How Old Do Your Kids Have To Be Before You Start Letting Them Out Unsupervised?

How old do your kids have to be before you start letting them out of your sight these days? I was allowed to roam the streets near my house in Staten Island when I was about 8 years old. I wasn't allowed to walk home from school without a friend, however, until I was in sixth grade. As times are changing drastically by the day, has the 'age of independence' increased? Between overpopulation and the increased threat of abductors on our streets, I think more and more parents are skeptical of allowing their children to roam freely. What do you think? Leave your comments below.