I don’t like to give people travel advice, but as far as I’m concerned, Miami is just like any other big city where common sense should be utilized. I used to live in Miami, was recently there for a month on business, and have several relatives that have lived there for many, many years. The areas to stay away will be obvious (e.g. Liberty City & Overtown have long been breeding grounds for ghetto-dwellers). I spent some time in Little Havana and enjoyed the food and drinks there. The Metrorail and People Mover can be very convenient to get around downtown. I can say I never felt threatened, but also stayed alert and aware of my surroundings.
Thanks you for your input. I knew about Liberty City but hadn’t read much about Overtown. I plan to email him a list of no-go zones just to be sure. I also advised him not be too brazen about being a Mav’s fan outside of the arena.