I think it's pretty localized around Belize City. My wife and I got married in southern Belize in 2002. Flew in to Belize City, transferred by puddle jumper to Dangriga, and went the rest of the way by van to Hopkins, a small village in the Stann Creek District. We stayed at Jaguar Reef Resort (absolutely amazing), and the 10 days we were there, we rode the resorts bicycles in to Hopkins. The people (Garifuna) were wonderful, friendly, never tried to accost or sell us a single thing - ever. To get married, we had to get a marriage licence, and had to apply in person in the capital city of Belmopan. We borrowed the resort owners personal jeep and drove the 2 hours to Belmopan ourselves, spend the day there (fairly poor city) but again, zero trouble, zero issues. The road to Belmopan took us through the mountains and jungle of the interior (Belmopan is on the western side of the country) and it is equally as beautiful as the coast. Turquoise blue waterfalls and lush green jungle, and little plantations carved into the middle of it all. After 10 days at Jaguar Reef Resort, we transferred to Mopan River Resort on the border of Guatemala for the last 5 days so we could visit some Mayan Ruins. Again - never had any problems, and we were no in any kind of gated community ever.
You can go and live your life in fear, or you can realize there's good and bad everywhere. There are neighborhoods in Detroit, Buffalo, Boston, NYC, Miami - you name it - that I would never go. No different than Belize City. But are you going to say that the "USA" is not safe? I wouldn't think so.
Get outside of the "Cruise Cattle" mentality, and explore your Ports of Call.
