought was important. It was one of the few offices unlocked. Thankfully she did not surprise him in the act.

Camera recordings provided a clear description of the perpetrator and police found him within 20 minutes at a local homeless encampment. A 19-year-old kid high on meth with a long criminal history including rape. Police recovered everything and returned it after holding it as evidence. It's an incredibly sad situation all around.