Why SC is so weird:

From Wikipedia:
Crime and public safety Edit

Santa Cruz consistently suffers the highest property crime rates per capita for medium and large-sized cities in the state of California,[59][60] in addition to some of the highest violent crime rates in the state of California for medium and large-sized cities.[60] Additionally, Santa Cruz suffers some of the highest rates of homelessness in the US, with 9,041 estimated homeless in Santa Cruz county in 2011, approximately 3.5% of the total county population.[61] with over 52% of homeless experiencing some form of mental illness, including clinical depression or PTSD and over 26% suffering unspecified mental illness.[61] Additionally, 38% of homeless surveyed in Santa Cruz county in 2011 experienced drug and/or alcohol dependency.[61] In recent years, citizen groups such as Take Back Santa Cruz, established in 2009, have lobbied city government and officials to address this public safety crisis that has gathered national attention.[62][63]

In 1973, with the discovery of four bodies in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, then District Attorney Peter Chang mumbled a comment about "Murderville, USA." It was picked up by a reporter and went to wire service as "Murder Capital of the World."[64]