Understanding MN Crime Graphs (Minneapolis: low crime, college, statistics)

[Lodestar]

Recently the news for the safety rankings for Minnesota cities came out. My curiosity piqued I've been looking through the various Minnesota crime graphs and I've noticed that since 2005 there are no longer statistics available for rape nor comparison for the USA average. Does anyone know why that is?

Another question: How am I to interpret the number in the lower left hand corner of the graph which says "USA=" and then different numbers for different cities? Is that crimes per 100,000 people?

With this new method it is difficult to tell whether crime is increasing or decreasing in comparison with the rest of the nation.

[rzzz]

The rape statistics were removed (I think) because of this:

Minneapolis police overreporting rape statistics | Star Tribune

[Lodestar]

Now that article raises more questions than it answers. What would motivate a police officer to report that more crime is occurring in his precinct than actually is?

I'm sure that, especially in college towns, parents are going to want access to this information. And I'm equally sure that cities (as would most of us) prefer not to discuss it all.

So I'm wondering if eventually someone's going to have the distasteful task of breaking down various violations into their unsavory natures or whether we'll just be missing access. It's been a number of years now. . .

And what is the reason for no longer comparing other crimes to the national average? I'm unhappy about this lack of information.

Friendships with people in the LEC have led to conversations about the pressure being put upon the lower levels by their commanders to reduce crime while policies continue to be made which hamper their ability to do so. Some of this can be accomplished by the nature of the charge levied.

For example, I personally know of a sexual assault on a young girl by a teacher which was charged as disorderly conduct. She had bruises on her legs and wore a neck brace after the assault. By protecting the city's reputation, the predator was protected.

A police forum I frequent mentions that if it takes them long enough to reach the site of a crime people have lost patience and left. No police report=no crime. The cleaner their precinct looks the happier their boss is.

It would be good to get more perspective on this. Maybe there is a more rational explanation.

[kuan]

Originally Posted by Lodestar

Recently the news for the safety rankings for Minnesota cities came out. My curiosity piqued I've been looking through the various Minnesota crime graphs and I've noticed that since 2005 there are no longer statistics available for rape nor comparison for the USA average. Does anyone know why that is?

Another question: How am I to interpret the number in the lower left hand corner of the graph which says "USA=" and then different numbers for different cities? Is that crimes per 100,000 people?

With this new method it is difficult to tell whether crime is increasing or decreasing in comparison with the rest of the nation.

Where is the graph? It would help the conversation if you would link it. I'm curious too.

[Teddy52]

crime statistics..............cities that have low crime statistics brag about it and use it in their promotion

If those crime stats rise, those same cities proclaim those statistics were meaningless to begin with

[Lodestar]

Originally Posted by kuan

Where is the graph? It would help the conversation if you would link it. I'm curious too.

Go to City-Data main page and click on Minnesota, kuan.

[Thedosius]

Originally Posted by Lodestar

Now that article raises more questions than it answers. What would motivate a police officer to report that more crime is occurring in his precinct than actually is?

It basically answers your question in the article:

"The head of the city’s sex crimes unit, Cmdr. Nancy Dunlap, says it more accurately represents sexual violence and, in fact, the FBI recently asked all cities to report this category of crime in that way."

Kudos to the Minneapolis and its PD for taking the lead on this issue, despite the fact that at first blush it makes the city look bad in comparison.

[Lodestar]

Originally Posted by Thedosius

It basically answers your question in the article:

"The head of the city’s sex crimes unit, Cmdr. Nancy Dunlap, says it more accurately represents sexual violence and, in fact, the FBI recently asked all cities to report this category of crime in that way."

Kudos to the Minneapolis and its PD for taking the lead on this issue, despite the fact that at first blush it makes the city look bad in comparison.

Will you expand on this, please?

[Thedosius]

Originally Posted by Lodestar

Will you expand on this, please?

I'm sorry, you've lost me here...expand on what exactly?

[Lodestar]

If the article is accurate and has resulted in the information being unavailable to the citizens I don't understand why you think that's a good idea.

I'm thinking you must mean something else so could you please explain.