1 But D.C. is just like Detroit. I once took a wrong exit off a freeway in it... Okay, it's not quite like Detroit, as we escaped unjacked. But still, it's pretty close. The Best Western in which we stayed was the most dilapidated hotel in my life ever - and I'm not exhaggerating for rhethoric flourish: it really was. In a MacDonald's 1 mile south of the national Capitol local residents asked my wife and daughter if they were new to the shelter.

Anyone who's not a lumpen lives outside of D.C. proper, in e.g. Alexandria.

2

As a life long resident of the DC area, I have to agree - that ratio does sound astoundingly low. Clearly only 1 in 5 people involved in criminal activity in areas like Anacostia are actually being caught.

DC is actually two cities. There is the well policed and secure Federal City in the middle and the NW quadrant where all the city well to do's that must reside in the city live, and the slums that surround it on the other three sides (a great view of which can be had out of the rear windows of the capitol building). When traveling thru SE via 295 to destinations north or south of the city, we usually take the advice from Apocalypse Now - "never get out of the boat".

3

When I heard the news that Otakon was moving from Baltimore to DC in 2017, I started going over everything that con-goers will be shocked by.

At least Katsucon is held outside the city limits.  Otakon will be in the district.  I guess it will work out as long as people do not stray too far out of the area around the convention center, and the Otakon staff has been spending a lot of time assuring people about DC ('We negotiated the rates for the hotels already!')

4 I didn't know it was that bad, but I probably should have guessed. This is the city that reelected Marion Barry after he got out of prison.

5 Baltimore is the place where I got hit for $10 by a random dude at the harbor. I'm not a big fan of Baltimore either. However, D.C. is an interesting contrast between all the federal power and the slums within a short walk.

6 Just got back from DC, renewing my wife's passport. Man, was that traffic ever nightmarish! I had no idea how lucky we'd been, having to do it last time during a record blizzard. 
I'd much rather drive in six inchs of snow and whiteout conditions, than bumper to bumper traffic laws optional traffic.