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Old 01-09-2015, 07:25 PM
 
4,715 posts, read 10,461,590 times
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I've studied crime and statistics for a long time. Since I don't have unfettered access to Alaska's crime reports I can't speak on specifics. If someone here does, maybe they can refute or confirm some of my thoughts. Or at least provide a clearer picture of crime in Alaska.

I do believe issues mentioned already are a definitive part of the reason. Alcohol/drugs, remote villages with extremely high poverty rates, areas that have low law enforcement presence, and the perception that this is a lawless state contribute to the crime rate. I am also sure that crime is different depended on where in Alaska you are as well.

In MY Opinion:

Compared to other states, there are not that many people that "live" in Alaska, therefore, one report is worth more on the per capita rate of crimes than other states.

The state has a high number of visitors which can add to the victims of crime number, but not to the population (capita) figure. Alaska was the #1 tourist destination last year and of course, we have a lot of out of state/country workers coming here too. As was already mentioned, the military has a large presence here and people are coming and going all the time out of those bases. I wonder how many people that are on base are counted as AK residents.

What I have noticed by looking at the statistics I can get to, along with reading the paper and watching the news, is that there are a lot of crimes where the victim and the subject know each other. It doesn't excuse or make the actual crime any less important. However, statistically it does mean that a visitor is less likely than being portrayed of being a victim of violent crime. This victim and known subject reported crime, seems to be a higher than the national average percentage of the number of reported Part 1, Violent Crimes (Murder, Rape, and Robbery) that are reported elsewhere. I was I had actual numbers to "prove" this. So for now, it is only my perception.

None of this means that there is not crime and even high numbers of crime here. I was astonished to see the number of vehicle burglaries in downtown Anchorage during the Holidays. However, I don't think that per capita crime reporting is painting the crime picture correctly either.
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Old 01-09-2015, 10:35 PM
 
Location: Interior Alaska
2,383 posts, read 3,062,187 times
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The Atlantic link didn't work for me... here it is again. Hopefully this works for others too. Good article.

Rape Culture in the Alaskan Wilderness - The Atlantic
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Old 02-12-2015, 07:19 AM
 
Location: San Fransisco, California
6 posts, read 12,632 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TriCounty View Post
According to an article Alaska is the most dangerous state.

"1. Alaska
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 602.6
> Population: 735,132
> Total 2013 murders: 34 (11th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 9.3% (2nd lowest)
> Pct. of adults with high school diploma: 91.6% (tied-6th highest)

Alaska was the nation’s most dangerous state in 2013 and the only state with more than 600 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. Incidents of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter and rape both rose nearly 10% in 2013 from 2012, despite falling across the country in 2013. Alaska residents have struggled with sexual assault for years. According to a 2010 survey of Alaskan women, 37% of respondents reported being the victims of rape or sexual assault. As of 2013, rapes were reported nearly four times as frequently as they were nationwide. High violent crime rates in Alaska may seem incongruous with the state’s socioeconomic environment. As of 2013, fewer than one in 10 residents lived in poverty, and thanks to a permanent fund that pays residents a share of oil profits, the state had the second highest median household income in the country, at $72,237."

Can anyone explain this?
Alcohol and lack of job opportunities or education are attributable to this problem.
Unemployment rate 6.8% (10th highest, October 2014)
Forcible rape 78 per 100K (the highest in the country)
Violent crime 603 (4th highest)
Aggravated assault 433 (3rd highest)

Burglary rate was a bit unusual, 403 (ranked 45th out of 51).

Interesting heat map. Darker area indicates higher crime rate.



Interactive version here.
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Old 02-12-2015, 08:46 AM
 
Location: NP AK/SF NM
681 posts, read 1,196,812 times
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I'll take my chances any day in the very worst part of Anchorage (or anywhere in Alaska) I can find vs. SF or LA or NY or Chicago or ............
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Old 02-12-2015, 09:00 AM
 
Location: Midwest
978 posts, read 2,039,884 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by akpls View Post
I'll take my chances any day in the very worst part of Anchorage (or anywhere in Alaska) I can find vs. SF or LA or NY or Chicago or ............
I agree
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Old 02-12-2015, 01:15 PM
 
Location: Interior Alaska
2,383 posts, read 3,062,187 times
Reputation: 2373
Quote:
Originally Posted by akpls View Post
I'll take my chances any day in the very worst part of Anchorage (or anywhere in Alaska) I can find vs. SF or LA or NY or Chicago or ............
Amen, brother.
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Old 02-12-2015, 03:58 PM
 
Location: Alaska
7,429 posts, read 5,681,399 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by riceme View Post
The Atlantic link didn't work for me... here it is again. Hopefully this works for others too. Good article.

Rape Culture in the Alaskan Wilderness - The Atlantic
This is very prevelant in the native culture and shows no signs of stopping. Unfortunately many cases are not reported by the very families suffering. Their silence allows this horrific issue to continue.
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Old 02-12-2015, 04:04 PM
 
Location: Richmond, VA
836 posts, read 1,027,235 times
Reputation: 904
Quote:
Originally Posted by TriCounty View Post
According to an article Alaska is the most dangerous state.

"1. Alaska
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 602.6
> Population: 735,132
> Total 2013 murders: 34 (11th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 9.3% (2nd lowest)
> Pct. of adults with high school diploma: 91.6% (tied-6th highest)

Alaska was the nation’s most dangerous state in 2013 and the only state with more than 600 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. Incidents of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter and rape both rose nearly 10% in 2013 from 2012, despite falling across the country in 2013. Alaska residents have struggled with sexual assault for years. According to a 2010 survey of Alaskan women, 37% of respondents reported being the victims of rape or sexual assault. As of 2013, rapes were reported nearly four times as frequently as they were nationwide. High violent crime rates in Alaska may seem incongruous with the state’s socioeconomic environment. As of 2013, fewer than one in 10 residents lived in poverty, and thanks to a permanent fund that pays residents a share of oil profits, the state had the second highest median household income in the country, at $72,237."

Can anyone explain this?
I would think it would have to do with the huge disparity between men and women ratio. Much fewer women than men and therefore men are more aggressive. I actually was watching a documentary on the prostitution that occurred there and how the women were never short of "clients." Go figure... It seemed really scary to be them though. Luckily it was undercover cops so the women (at least in the movie) were safe.

After watching a few seasons of Alaska State Troopers, it honestly seems like the younger kids there really don't have much to do but get into trouble.
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Old 02-12-2015, 04:35 PM
 
26,481 posts, read 36,312,571 times
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Old legends sure die hard. There isn't a ratio disparity between men and women anymore except in some of the more remote areas and those with a large military presence.

Crossfire, it's actually slowing some slight signs of stopping. Natives in SE are taking back their language, their culture, their homes and families. I don't know enough about the northern ones to comment. My cousin's grandmother on the other side was dragged from her home in front of her parents and put in a Washington BIA school where they beat the kids for speaking their Native tongue and basically tried to eradicate any signs of their culture. The language almost died, totemic art was considered "salvage and vulgar," and the dancing stopped. At least a couple of generations were affected in a bad way by U.S. policy.

My cousin's own children participate in Native dancing and are learning to speak the old language, and I've seen that same sort of thing all over SE. Just a few years ago, old-school totem raisings seemed almost obsolete. It will be interesting to see what rape and violence rates will be like among this generation. I'd bet a lot of money that they'll decrease significantly. People who have pride in who they are aren't as likely to hurt one another.
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Old 02-12-2015, 04:43 PM
 
Location: NP AK/SF NM
681 posts, read 1,196,812 times
Reputation: 847
Quote:
Originally Posted by harrisce4 View Post
After watching a few seasons of Alaska State Troopers, it honestly seems like the younger kids there really don't have much to do but get into trouble.
I have 3 kids, 2 now in college and 1 in middle school, and there is/was always plenty for them to do....even in the dead of winter. If kids can't find something to do that doesn't entail them getting into trouble they haven't looked very hard.
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