There was virtually no crime to speak of (and everyone understood the consequences). As a youth, frankly, I considered Singapore a near utopia to grow up in. Excellent English-based private schools (my parents taught there), a vast melting pot of cultures and foods, a major asian hub for endless travel opportunities, most everyone spoke english, etc.
If I were a young-20-something without kids, I might find it a bit uptight, repressed and boring after a while. But as a kid, and now a dad, the pros far outweigh the cons for a place to raise a young family and explore.
I love Singapore and have visited several times over the past few years, and never once have I had the slightest concern for my/our safety or had even the slightest feeling that we stood out, even when visiting the less visited parts; Singapore is just so culturally and racially diverse I think you'd have to really try to stand out!
I don't to what extent that is rooted in fact, and to what extent it's really about not having a scaremongering media constantly telling you you're about to get knifed, as we do back home.
Having said that, the very first time I went to Singapore was with work, and I literally knew nothing about the place, and yet instantly got a good vibe from the walking around it - I can't say that about many other major cities.
Thinking back, I wonder if the lack of graffiti, chewing gum all over the pavements and generally cleanliness that plague so many other cities has an impact on the way we perceive safety and risk (Singapore is without question the 'cleanest' city I've ever visited).
People seem to not want to touch on the subject that the Singapore gov't has invested major bucks into companies like Square... while also having some rights issues. Even Salesforce maintains offices in Singapore, despite all their issues with Indiana hinting about an unwelcoming climate earlier this year.
But seriously — Singapore is extremely safe. But it's also safe because it's tightly controlled. There are undercover policemen everywhere, tons of CCTC, and some strict rules. And I think they also block Wall Street Journal online.
Also, AFAIC WSJ is not blocked in Singapore. I asked a Singaporean colleague of mine, and he said he can reach it just fine... so again, any references?
But the plainclothes policemen are everywhere, and they'll fine you on the spot if you're found breaking the rules. There are booths all around the city where you can pay your fine. In New York you can buy a souvenir t-shirt that says "I <3 NY". The equivalent sold on the streets of Singapore reads "Singapore is a 'fine' city".
Us HN privacy/freedom types would hate that, but I loved the fact that my wife felt safe walking alone at night through a city she'd only spent 2 days in.
I've never been fined in Singapore, nor have I felt like I'm constantly being observed. If you walk around and observe the surroundings in the residential zones, there are people breaking minor laws like jaywalking and littering all the time and getting away with them.
> There are booths all around the city where you can pay your fine.
I've never seen one.
> In New York you can buy a souvenir t-shirt that says "I <3 NY". The equivalent sold on the streets of Singapore reads "Singapore is a 'fine' city".
You can purchase I <3 SG T-shorts as well. But yes, it's a running joke among both locals and tourists alike that Singapore is a 'fine' city.
Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. There's nothing to worry about in terms of safety. In terms of prejudice, you are on the right side of the coin too.
Sounds like most cities in the world. There's very little violent crime in Singapore though. It's 99.9% likely that you won't get mugged if you walk alone in a dark alleyway.
I should add that theft of unattended items does happen. Don't leave your cellphones or laptops unattended.
Crime is low enough that any sort of competent police work might be able to deal with it, but by and large the police don't do anything.