ok have at it. Enter "Howard St" into the Crime Map and you'll find out exactly how safe North St. James Town is. Not sure what "Forest Hill" has to do with anything.
http://data.torontopolice.on.ca/pages/maps
TLDR? Here are the TPS stats, along with the city averages:
North St.James Town...
I wouldn't put too fanciful a gloss on this neighbourhood. It's adjacent to the largest low-income high-rise community in the country, and one of the most economically deprived in the city. Given that: "stuff" happens:
Man shot near Bloor and Sherbourne streets...