That's a tough call, particularly since you are female. My advice would be to keep moving as much as possible at a good pace. Make sure your tires are in good shape and well inflated. I would try not to make eye contact or engage in conversation with people on the streets. Anyone trying to talk to a cyclist, when you have to stop, is probably up to no good. Just smile and keep moving. Also, I would vary your route. Criminals will usually target or case their prey. If you follow the same route every day, at the same times, that would make you an easier target.

I ride through one "iffy" neighborhood, but it is probably like suburbia compared to LA. The neighborhood is a grid, so I can actually follow several different streets through it -- or avoid the it altogether on another hillier route. I try to mix up my commute through that neighborhood so I am not passing through the same streets at the same times every day.