Drug Problems? (travel, work, crime)

[Charley]

Originally Posted by remike2

Charley,

Can you lead me to the City Data screen you are referring to? I am not sure
what the 7 out of a possible 10 translates to.

Thanks, Mike

Hi Mike:

7 out of ten suggests that Smyrna rates pretty high on the crime scale. I don't see how.

Here is the data from Sperlings that has the actual 7 for violent crime and 6 for property crime:Moderator cut: link to a competitors site removed]

The data from City Data does not have the rating but shows the statistics. Here is that page:
Smyrna, Delaware (DE) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news, sex offenders

It indicates that Smyrna's crime rate is 326.9 per 100,000 - 36% above the national average.

I hope you can debunk this for me.

Thanks so much,
Charley

[remike2]

Charley,

I agree that small towns sometimes skew statistics of all types and I can't believe one of the many criminal justice seminars I attended is going to provide an answer (satisfactory or not)

This FBI type explained that when he sees a high number in a small community, he attributes it to the fact that in a smaller town a victim is much more likely to report a crime then he/she would in a larger city, and taking it one step farther, the officer responding is much more likely to consider it worth making a report on. BTW, I don't hold such info in much regard. I think a more telling stat. concerning crime is the department's clearance rate.

Mike

P.S. I now live an work in the greater Smyrna area and I can assure you the crime rate is extremely low.

[Charley]

Originally Posted by remike2

Charley,

I agree that small towns sometimes skew statistics of all types and I can't believe one of the many criminal justice seminars I attended is going to provide an answer (satisfactory or not)

This FBI type explained that when he sees a high number in a small community, he attributes it to the fact that in a smaller town a victim is much more likely to report a crime then he/she would in a larger city, and taking it one step farther, the officer responding is much more likely to consider it worth making a report on. BTW, I don't hold such info in much regard. I think a more telling stat. concerning crime is the department's clearance rate.

Mike

P.S. I now live an work in the greater Smyrna area and I can assure you the crime rate is extremely low.

Thank you Mike. That is exactly what I had hoped to hear!

Charley

[movn2del]

thanks Catrina. I really like the idea of "Smart Growth". I wish all areas had that. It seems like care is being taken care of with the expansion.

[movn2del]

remike. Nice to hear from retired PO. Thanks for the info.

[remike2]

You're more than welcome. Anytime I can help please feel free...

[rdlr]

I think thoughts on crime, in Smyrna, or anywhere, is a matter of comparison in regard to what a person/family has experienced or has been accustomed to. We lived in the Smyrna-Clayton area for 45 years, leaving there in 1985 because of the crime we were beginning to see. I'm glad we left when we did, although it was hard because my husband and I were both born and raised there, as well as our children. We have many relatives living there now, in the Smyrna area, and hear their stories regarding crime in the area. Having a family member graduating from the FBI Academy, and currently in active law enforcement, is where I hang my hat, in regard to my questions about various towns/communities and crime. My business takes me to most towns/cities throughout the State, so I want to hear first-hand about crime areas. I understand everybody wants to hear the "good" answer, but the "good" answer can mean "good" for some, and mean "not-so-good" for others. It's all relevant, and we each have our own thoughts. Here's our Attorney General's comment on crime in Delaware, which I know, covers north Delaware, also. Biden asks for more money to fight crime FBI says Del. 7th most violent state in U.S. | delawareonline | The News Journal

[rdlr]

Here's a handy-dandy site for those wanting to check out drugs, crime, etc. in any town in Delaware. It will give you the break down of each type of crime, will give you various crimes reported to the police within the past 2 weeks, and also will give you the number of crimes (each type) for the year in any given town. Just click Yearly Summary.
Hope this helps. delawareonline ¦ The News Journal, Wilmington, Del.

[movn2del]

I have to let you know that I really appreciate your input. You seem to be filled with a wealth of information and are more than willing to pass it on. It's a gift. I will definitely check out those sites you referenced.

[Joe84323]

I gotta tell you, I was raised in Wilmington, and hung out in the Western Wilmington suburbs, went to Catholic Grade School in Wilmington, and AI DuPont High School in nearby Greenville, DE.

I gotta tell you that out of all the kids I went to school with in Wilmington city limits, about 30% dabbled in drugs, 70% drunk alcohol, and about 15% never really did anything.

When I went to high school, almost all the kids who grew up in Wilmington at least smoked pot and drank. Out of the kids who grew up in Hockessin, about 20-30% dabbled in pot, 10% did more than that, and about 60-65% only lightly drank.

I would say that those who grew up in the Northern and Northwestern suburbs of Wilmington used less than those in Wilmington and the poorer western and southern suburbs of Wilmington, with Newark being the worst suburban area for drug use.

Not sure why, but suburban newark kids seem very prone to using drugs. I don't exactly know why, and Hockessin being the least to use drugs.

If I had to guess the factors in drug use in the area, I would say that both the proximity to I-95 and the lower median age of the area (college, lower income) has to do with the increased drug use. Whereas Newark has the University, 95 nearby, and is cheaper for lower-income, younger families has more drug use, and Hockessin, farther from 95, more isolated, richer, and higher-income older median age is lower in drug usage.