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i'm 51 and grew up in a good middle class neighborhood, but when i was 7 or 10 years old, not a single kid my age was allowed to cross a street alone, play out of site of where their mom could see them by looking out the door or talk to strangers. in fact, there was a pamphlet about not talking to strangers given out by all the local elementary schools. none of us were allowed on a bus without an adult till we were at least 12, either. and i don't recall any kind of crime ever in the neighborhood.
btw, parents when i was growing up spent a lot more time deciding on what their kids could or couldn't watch - i barely know one parent who does this today.
and one other thing - when i was growing up, only 3 of the mothers i knew worked. mothers were home with the kids, so they probably didn't need the same level of rules. now that both parents have to work, i expect there are more rules to take place of a parent who's not only there but is also not mentally wrapped up in work or cleaning and cooking frantically after a full time job.
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