Crime in Atlanta skyrocketing (Lenox: 2013, live in, statistics)

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

In the 70s and 80s most all violent crime was concentrated in the city proper, and specifically around the city's notoriously violent public housing projects. It was VERY RARE to hear of violent crime in the suburbs.

Fast forward to today. The projects are all gone. The city is becoming wealthier by the day. The suburbs, on the other hand, have gotten far more diverse, impoverished and violent. Areas of Gwinnett, DeKalb, Clayton, South Fulton and even Cobb where a murder would have been unheard of 30 years ago see unthinkable acts of violence now.

The culture of crime has shifted from an almost exclusive inner-City / urban problem to a suburban one as well. It would be interesting to see violent crime stats for the entire Metro area (or at least the 5 core counties). That being said, stats show that the rate of violent crime is lower now than it was 30 or 40 years ago. But thanks to 24 hour news channels, social media and the instantaneous nature of our lives, the PERCEPTION of violent crime is much higher than reality in many instances.

An example to make my point: Go watch vintage TV newscasts from the 1970s on YouTube. Crime is a footnote on many of those newscasts (which might have been only 30 minutes or an hour each day) as opposed to today when all the local stations (especially WSB TV 2) seem to focus on is CRIME CRIME CRIME for the 7 (seven!) hours of local news they broadcast daily.

The stats show that violent crime nationally has started heading back up in the last 5 years or so after decades of decline. That is a real concern. We shouldn't compare to 1979. We should compare to the last 5 years when we are making policy.

[glovenyc]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

That being said, stats show that the rate of violent crime is lower now than it was 30 or 40 years ago. But thanks to 24 hour news channels, social media and the instantaneous nature of our lives, the PERCEPTION of violent crime is much higher than reality in many instances.

An example to make my point: Go watch vintage TV newscasts from the 1970s on YouTube. Crime is a footnote on many of those newscasts (which might have been only 30 minutes or an hour each day) as opposed to today when all the local stations (especially WSB TV 2) seem to focus on is CRIME CRIME CRIME for the 7 (seven!) hours of local news they broadcast daily.

Yes, the 24 hour news cycle has a definite effect on the perception that the streets are out of control. This hysteria serves many purposes from more government dollars being spent on the "war on drugs", all the way to propping up today's private prison industrial complex. I am not saying that crime is an issue that shouldn't be vigorously addressed, but spreading fear for the sake of the almighty dollar is criminal as well.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by bu2

The stats show that violent crime nationally has started heading back up in the last 5 years or so after decades of decline. That is a real concern. We shouldn't compare to 1979. We should compare to the last 5 years when we are making policy.

Crime has been creeping back up in recent years. It's still way below what it was in the previous 30 years but we need to keep an eye on things. I read recently that on a per capita basis the homicide rate in Atlanta is higher than it is Chicago. We sure don't need to get branded as a "murder capitol" again.

[sleepless in Bham]

Only 46 homicides in a city the size of Atlanta and crime is "skyrocketing" lol. In comparison Birmingham with half the population has had 62 homicides so far this year.

[SenseSoCommon]

Originally Posted by AUGnative

But isn't the crime mostly concentrated in certain slum areas where most sane people would not venture into?

Yes because anyone that lives in those areas are INSANE..What an elitist statement.

[ekman243]

Originally Posted by Forhall

Are people incapable of researching statistics? The Atlanta police has all the data. Murders for 2017 are at 48, compared to 72 by this date in 2016 and 57 by this date in 2015.

Since 2009, every category of crime is down substantially, and overall crime is down nearly 40%.

All of this data is downloadable, updated weekly, from Atlanta PD. We don't need out of date news articles from January to tell us murder is up when you can see it is clearly down, as is all crime in Atlanta.

Most of this is thanks to gentrification, which will hopefully continue unchecked.

Wow, people on here are funny, this guy Forhall told you all the statistics from the statistic generators (APD) but yet you continue to argue about a false scenario. Help me to understand

[bu2]

Originally Posted by ekman243

Wow, people on here are funny, this guy Forhall told you all the statistics from the statistic generators (APD) but yet you continue to argue about a false scenario. Help me to understand

Its possible crime in the city limits of Atlanta is not going up. There is no doubt crime in the metro is going up.

[InternationalWaves]

Originally Posted by bu2

Its possible crime in the city limits of Atlanta is not going up. There is no doubt crime in the metro is going up.

I don't know how many times I have repeated that in this thread. Some people is funny, because they pick and choose what they want to hear.

[InternationalWaves]

Originally Posted by ekman243

Wow, people on here are funny, this guy Forhall told you all the statistics from the statistic generators (APD) but yet you continue to argue about a false scenario. Help me to understand

"Despite the reduction in murders, there have actually been more shootings this year (264) than last (236)." (As of July 20 2017)

Again that's city limits where "quality of life" has improved in many areas,imagine the "suburbs" which are technically Atlanta and many have deteriorated as one of the posters pointed.

Did they have to die and be a statistic for us to open our eyes?

“In 2017, the average stay in jail before bonding out for convicted felons with firearms is 18 days,”

Also that bond situation is concerning.

[InternationalWaves]

Originally Posted by sleepless in Bham

Only 46 homicides in a city the size of Atlanta and crime is "skyrocketing" lol. In comparison Birmingham with half the population has had 62 homicides so far this year.

While Birmingham have seen a bit of improvement on certain things is still a city on decline. Atlanta is not!

Really sad the Birmingham situation actually.