Why does Western Nebraska have so many problems compared to Eastern half of state (Omaha: house)

[MattDen]

I was wondering why Western Nebraska has major problems compared to the east.

New figures show just the liveability of Western Nebraska
according to bureau of justice statistics
North Platte Violent Crime Rate: 452 per 100,000 (109 violent crimes for 24103)
Columbus, NE Violent Crime Rate: 52 per 100,000 (11 for 21,019)
Papillion Violent Crime Rate: 100 per 100,000 (20 per 19,626)

Bellevue, Nebraska which is about double the size of North Platte had 57 violent crimes vs. North Platte's 109

Overall crime rates:
Scottsbluff, Nebraska 7492 per 100,000 (1112 for 14,841)
Columbus, Nebraska 2404 per 100,000 (500 for 20,975)

This shows what I have known all along that Western Nebraskans are different from Eastern Nebraskans.

I have to say after my experiences and obviously others experiences with Western and Central Nebraska I almost feel lucky to be in the eastern not so rural part of the state. Not only is the customer service west of Lincoln and Omaha very bad but the crime rate's in North Platte and Scottsbluff are very very high for rural areas.

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics

[star_gazer]

Once again, illustrating just how simple minded you are Matt.

First off... the violent crime rates for all of these locales are so miniscule, it is ridiculous to suggest one is significantly less safe than another. Your chances of being involved in a violent crime is less than 5/10ths of 1%... in the WORST case you've cited.

Overall crime rates?

Well let's see... it looks like Estes Park, CO has a similar rate to Columbus. Vail, CO has a similar rate to Scottsbluff (and please don't address these specifically... I can go and actually find some rural Colorado/Ohio towns, just as easily as you can, I just thought it would be funny to grab a couple of tourist destinations).

What does it mean? Nothing. Nebraska consists of average people, nearly indistinguishable from most any other part of the country... likewise, from east to west, you'll find crime rates lower and higher than average compared to the US... and if you're paranoid enough, you're going to seek refuge in your apartment, beside the soft glow of your computer keyboard and complain about it on city-data.com... while the rest of society goes about enjoying life.

[MattDen]

North Platte and Scottsbluff are the two main cities in Western Nebraska
Columbus and Norfolk are the two main cities outside Omaha and Lincoln in Eastern Nebraska.
I think those were good examples of the differences in the state. There just seems to be a cultural divide in the state with the east being alot different then the western part of the state. Eastern Nebraskans tend to be polite but not warm, Western Nebraskans tend not to be polite.

I didnt just pick cities out randomly, I picked the main cities in those areas of the state (except Omaha and Lincoln) in those examples.

Overall it just seems like the western part of the state has higher crime overall, tends to be in drought and also tends to have alot of problems. Additionally, I have also noticed the small towns in Eastern Nebraska like Ashland and York tend to be much, much cleaner then the very dirty towns on average past Grand Island.

[star_gazer]

Matt, the point is... the overall crime rate in these towns, is no higher (or lower)... than any number of random towns from one end to the other, of any state in the nation (well, with perhaps a few exceptions). You don't see rampant violence, gang graffiti, cars with broken out windows, etc, etc on the streets of Vail do you? Of course not, nor does a similar crime rate reflect a disproportionately larger crime problem in any average town.

Matt, following your numbers, in Scottsbluff, you have a 7% chance of being a victim of ANY crime. That could be as simple as having a lawn mower stolen from the garage of your home when you've left the garage door open (because you feel so safe in your small town. The vast majority of these crimes ARE theft by the way, as you already know). I can tell you that I was victimized by precisely the same type of crime at my suburban home in west Omaha... once over a 15 year period... that's the type of frequency we're talking about here with these statistics. Now, if you consider that this is a sign of a systemic problem of crime for Scottsbluff, then it's time to shove your head a little deeper into the sand.

[kosnebbear]

star gazer,

Matt is one of those individuals who seems to have all the answers for everything by using statical data. He is way to young to understand what we know as common sense thinking. Guess now that Pawnee County has had a murder, the first one in like 50 years, this small area is now crime ridden much like Matt is saying about the rest of Nebraska. Matt please hurry and move to Ohio so you can begin your useless statical data information debate there.

Matt you will never get it until you learn to get out and meet the people living around you. Until you learn to live with the people that are around you. This means to be open minded with them, not being closed minded like you have been during your short life living in Nebraska. You must have spent most of your time sitting in your apartment/house/room or cave hating your life in Nebraska. For someone as young as you are and to have stated in your past posting about living all over the place, you sure did not spend much time with the people. You can't get the true feeling of a place Matt until you learn to live with the people there. You can't understand an area on just one trip there or by just driving through an area. I heard so much bad things about East St. Louis that when I had the chance I just did not drive through I went down town to an area that I was told that it was not safe to go. You know I had dinner and very nice visit with several individuals there. Now it started out with them coming to me to ask me why I was there and I just told them the same thing that they were doing eating my dinner. I asked them if they wanted to join me. They did and I spent about two hours just talking with people, who at first was rude according to your standards, and when I left they told me that I could come back any time as I was cool. Guess I must be one of those rude western Nebraskans that you hate so much is why I got along with them so well and was asked to come back some time. Matt unlike star gazer told I am telling you to get your head out of the sand before it is to late. Forget the statical data for an area and get out there with the people.

[shamus]

People from eastern WE probably seem rude because they are tired of self centered "city" folk coming around thinking they are the center of the corn husking universe.

The same applies to ND. Everyone in Fargo thinks they are the center of the universe and the people in the western part of the state resent that.

[Rumblebelly]

Matt,

You are right, North Platte and Scottsbluff have higher crime. Like eastern Colorado, it's in a drought. Sterling and La Junta CO have similar crime rates as North Platte and Scottsbluff. Funny how you didn't look into that.

Anyway, your analysis of the difference between eastern Nebraskans and western Nebraskans is way off. You haven't spent enough time in western Nebraska to get to know the people. Your lack of maturity and common sense really shows on your last post.

I grew up in western Nebraska. They are no different than eastern Nebraskans or even Coloradoans (I've lived in Fort Collins for 10 years). Thus, your opinion in this topic has little weight.

[mattpoulsen]

This is ridiculous!! You pick two towns out of no where and claim that all of western Nebraska has high crime rates!! There is no difference in the "type" of people that live in York and North Platte. To suggest otherwise is just irresponsible. I don't quite understand your constant need to tear down Nebraska and especially western Nebraska. Your claims are a joke! You go to a few restaurants in western Nebraska and claim that all service in western Nebraska is of lower quality than the rest of the country. You try to compare crime statistics from Papillion (a suburb of a major city) to an outpost like town in Northplatte and claim that all of western Nebraska is more violent than eastern Nebraska. They are completely different geographically. Plus, I'd like to see the breakdown of the type of "violent" crime. In Omaha, Denver, Kansas City, and etc. you'll actually have real horrific violent crimes, like murder, rape, and serious assaults. In Northplatte and Scottsbluff the majority of "violent" crimes will consist of "barfight" type crimes. There is certainly a difference between Northplatte crime and Papillion crime and this is something that can't be captured with statistics! Your arguments, analysis, suggestions and conclusions are completely laughable and no one reading the bulk of your posts concerning outstate Nebraska can possibly take them seriously. Do you think this behavior is effective? You've only ruined your reputation. Its not that you're posting negative things about Nebraska that is the problem. The problem is your slippery slope methodology, your extrapolation of bits of data to describe an entire population, your "cherry picking" of data that supports your argument while ignoring just as relevant data that counters your position and, finally, failing to consider the overall picture.

[kosnebbear]

Good job Matt Poulsen and well put.

[gambit]

Let's all bow down to the almighty Mattden, the new oracle of Omaha. Hmmm, Let's see, feel like walking down the street in Omaha in the middle of the night or doing the same in Scottsbluff. Think I'll take Scottsbluff, but hey if you're feeling lucky maybe you can make your way to Omaha's parks. Or maybe that's where Matt spends all his free time. Gotta make ya wonder.