[JViello]

I found this interesting. I've heard it said that Manchester has "high crime". Well, according to this site Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed
it's WELL below the national averages in all but one area..."theft" and I think we can all deduct that those numbers come from the shoplifting that takes place among the retail areas.

CT Magazine also ranked Manchester "higher" in crime than Bristol...But in the real world, is it? Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed


Manchester had NO murders
Less cases of forcible rape
Less aggravated assault
HALF the burglaries

But more "theft" which we know is tied to petite retail theft and that tipped the "percentage" in Bristol's favor.

What area would you consider "more safe"?

So it's just a reminder to look beyond the final "percentage" numbers when checking these things out.

[jad2000]

Originally Posted by JViello

I found this interesting. I've heard it said that Manchester has "high crime". Well, according to this site Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed
it's WELL below the national averages in all but one area..."theft" and I think we can all deduct that those numbers come from the shoplifting that takes place among the retail areas.

CT Magazine also ranked Manchester "higher" in crime than Bristol...But in the real world, is it? Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed

Manchester had NO murders
Less cases of forcible rape
Less aggravated assault
HALF the burglaries

But more "theft" which we know is tied to petite retail theft and that tipped the "percentage" in Bristol's favor.

What area would you consider "more safe"?

So it's just a reminder to look beyond the final "percentage" numbers when checking these things out.

Crime stats are often skewed and for the most part, largely inaccurate. Nearly 80% of crimes go unreported, so that could be the case in Bristol. It also depends on the local police force. Do they properly investigate crimes or brush them under the rug? Believe it or not, that happens - and very often.

If you want my honest opinion on which city is safer, I'd go with Manchester. Both cities are about on par with each other, IMO (Bristol having a grittier image however), but I've spent a good deal of time in the working class sections of both cities and only in Manchester have I never felt I needed to lock my doors and throw my laptop in the truck.

Crime stats give people a general idea of what the area is like. They are never, ever accurate.

As for CT Magazine, their 'studies' and rankings aren't accurate either. They are ALWAYS biased toward one city or another. If you look at the "Rate the Towns" section, their numbers and explanations don't make any sense. I, for one, cannot stand CT Mag.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by jad2000

Crime stats are often skewed and for the most part, largely inaccurate. Nearly 80% of crimes go unreported, so that could be the case in Bristol. It also depends on the local police force. Do they properly investigate crimes or brush them under the rug? Believe it or not, that happens - and very often.

If you want my honest opinion on which city is safer, I'd go with Manchester. Both cities are about on par with each other, IMO (Bristol having a grittier image however), but I've spent a good deal of time in the working class sections of both cities and only in Manchester have I never felt I needed to lock my doors and throw my laptop in the truck.

Crime stats give people a general idea of what the area is like. They are never, ever accurate.

As for CT Magazine, their 'studies' and rankings aren't accurate either. They are ALWAYS biased toward one city or another. If you look at the "Rate the Towns" section, their numbers and explanations don't make any sense. I, for one, cannot stand CT Mag.

All agreed.

I also just want to point out that I'm not making a comparison between Bristol and Manchester for any reason except an example. They are so close it's really splitting hairs in the grand scale.

This was more of a "don't just look at a single number for crime stats" with some examples and a site to compare as well as I get a lot of PM's from people saying "so and so says crime is high in Manchester" etc. I then have to explain that the mall area attracks a lot of petite crime and whatnot which skews the figures.

[jad2000]

Originally Posted by JViello

I then have to explain that the mall area attracks a lot of petite crime and whatnot which skews the figures.

Lots of high schoolers steal clothes from the mall - that factors into a city's crime rate because they must be reported by mall security. When I was an Asst Manager of a store in the Danbury Fair Mall, the majority of kids who stole were from Ridgefield, New Fairfield and Newtown. Go figure.

[TiZZ]

Yeah Windsor kids start problems in Manchester...steal, sell drugs, fight, etc. Manchester is only a few minutes away from the south side of Windsor and is therefore the natural choice for troublemakers to flock to when trying to avoid the stifling windsor police force.

I have personally never been to Bristol (i can be a little bit provincial having lived in only two adjacent cities, windsor and hartford, in my entire life), but I have met a handful of youths from the city. From what I gather, Manchester seems to have the edge in terms of crime. Again I have never been to Bristol, but a predominantly white city adjacent to affluent Farmington just doesn't seem to strike the fear into me.

Safety and danger are all relative however. What is safe to me as a native of Hartford might be dangerous to a life-long suburbanite.

And statistics should always be taken with a grain of salt. Numbers can't tell stories.