Springfield 8th best city in US (Boston, Worcester: appointed, section 8, for sale)

[WestMass79]

Thank you for responding to my 2008 data with your 2006 data.

Here's some more 2008 data for you on Springfield:

Overall crime rate drops 15 percent in Springfield
by The Republican Newsroom
Thursday June 26, 2008, 11:57 AM

By PETER GOONAN
pgoonan@repub.com

SPRINGFIELD - Crime was down by 15 percent in Springfield during the first five months of 2008 in comparison to the same period last year, according to Police Department statistics released today.

The statistics were praised today by law enforcement officials and Mayor Domenic J. Sarno during a press conference at police headquarters on Pearl Street. Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet, Sheriff Michael J. Ashe Jr. and District Attorney William M. Bennett joined in praising anti-crime efforts by police in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies.


"There has been a change in direction, there has been a change in strategy, there has been a change in philosophy," Sarno said.

The statistics, through May 31, show significant declines in several categories including a 26 percent decline in robberies, a 20 percent decline in burglary, a 13 percent decline in larcenies, and a 27 percent decline in motor vehicle thefts.

[madeitout]

So you are saying after 20 years of high crime, in the preliminary part of 2008 before the year is done, you think the springfield has become a safe city? I used 2006 originally because even 2007 fbi statistics are 'preliminary'. Here are the FBI preliminary stats for 2007 which they still consider preliminary for whatever reason (I have no idea how you think any stats from 2008 are reliable if fbi thinks its own 2007 is still preliminary). Table 4, Index Page, Preliminary Annual UCR, January-December 2006,

Population1, Violent crime, Murder, Forcible rape, Robbery, Aggravated assault, Property crime, Burglary, Larceny-theft Motorvehicle theft Arson2

Detroit 860,971, 19,683 | 383 | 344 | 6,574 | 12382 | 58241 | 17745 |20892 | 19604 | 755

Springfield 151,074 | 2,068 | 20 | 91 | 690 | 1267 | 7942 | 2027 | 4694 | 1221 | 63

Austin, Tx 716,817 |3871 | 30 | 328 | 1457 | 2056 | 45453 | 8031 | 34461 | 2961 | 116

Boston 591,855 | 6838 | 66 | 263 | 2242 | 4267 |24579 |3810 | 17,351 | 3418

I made this nice chart and calculations for you for *per capita* comparisons. Feel free to do the numbers yourself if you want, but remember to do a per capita calculation

City Violent crime Murder Rape Robbery Agg/Asslt Prop/Crime Burglary Larceny M/V theft
Austin,Tx 540.026 4.185 45.758 203.26 286.824 6340.949 1120.37 4807.503 413.076
Detroit 2286.14 44.485 39.95 763.55 1438.144 6764.572 2061.045 2426.563 2276.964
Springfield 1368.86, 13.23 *60.23* 456.73 *838.662* 5257.026 1341.727 *3107.087* *808.213*
Boston 1155.351 11.151 44.437 378.809 720.954 4152.875 643.739 2931.63 577.506

Rapes, Larceny, Assault, MV theft are why Springfield sucks. How can Springfield be almost 2X as bad w/rapes as the worst city in America (Detroit) and even comparable on assaults? As you can see its worse than Boston on every level. Get some real 2008 data when it comes out and we can compare again. BTW I have lived in maybe 10 different cities including Japan, and have been in urban areas in all of them. For such a small city Springfield crime is horrible. I would say Springfield would have to show a consistent 5 years of low crime on the order of those Austin stats in order for it to be considered an average city's crime.

[Russia25]

I live in Western Mass. Springfield has some nice areas but overall I would not suggest people move to it.

Poor schools, issues with city budget which has just been put on the path towards the black, history of corruption etc etc

If you want the draws of Spfld then move into one of the nice surrounding suburbs. Wilbraham, Ludlow, Longmeadow, Agawam, E. Longmeadow.

These towns have great schools and are very close to Springfield.

[AprilCostello]

Springfield? Really?

[WestMass79]

Originally Posted by madeitout

So you are saying after 20 years of high crime, in the preliminary part of 2008 before the year is done, you think the springfield has become a safe city?

Who said that? I put out facts. You can make what you want of them, but there's plenty of people that come on here blabbing about unsafe this, unsafe that. I put out the facts of murders for the first six months. For some reason, people don't like that, I suppose it's because it showed Springfield was the "safest" of all the major cities in New England, if you believe murders and rape and violent crime mostly happen randomly (which I don't, but people here seem to).

I don't think I need the FBI to confirm the murders that happened. I'm pretty sure the death notices have done that.

I also provided you with statistics through May 31st showing 20%+ decrease in most categories year over year. If you want to wait for the FBI to "certify" them have a blast. I'm just providing facts.

You may have lived in 10 cities, that's wonderful, but I'm living in Springfield - as have my friends, as have my family, and there has never been issues of crime with any of them - and they are in several different neighborhoods. Are there bad neighborhoods of criminals committing crime on criminals? Sure, every city has that. Are there break ins? Yes, as the suburbs get them too (Do you think criminals stop at town lines???)

I respect your numbers, thanks for putting that together, and no doubt some numbers of Springfield in the past have looked ugly. And no doubt the recent numbers look pretty good. All I can say is from this residents perspective, talk of crime in Springfield is WAY overblown.

Glad to see there are many in this poll (original point of the string) that believe the same.

[wheelmannn]

You had better adjust your stats for this year. Last weekend 2 shootings and 3 stabbings.

[WestMass79]

I'm unfortunately not keeping the running stats, that was just a six month sample. To me the real discussion of crime is who is the criminal and who is the victim, are they known to each other, because so often in cities and "heavy crime" neighborhoods its criminal on criminal. As I've said many times I live in Springfield, and many family members and friends as well, and none have had crime problems. Maybe we're all lucky, but somehow I doubt that. Meanwhile friends in Longmeadow have had housebreaks.

General crime stats look awful on a stat sheet, and serve as a tidy summary for those in the whitebread suburbs in places like Franklin County so they can come down on the "dangerous" cities all while they are washing the hate speech graffitti of their walls. It's a wonderland in the suburbs, it really is.

[patti wynn]

Originally Posted by WestMass79

I'm unfortunately not keeping the running stats, that was just a six month sample. To me the real discussion of crime is who is the criminal and who is the victim, are they known to each other, because so often in cities and "heavy crime" neighborhoods its criminal on criminal. As I've said many times I live in Springfield, and many family members and friends as well, and none have had crime problems. Maybe we're all lucky, but somehow I doubt that. Meanwhile friends in Longmeadow have had housebreaks.

General crime stats look awful on a stat sheet, and serve as a tidy summary for those in the whitebread suburbs in places like Franklin County so they can come down on the "dangerous" cities all while they are washing the hate speech graffitti of their walls. It's a wonderland in the suburbs, it really is.

^5
goodness, ghettos & welfare? that's going to exist anywhere you have a large population so why condemn 1 city for that? I'm in east forest park, california ave & I love it

[madeitout]

Me: "As you can see its worse than Boston on every level. Get some real 2008 data when it comes out and we can compare again. "

TheOtherGuy: "Who said that? I put out facts. You can make what you want of them, but there's plenty of people that come on here blabbing about unsafe this, unsafe that. I put out the facts of murders for the first six months. For some reason, people don't like that, I suppose it's because it showed Springfield was the "safest" of all the major cities in New England, if you believe murders and rape and violent crime mostly happen randomly (which I don't, but people here seem to).
I don't think I need the FBI to confirm the murders that happened. I'm pretty sure the death notices have done that.
I also provided you with statistics through May 31st showing 20%+ decrease in most categories year over year. If you want to wait for the FBI to "certify" them have a blast. I'm just providing facts."

Now I refer you to the new data:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/massa...d-ma-40th.html

I told you so!

[lynnwills]

i went to Springfield and it was a place that I would like to live . it look very much run down, and i could see how crime would be a fact. but from what i got from the locals it's not worth the head ache. And it hated all the regulation the home owner have , according to someone i know that lives there. And some of the home were over price. but what do i care i only stay for a while and not a year or two.