What's with all the domestic murder-suicides in the region?

[Serious Conversation]

Crime is an issue all over the region. I don't think it's as bad in JC with the exception of downtown, but crime is terrible throughout the region, particularly drug and domestic crime, and seems to be worsening every day.

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Originally Posted by jchometeam

When I have time I will look at the statistics related to the area and see if it is more common than normal or not. But I suspect that it is a media issue. Overall this area does not have much violent crime, but they all get reported by the media in an area that doesn't have anything else to talk about.

Im not touching the gun debate, this has nothing to do with guns either way.

This is not a complete data picture but according to TBI data for last year.
Tennessee rate of crime against persons 25.13 per 1000 murder 0.06 per 1000
East Tennessee 17.36 per 1000 murder 0.05 per 1000
Bristol 29.99 per 1000 no rating for murder
Kingsport 33.86 per 1000. murder 0.04 per 1000.

The local overall crime rates are high compared to the rest of the state.
Crime rates help rank Tenn. as poor retirement destination – how E Tenn. stacks up

The TBI stats site is detailed, but not exactly user friendly, or fast if you want to build custom tables by types of crime.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Crime Statistics

Under domestic violence last year's data showed no murders for Sullivan.
Most of the domestic crime was assault and sex crimes

[DaveinMtAiry]

Top 10 WORST places to retire? LOL. I've just spent a year and a half on this board because we plan to do just that in JC.

Having a hard time understanding what those figures mean. I guess I'll need to compare it to where we live in Mount Airy MD where it seems like there is no crime.

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Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry

Top 10 WORST places to retire? LOL. I've just spent a year and a half on this board because we plan to do just that in JC.

Having a hard time understanding what those figures mean. I guess I'll need to compare it to where we live in Mount Airy MD where it seems like there is no crime.

It not really that drastic. Most people who live here are somewhat shocked when they look at those numbers because the don't see it as what the numbers say it is. The 10 worst places was based on a change in Kiplinger's criteria. The focused more on crime rate, poverty status and longevity. Year before last the same organization rated Tennessee as one of the best places to retire. At that time the focus was on taxes, cost of housing, availability of medical care and no income tax. Go figure.

Like most places, the area has room from improvement. But it has a lot to offer.

[Beretta]

The thread is re-opened but please stay on the topic of murder-suicide.

I want to share a link with you to State of TN Crime Statistics. You can see for yourself what is reported to the state. You can sort the information just about anyway that you want to. The easiest way for you to see this region's statistics is to click on the link>Public Website Crime Statistics (in yellow on the left)>Crime Rates by Jurisdiction. You can sort down to the municipality and down to the crime. You can also sort by the county and the region and the group of crimes. You can see age of victims, type of murder, etc. You can also rank in ascending, descending, etc. orders.

Having said that, please note that not all law enforcement agencies across the state are the same. Some agencies have more LEO's than others, some areas have higher populations, in regards to other crimes (non murder) not all agencies report all crimes, and the sort. A good example is Kingsport is very good about reporting a lot of crime as a way to keep officers and potentially gain new ones whereas Grainger County doesn't have the same number of LEO's per capita and the tax base is lower with no chance of additional officers.

A final note, I sat on a jury in a murder trial a few years ago. In the courtroom there were reporters both from TV and the newspaper. We were not allowed to watch or read any media until after the trial was over. Once it was over and I was free to read I was absolutely blown away by the reports that I read. The facts were so twisted from the truth of what happened in the courtroom. Several of us jurors got together the following week for lunch and they felt the same way. That experience really taught me a lesson to never believe what I read from a reporter "straight from the courtroom". So, as we get our information from the media, or the internet, please do so with an eye on the truth, which remains unseen to you, the reader.

Here is the link:Crime Statistics Unit - TIBRS

Let me know if I can help with the website.

[DaveinMtAiry]

Originally Posted by Beretta

A final note, I sat on a jury in a murder trial a few years ago. In the courtroom there were reporters both from TV and the newspaper. We were not allowed to watch or read any media until after the trial was over. Once it was over and I was free to read I was absolutely blown away by the reports that I read. The facts were so twisted from the truth of what happened in the courtroom. Several of us jurors got together the following week for lunch and they felt the same way. That experience really taught me a lesson to never believe what I read from a reporter "straight from the courtroom". So, as we get our information from the media, or the internet, please do so with an eye on the truth, which remains unseen to you, the reader.

I noticed this during the first OJ trial. Same thing with the Zimmerman case. I really do not understand why court reporters can not report what is actually happening, it's disgraceful.