My son rides the light rail five days a week to work and back, he's never had anything other than the occasional smelly bum episode. It's like any metro area, mind your own business, and don't present yourself as a target. He lives in Minneapolis, and has no plans to leave. In all the years he has lived in Minneapolis he has yet to be murdered, much less mugged. Crime ridden seems a bit much to say. It's like any metro area as I said. Good areas and tough areas. I find a lot of the neighborhoods to be amazingly vibrant, with great dining options, and plenty of nice houses. Some parts, not so much.
I wish some of the people in this thread condemning Minneapolis would take a drive to Keokuk/Ottumwa/Denison... and report back about how wonderful those small towns in Iowa are. Gleaming new storefronts, no meth heads, and new families racing to move in...