Crime statistics and feeling safer about crime

My column in the February Advocate  (on your doorknob now) did not start out to be what is in the magazine. Instead, I was going to write about crime entrepreneurs -- a rapidly increasing group, both locally and nationally, who see a way to make money by selling crime-related information like real-time statistics.

What struck me was: Why was this happening now, given that crime in this area is the least bad it has been since I moved to Dallas in 1984? In some ways, given how bad the situation was in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it's almost bucolic around here. I can't remember the last time I heard a stray gun shot.

Yet these new companies see a demand for this service, which led me to the column. Are we safer? The statistics say we are. But many visitors to the blog don't think so. So why don't we think we're safer? And how will that attitude affect the decisions we make about fighting crime?

Comments

[Robert]

The "new" statistics? Do you mean the new reporting methods recently adopted by Kunkel that automatically reduces the incident levels of certain crimes?

I live in Hollywood Heights and hear gunshots on a regular basis, typically fully automatic firings. It seems to originate from the areas to the south and west.

Walking my dog in the HH neighborhood, at night in the winter time, is not a confortable experience, I feel i always have to be on the alert - the same level of concern that I felt in my earlier days of living in NYC during the 1970s - 80s. It is not a false concern.

I have found bullet fragments imbeded in my roof. If you report gun firings to 911 the police may or maynot respond. The level of graffiti in HH is rising, an earlier predictor of more crime to follow. Within certain sectors of Dallas there is a "no snitch" attitude which gives license to those that are up to no good. The level of daytime B+E is rising in our area. An indication of crimanals being bolder.

Things aren't getting better with respect to personal safety.

[David Wilson]

In re your article about crime entrepreneurs...

Making money off of crime is NOT a new thing. Wells Fargo and Brinks both have roots in protecting the Wild West and money transports to the gold mines. Burglar alarm companies show videos of some big bad dude trying to break into a home where mommy and the kids are all alone - sniff sniff - tugs at the heartstrings.

Excuse my while I blow my nose and wipe the tears.

But you left out the names and salient details / differences about the two websites, both of which you have blogged about here.

CrimeReportsLive.com - According to their site, they donated thousands of hours to the Dallas Police Department to get their new public access site going. They charge $100 for a subscription based on ZIP codes only. Lots of bells and whistles. cool maps, etc

Income stream - Claims to have sold nearly 2,000 subscriptions, but that seems low compared to the expense to build the site. All the ads are Googles.

DailyCrimeReport.com - Started by a local crimewatch member who uses the DPD incident report stats (generated as noted above) to prepare webpages for each beat. No charge for subscribing, not very fancy (you called it rough around the edges.

Income stream - Makes no claims about subscribers except to say 'thousands' get the email. Sells banner ads (politicians, security products).

Both have their places in the market, and one will make more money than the other.

David