I'm having problem finding where civilians are to rescue? Where are they? All I seem to find is gang thugs and then i get a message saying '+black points for letting a civilian die'?!?

If a car explodes during a fight somtimes you will get a spidersense warning that they are in danger and you have to hold LT to lock onto them. then you will have a B prompt to save them.

Problem is this often happens in the middle of button mashing fist fights and it is very VERY easy to miss your chance and not even see it happening.

Fact is saving people early in the game is very difficult. You will got the whole first chapter only saving a few civies.

Later in the game it becomes much easier. you will actually go on missions where you will save several at a time. you will also have an optional mission that gives you a flash bang that will open up many chances to save people when you use it on the symboites. 

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Don't try to pour over the city looking for civilian cars being attacked...instead, wait until you can follow and help the APCs that are waiting around.  If you just stick to one APC and follow it, you can go through all 5 stages of the civilian rescues in a short time.  If you protect the evacuation sites well enough, you can get 10 or more saves from each one.  And keep the cops alive that are guarding the doors...they count as well when everyone else is out!