AGENDA #5c
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Report on Crime Rates
DATE: September 7, 2004
The Council has requested quarterly updates on reported crime and drug charges in the Northside neighborhood.
For purposes of this report Northside is the area west of Church Street, north of West Rosemary Street to McMasters, Mason and Carver Streets. Population figures were taken from the United States Census. The population for Northside is estimated at 1,244 and for the Town 48,750.
The attached information includes reported crime and drug charges for Fiscal Years 2002-2003 and 2003-2004.
Both the Town and Northside experienced a decrease in reported crime compared to last year, 9% for the entire Town and 5% for Northside.
The number of reported personal crimes in Northside stayed the same at 25 (20.16 incidents per 1,000 people). Town-wide personal crime increased by 7% due mainly to a 15% increase in robberies. There was a significant increase in the number of reported rapes, however it is one of the most under-reported crimes. The increase of ten more rapes may only reflect an increase in reports to the police, not an actual increase in occurrences.
Property crime decreased by 6% in Northside and 10% Town-wide.
There was an increase in burglaries this fiscal year. Many of these occurred in neighborhoods surrounding the Central Business District and the Umstead Drive area. Laptop computers and other small electronic devices were often taken. During the summer and fall of 2003 burglaries were occurring in the eastern part of Chapel Hill during the day, often when the residents were working in their yards. In these cases purses, wallets, and cash were taken. There were fewer burglaries in the second half of the year, due in part to arrests made at the end of the second quarter.
Larcenies decreased by 17% Town-wide, due in part to 33% fewer larcenies from parked vehicles (819 in 2002-2003 and 514 in 2003-2004). Northside residents experienced 10% fewer larcenies than in the previous year.
ATTACHMENTS
Reported Crime Fiscal Years 2002-2003 and 2003-2004
|
|
Town |
Northside |
||||||||
|
|
Actual Number |
Per 1,000 |
Change |
Actual Number |
Per 1,000 |
Change |
||||
|
|
FY 02-03 |
FY 03-04 |
FY 02-03 |
FY 03-04 |
|
FY 02-03 |
FY 03-04 |
FY 02-03 |
FY 03-04 |
|
|
Homicide |
1 |
1 |
.02 |
.02 |
same |
1 |
0 |
.81 |
0 |
-100% |
|
Rape |
4 |
14 |
.08 |
.29 |
+250% |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1.61 |
Non-calculable |
|
Robbery |
81 |
93 |
1.66 |
1.91 |
+15% |
15 |
10 |
12.10 |
8.06 |
-33% |
|
Aggravated Assault |
134 |
128 |
2.75 |
2.63 |
-4% |
9 |
13 |
7.26 |
10.48 |
+44% |
Total Personal Crimes |
220 |
236 |
4.51 |
4.84 |
+7% |
25 |
25 |
20.16 |
20.16 |
same% |
|
Burglary |
432 |
548 |
8.86 |
11.24 |
+27% |
37 |
39 |
29.84 |
31.45 |
+5% |
|
Larceny |
1,892 |
1,566 |
38.81 |
32.12 |
-17% |
40 |
36 |
32.26 |
29.03 |
-10% |
|
Motor Vehicle Theft |
107 |
75 |
2.19 |
1.54 |
-30% |
4 |
1 |
3.23 |
.81 |
-75% |
Total Property Crimes |
2,431 |
2,189 |
49.87 |
44.9 |
-10% |
81 |
76 |
65.32 |
61.29 |
-6% |
|
Total |
2,651 |
2,425 |
54.83 |
49.74 |
-9% |
106 |
101 |
85.48 |
81.45 |
-5% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Drug Charges |
364 |
390 |
7.47 |
8 |
+7% |
71 |
72 |
57.26 |
58.06 |
+1% |
NOTE: When actual numbers are fairly small, large percentage changes occur.
Addendum: Definitions of Crimes
Definitions of the Crimes: The major crimes definitions are provided by the Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCRP) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Major crimes are categorized as violent (murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) and property (burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft) crimes.
According to the UCRP:
Murder is the willful killing of a human being.
Rape is forced vaginal intercourse.
Robbery is the taking of anything of value from a person by force, threat of force or violence, or by putting the victim in fear.
Aggravated Assault is an unlawful attack for the purpose of inflicting severe injury. An aggravated assault usually involves a weapon or force that is likely to cause death or severe injury.
Burglary is the unlawful entry into a building with the intent to commit a felony or a theft. Force is not required; unlawful entry through an unlocked door is a burglary. The building can be a residence, commercial property, construction trailer, shed, etc.
Larceny is taking or stealing property without the use of violence or fraud. It includes shoplifting, taking items from vehicles, and bicycle theft.
Motor Vehicle Theft is taking or stealing an automobile, truck, motorcycle, moped, etc.