Relocating from Nor Cal to Midland area

[bmantx512]

Originally Posted by Westerntraveler

No Im serious....Odessa has the number one per capita murder rate in the US.I know a homicide detective for OPD and he gets called about just about every other night.

Whoa! That's not even remotely accurate. Per FBI stats.

2012 Murders per 100k. Odessa 3.5. Detroit topped the nation at 54.6 per 100k. Dallas led Texas at 12.4 per 100k. City of Midland was almost identical to Odessa 3.4.

Granted, I have seen stories recently about Midland Odessa crime rising a lot since the energy boom, but comparing it to the highest in the US? No way. I've never felt unsafe anywhere in the area.

[Westerntraveler]

Originally Posted by bmantx512

Whoa! That's not even remotely accurate. Per FBI stats.

2012 Murders per 100k. Odessa 3.5. Detroit topped the nation at 54.6 per 100k. Dallas led Texas at 12.4 per 100k. City of Midland was almost identical to Odessa 3.4.

Granted, I have seen stories recently about Midland Odessa crime rising a lot since the energy boom, but comparing it to the highest in the US? No way. I've never felt unsafe anywhere in the area.

Those are old stats...Odessa came out on a list of cities with the highest violent crime rate which includes murder in the country and it was number one.It even had the number one murder rate I think in the 70's or 80's.Midland aint even in top 10.The FBI even said number one cuz I saw that in a news article from this year on a local news site.

[Antares45]

Originally Posted by Westerntraveler

Those are old stats...Odessa came out on a list of cities with the highest violent crime rate which includes murder in the country and it was number one.It even had the number one murder rate I think in the 70's or 80's.Midland aint even in top 10.The FBI even said number one cuz I saw that in a news article from this year on a local news site.

Do you have a link to this news article? Even so, any statistics that came from a news report should be taken with a grain of salt. Media outlets love to latch on to some out-of-context statement or poorly derived conclusion, hyperbole it beyond recognition, then run with it in the headlines.

According to the most recent crime stats I've seen (which may have been for 2012. Are 2013 crime stats even out yet?) per capita crime in Fort Stockton was even higher than Odessa. My company there had a house in town where upper management lived. The neighbor's house (and vehicle) were broken into one night, and one of the manager's vehicles suffered severe tire damage because someone threw nails into the driveway (probably a disgruntled former employee.)

I don't even want to think about what the crime rate may be like in Pecos.

[Westerntraveler]

Originally Posted by Antares45

Do you have a link to this news article? Even so, any statistics that came from a news report should be taken with a grain of salt. Media outlets love to latch on to some out-of-context statement or poorly derived conclusion, hyperbole it beyond recognition, then run with it in the headlines.

According to the most recent crime stats I've seen (which may have been for 2012. Are 2013 crime stats even out yet?) per capita crime in Fort Stockton was even higher than Odessa. My company there had a house in town where upper management lived. The neighbor's house (and vehicle) were broken into one night, and one of the manager's vehicles suffered severe tire damage because someone threw nails into the driveway (probably a disgruntled former employee.)

I don't even want to think about what the crime rate may be like in Pecos.

just go to the Big 2 site and its there.

[bmantx512]

Originally Posted by Westerntraveler

Those are old stats...Odessa came out on a list of cities with the highest violent crime rate which includes murder in the country and it was number one.It even had the number one murder rate I think in the 70's or 80's.Midland aint even in top 10.The FBI even said number one cuz I saw that in a news article from this year on a local news site.

I have old stats? And you talk about the 70's (or was it the 80's?)

Ha Ha! You are making this all up as you go along huh? You better tell your homicide detective friend's wife he is cheating on her if he says he is called out almost every night when the city averages 4 or 5 murders per year.

[Westerntraveler]

Originally Posted by bmantx512

I have old stats? And you talk about the 70's (or was it the 80's?)

Ha Ha! You are making this all up as you go along huh? You better tell your homicide detective friend's wife he is cheating on her if he says he is called out almost every night when the city averages 4 or 5 murders per year.

No, I read it in a news article
Odessa Ranked #1 For Violent Crime Rate - Permian Basin 360

[tandgp]

Thank you Pam, we will be looking into all this info! Thanks again!

[Antares45]

Originally Posted by Westerntraveler

No, I read it in a news article
Odessa Ranked #1 For Violent Crime Rate - Permian Basin 360

From the article:

According to the FBI, Odessa has the highest violent crime rate in the U.S.

The agency attributes that to the rapid economic growth and large influx of people. And it defines violent crime as: murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.

So violent crime includes a hell of a lot more than just murder.

Here are two other articles I found giving specific rates:

Crime in America: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000 | Law Street (TM)

8. ODESSA, TEXAS

Although Odessa has the lowest unemployment rate among the cities on this list, its police department has been facing several personnel and funding issues. With only one officer for every 709 residents, Odessa’s police force is undermanned compared to many cities of similar size. Recent requests for additional officers have been rejected due to budgetary constraints, preventing the city from reaching its goal of two officers for every 1,000 people.

Violent Crime Rate: 1064.31 per 100,000 people Population: 103,635 Murder Rate: 4.82 per 100,000 Police Officer to Population Ratio: 1: 709 Median Household Income: $50,813 Unemployment: 4.2 percent Dangerous Small City Rank in 2011: #34

That article was published November 25, 2013. Here's another one based on the recent FBI data:

10 Cities Where Violent Crime Is Soaring - TIME

1. Odessa, Texas
> 5-year increase in violent crime rate: 75.5%
> Violent crime per 100,000 (2007): 468.1
> Violent crime per 100,000 (2012): 821.3
> Murders per 100,000: 3.5

There were 672.2 aggravated assaults per 100,000 residents in Odessa in 2012, an increase of more than 80% since 2007. Most property crimes, such as burglary and theft, became less likely over that time period, declining by 13.8% and 19.0%, respectively. On the other hand, motor theft, in particular, increased by 17% to more than 500 incidents in 2012. Many reported auto thefts, however, may have been illegitimate, according to an officer the Odessa Police Department. Some incidents, for example, may have been insurance fraud attempts, or drunk drivers abandoning their vehicle and claiming it was stolen. Some vehicles were being stripped for scrap metal, while others being taken merely for joyrides.

So although Odessa's crime rate may be increasing more than any other city, it still doesn't quite yet have the highest crime rate in the US.

[Westerntraveler]

Originally Posted by Antares45

From the article:



So violent crime includes a hell of a lot more than just murder.

Here are two other articles I found giving specific rates:

Crime in America: Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities Under 200,000 | Law Street (TM)


]
That article was published November 25, 2013. Here's another one based on the recent FBI data:

10 Cities Where Violent Crime Is Soaring - TIME



So although Odessa's crime rate may be increasing more than any other city, it still doesn't quite yet have the highest crime rate in the US.

It had number one violent crime rate including murder.If you want to believe that write-up that's fine but I will go with the big 2 one.