Quote:
Originally Posted by CMTAD
Bingo! The data used here at City Data, and in many other places, is based on crime statistics furnished by the FBI. So, off I went to the FBI website and read their FAQs about statistics. Here is what I found:
"Understanding a jurisdiction's industrial/economic base; its dependence upon neighboring jurisdictions; its transportation system; its economic dependence on nonresidents (such as tourists and convention attendees); its proximity to military installations, correctional facilities, etc., all contribute to accurately gauging and interpreting the crime known to and reported by law enforcement."
If a community has a correctional facility and crime occurs within the walls of that correctional facility, it DOES count in the community statistics, even though the impact of the crime never makes it over the prison wall.
That explains why Smyrna looks as bad as it does on paper, yet looks better in reality.
That also casts a suspect light on statistics in general, which doesn't give someone like me particular comfort, but it is what it is.
I hope the person who initially started this conversation by asking about Smyrna is still hanging in there and has read this far. My advice is to go look at Smyrna yourself and see what you see ... and then make your decision based on what you see, with an understanding that the statistics might be skewed by the prison.
Charley
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This is a wonderful bit of information! My wife and I really like the houses that we have been seeing in Smyrna Delaware (specifically Willowwood) but very seriously started shying away because of the very stats being referenced in this thread. After reading for a little today I came across this brilliant comment by Charley clarifying the reasons behind these stats. This is critical...it is critical in getting an accurate assessment of all that Smyrna Delaware has to offer. There are many elements to the data but for the purposes of what we're talking about here, I want to discuss the two largest bits of damning evidence for the crime rate in Smyrna. The first is the crime rate and the second is the disproportionate amount of registered sex offenders in Smyrna Delaware.
Smyrna Delaware is challenged by a reputation for having high crime...Charley seems to have accurately identified the reasons behind this. What happens inside of the prison walls unfortunately counts against the community of Smyrna. In my opinion, someone should be pounding on the city commissioners door to either identify this data as having additional information or having the data simply removed all together. It will and undoubtedly has steered people away from what is potentially a really great community.
My second point is the personal concern over the disproportionate amount of registered sex offenders (
46 registered sex offenders living in Smyrna, Delaware) listed on the city-data pages. Now when you consider that there are 46 registered sex offenders in a community of less than 6000, that can and rightfully should raise an eyebrow. Now, here's where I am hoping that Charley (or anyone else) might be able to clarify. IF...any and all crimes that are reported by the prison that fall within the confines of the prison walls count against the community... then I would ask is it also safe to surmise that if this same prison has sex offenders serving their sentence...would they be required register as sex offenders living in the Smyrna community? If so, that could explain the reason for the disproportionate amount of registered sex offenders.
There is one other point I would like to make...it seemed to me that there was potentially a misunderstanding brought out when someone in the forum stated that in their opinion that there was a direct correlation between crime and education. I would tend to agree, now let me explain what "I" am saying. First off, I am in the United States Air Force and far and away the majority of people serving in the military do not have a college degree and I would doubt many can dispute the fact that these are some of the finest people walking the earth. But we do not live in a microcosm. There is overwhelming data to support the connection between education and crime. Unfortunately, Smyrna Delaware is stricken with stats that imply that only 80.3% graduated high school...not something to be proud of. I believe that is what X person was referring to, not someone who graduated high school. Obviously there are exceptions to every rule...there are fine upstanding members of any community that may have quit school just as there are people that are serving in the military that are not worth the skin they are bagged in. But again, we are not dealing in absolutes, we are dealing in generalities and as such I would agree that low education is inextricably connected to crime...okay I am off my soapbox.
MiYoNiAri (Mike)
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05-21-2008, 01:19 AM
I sure you're right, but when I consider...
Thanks Delly
Thanks Mary
Please read and educate me
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