Have not worked in El Paso, but have traveled through there on my way to & from Cali.... The crime rate is so high because El Paso is basically half in Mexico. The city of Juarez, Mexico is RIGHT up against downtown El Paso (like, on the other side of a chain link fence....). So, if you will be working downtown, you will be less than a half mile from Mexico... Also, on the other side of El Paso is Ft. Bliss military base, which brings in a whole other criminal element.