My mom's rules back then were that we came home when the street lights came on or before then if dinner was on the table. We rode our bikes everywhere, including when we lived in Germany.
'Round the clock, national/international news coverage has convinced everyone that there's a kidnapper, molester, or murderer on every street corner unfortunately. Statistically, we're safer now than ever.
Hell, in my mind those old movies should be a standard our kids today strive to obtain again! My wife gets mad at me when I let our kids go play in the woods out back, even if they take my cell phone with them for "safety" purposes.
PS - I fucking HATE Nancy Grace because she perpetuates a lot of this bullshit.