Crime rate in Minnesota hits a 50-year low (Minneapolis, St. Paul: 2015, low crime)

[Thedosius]

Despite the falsehoods and fearful rhetoric, the reality shows a very low crime rate.

Keep in mind that when people air fears about crime being out of control, they are doing it either in service of a political movement that thrives on fear, or to justify their own fears. If they succeed in creating fear in your own heart, look at the facts and statistics to help ground yourself in reason.

"Index crime rate per 100,000 MN residents is lowest in 50 years...

In Hennepin and Ramsey counties, the state’s most populous, the crime rate has been declining for years...

The numbers may buck public perception of rising crime rates and “don’t really reflect the rhetoric that we’re hearing..."

Crime rate in Minnesota hits a 50-year low, new BCA data show - StarTribune.com

[Unsettomati]

Crime rate in Minnesota hits a 50-year low, new BCA data show - StarTribune.com

Very interesting. Not at all surprising - at least, to people whose concept of reality is informed by educating themselves with sources other than the 24-hour news cycle and their favorite blog.

For some more perspective, Minnesota also ranks low in crime compared to other states. Using the most recent available nationwide data from the FBI, we see that Minnesota ranks 11th out of the 50 states for violent crime. That's second-lowest in the region (after North Dakota). That trend holds for various non-violent offenses as well.
https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s...tables/table-4

It is also notable that Minnesota has achieved this while not having capital punishment, and with the second-lowest incarceration rate in the nation (after Maine). Not only does this belie the the widely-held notion that in order to bring down the crime rate you have to be 'tough on crime', it also is more efficient - obviously, the fewer people incarcerated, the less money spent incarcerating people. And capital punishment, despite again widespread notions to the contrary, is more expensive than life in prison because of the exhaustive appeals process (which is borne of the understandable aversion that any decent society has to executing innocent people). Wise and nuanced methodology when dealing with criminal activity produces better results than the hammer.

There are lessons to be learned here. Unfortunately, a great many people are less results-oriented and just want feel-good draconian measures.

[Simple Living]

This purely depends on your source and their particular bias, as well as their reputation. The Star Tribune isn't exactly a neutral source, nor are they a reputable one. But, people generally go by the sources that agree with their viewpoint anyway so it doesn't much matter.

• The National Average of violent crimes is 3.8 per 1,000 people.
• Minnesota is lower than the national average at 2.43 per 1,000 people.
• What drives the number for all of Minnesota to even be that high, is the extremely crime rate in Minneapolis itself. It's higher than the national average: 10.73 per 1,000 people. That's higher than St. Paul (which isn't much better) at "only" 7.12 per 1,000 people.
• Minneapolis is ranked 5 (100 is safest) on the Crime Index. This means that Minneapolis is safer than only 5% of U.S. cities. (St. Paul ranks 10.)

This is according to Neighborhood Scout, which is a non-biased, statistics-only driven source.

"Rhetoric of fear" is a propaganda phrase generally used by people who don't want to face the reality that there's actually something to fear. Fear is a natural instinct that helps warn and preserve the body.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

Originally Posted by Unsettomati

Crime rate in Minnesota hits a 50-year low, new BCA data show - StarTribune.com



For some more perspective, Minnesota also ranks low in crime compared to other states. Using the most recent available nationwide data from the FBI, we see that Minnesota ranks 11th out of the 50 states for violent crime. That's second-lowest in the region (after North Dakota). That trend holds for various non-violent offenses as well.
https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s...tables/table-4

It is also notable that Minnesota has achieved this while not having capital punishment, and with the second-lowest incarceration rate in the nation (after Maine). Not only does this belie the the widely-held notion that in order to bring down the crime rate you have to be 'tough on crime', it also is more efficient - obviously, the fewer people incarcerated, the less money spent incarcerating people. And capital punishment, despite again widespread notions to the contrary, is more expensive than life in prison because of the exhaustive appeals process (which is borne of the understandable aversion that any decent society has to executing innocent people). Wise and nuanced methodology when dealing with criminal activity produces better results than the hammer.

There are lessons to be learned here. Unfortunately, a great many people are less results-oriented and just want feel-good draconian measures.

When comparing crime rates of the states, it's important to remember to take into consideration that Minnesota, Maine and North Dakota don't have the same demographics as other states that are much more demographical than Minnesota, Maine or North Dakota.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by Simple Living

This purely depends on your source and their particular bias, as well as their reputation. The Star Tribune isn't exactly a neutral source, nor are they a reputable one. But, people generally go by the sources that agree with their viewpoint anyway so it doesn't much matter.

• The National Average of violent crimes is 3.8 per 1,000 people.
• Minnesota is lower than the national average at 2.43 per 1,000 people.
• What drive the number for all of Minnesota so high is the higher than the national average in Minneapolis itself - 10.73 per 1,000 people. That's a fair bit lower than St. Paul which is "only" 7.12 per 1,000.
• Minneapolis is ranked 5 (100 is safest) on the Crime Index. This means that Minneapolis is safer than only 5% of U.S. cities. (St. Paul ranks 10.)

This is according to Neighborhood Scout, which is a non-biased, purely statistically driven source.

"Rhetoric of fear" is a propaganda phrase generally used by people who don't want to face the reality that there's actually something to fear. Fear is a natural instinct that helps warn and preserve the body.

Here is a link to the data you cite. I would be interested in whether this is trending higher or lower. Moderator cut: Link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

[David A Stone]

Originally Posted by Simple Living

This purely depends on your source and their particular bias, as well as their reputation. The Star Tribune isn't exactly a neutral source, nor are they a reputable one. But, people generally go by the sources that agree with their viewpoint anyway so it doesn't much matter.

• The National Average of violent crimes is 3.8 per 1,000 people.
• Minnesota is lower than the national average at 2.43 per 1,000 people.
• What drive the number for all of Minnesota so high is the higher than the national average in Minneapolis itself - 10.73 per 1,000 people. That's a fair bit lower than St. Paul which is "only" 7.12 per 1,000.
• Minneapolis is ranked 5 (100 is safest) on the Crime Index. This means that Minneapolis is safer than only 5% of U.S. cities. (St. Paul ranks 10.)

This is according to Neighborhood Scout, which is a non-biased, purely statistically driven source.

"Rhetoric of fear" is a propaganda phrase generally used by people who don't want to face the reality that there's actually something to fear. Fear is a natural instinct that helps warn and preserve the body.

thank you !


Actually a crime rate for a state is one of the most worthless statistics there is.


A huge difference situation for someone living in rural Todd County and someone living in North Minneapolis despite the fact both places are in the state of Minnesota.

[David A Stone]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

When comparing crime rates of the states, it's important to remember to take into consideration that Minnesota, Maine and North Dakota don't have the same demographics as other states that are much more demographical than Minnesota, Maine or North Dakota.

Comparing ........."crime rates of the states"..........is a waste of time and a meaningless statistic.

[Minntoaz]

That's just one view of the whole picture. So one indicator decreased, awesome. What about the number of assaults on officers? Or the number of officers attacked or shot at?

As the Star Tribune always does they paint the picture the way they always have and will. Any statistics, law, protest... they paint the same picture. I don't care where one stands on the political spectrum that's just downright cultish. Never showing the side of the other party.. red flags galore.

[601halfdozen0theother]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

other states that are much more demographical than Minnesota, Maine or North Dakota.

Yeah, them demographs in other states are pretty skeeery!

[chessgeek]

The crime rate for the state takes into account all of the state's communities and people. How can that be meaningless? It provides the big picture. No one is denying that there are a few higher crime neighborhoods in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Minneapolis and St. Paul proper combined have slightly over 700,000 of the state's 5.3 million people. This data was about the state. (Fwiw though, Minneapolis' homicide rate is still considerably lower than the "Murderapolis" years in the mid-1990's).

There was no misrepresentation by the Star Tribune. The overall data is encouraging. Anyone that spins a negative on data that crime is at a 50 year low in the state is the.person with serious bias issues IMO. That strikes me as more cultish. Everyone should be very happy that crime is at a 50 year low in the state IMO.

What were they supposed to do, falsify the data so people that want to depict Minnesota and the metro as extremely dangerous and crime ridden don't get their feelings hurt and their preconceived views challenged? Someone despising the Star Tribune so much that they ignore factual data is not our problem. Some people just get upset because people with different political views and orientations than them might get some of the credit. I am ready for the head slap replies.