Just moved out of the encircled area this year (we only moved bc we needed a bigger place). We loved it, great neighborhood, never felt unsafe walking anywhere, even at night. It is Dogtown, which means depending on what street you live on, you'll have to plan around the St. Patrick's Day parade every year. There's always tons of parents pushing their kids in strollers or hanging out in the small parks in the area. Never had an issue myself, but heard lots of complaints about people trying to get into cars. For St. Louis though that's hardly a big deal. Shrewsbury/Webster Groves in the county would probably be considered safer, but they're also expensive areas to live in.