Violent Crimes Down in 2011...Will this Continue in 2012?

[MikeyD]

I was just reading an article from Dec. 2011 that referenced FBI crime statistics, and violent crimes went down 6 percent last year, continuing a nearly 5 year declining trend. Do you all think this will continue in 2012, or will violent crimes increase? Also, do you all think crime rates have truly gone down, or are just fewer people reporting crimes.

[explcdt8]

I would say it is a combination of less reporting of crime, less police officers on the streets (less on-view arrests) and also some COMPSTAT-esque fudging of the numbers that is still going on:

"Well you didn't see the person who pickpocketed you, so it is going as a 'lost property' complaint"

[Samuel]

Did you also check the stats on assaults on LEOs or LEOs killed in the line of duty or LEOs killed by gunfire, etc?

[greg72982]

Stats don't always tell the whole tale...

[MikeyD]

Did you also check the stats on assaults on LEOs or LEOs killed in the line of duty or LEOs killed by gunfire, etc?

Yes I did, and this is what makes me think that something is wrong with the numbers because general assaults and fatal assaults on LEOs has gone up, so that doesn't make any sense at all.