Costa Rica: Casas son cárceles?

Driving through the streets of San Jose to my host family's house, my first thoughts were:
     1. Wow, this reminds me uncannily of the Azores.
     2. I just got into a van with a random person holding a sign for my program. Anyone could print that off...
     3. Did I just tip the guy who brought my luggage to the car the equivalent of $10? Yes, yes I did. 
     4. Oh great, I just spoke Portuguese. 
     5. Wow, the lady who I sat next to on the plane who said they cover all their windows with bars was right!

And on that note, here are some pictures of the lengths they go to for protection. A friend said that all the bars reminded him of a prison. I feel like the bars and such make the houses more like a fortress - it's hard to get in, but once you do it's so nice inside!

A business in my neighborhood. Walked past it all the time and never got a glimpse inside; sealed up tight!

Normal for a house

Fierce guard dog. I honestly think so many people have little yippy dogs because they're another form of security; every time someone passes by, they start barking!

Literally all of the houses and buildings are impenetrable from the outside. Friends had something like five different locks they had to do just to get in their house. I was told that there is a lot of petty crime in the city, and that if given the opportunity you'll get cleaned out. This got me to wondering though, I always felt really safe. Was this a false sense of security because I was the ignorant gringa? Or was I just in a better part of the huge city? Or do the people of San Jose actually just like the asthetics of the bars? (Just kidding about that one, although there was some beautiful wrought-iron fencing!)

Maybe that got a great deal on that circular barbed wiring?

Also the dichotomy of the houses needing to be so protected really got me. Costa Rica has no army, and is the Switzerland of Central America because of its effort to maintain peace. I saw so many shirts and bumper stickers with paz! Yet their people don't feel safe enough in their own homes to live without a barrier of bars, locks, and gates. 

When I was speaking with locals about this, many said that it was the influx of Nicaraguans that had increased the amount of petty crime. Interesting. Don't know if it's true, but I did find people's opinions on their northern neighbors fascinating. But that can be for another time!