Yeah, not "low risk" but rather, "slightly lower risk than in the high risk areas".
In the high risk areas it would be one versus 5-50 people. Plates aren't going to help in those odds. Skirting those places adds at least another 50 miles to the walk home but the chance of being attacked by a group of people is less...hopefully. It'd more likely be someone sending a warning shot or some group of previously-civilized neighbors than members of the MS-13 street gang.
https://www.click2houston.com/news/2018/07/13/inside-ms-13-gangs-mafia-like-structure/
-Blast