Why were people living in Hooverviles vulnerable to crime and violence?

People living in Hoovervilles, makeshift shantytowns during the Great Depression, were vulnerable to crime and violence due to their precarious living conditions and lack of social support. Many residents were unemployed and desperate, leading to increased criminal activity as individuals sought to survive. Additionally, the absence of law enforcement and community resources made these areas ripe for exploitation and conflict, with residents often facing threats from outside groups or even within their own communities. The overall instability of their environment further exacerbated these vulnerabilities.