Please explain high property crime state rating for Washington please (Seattle: middle-class, insurance)

[shoreline bound]

Hi, I'm relocating to Washington and like the data that I see so far. My wife and kids have visited the state and I'm planning in visiting in a couple of months before we all move there after the school year.

Check out these crime statistics by state:
http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/...e_Ranking.html

The state of Washington is #1 in 2005 among all states in the country with regard to property crime. Holy cow! It's significantly high for burglary, larceny, motor theft and rape. It's pretty good for violent crimes.

Please, I'd appreciate some explanations. I need to understand this. Thanks.

[the dufferz]

The basis on this is a long term lessening of the importance of property crime. You see the figures for crime against the physical body. That's great, but the "look the other way" attitude of liberal judges and the rovolving door for theft, especially car theft has created a crime base used by many young people (most consider it a gang problem) to aquire funds the easy way.

So, in moving here, do your part... Lock your car. Have insurance. be smart. Vote for tough judges... and vote often.

[shoreline bound]

Thanks for the feedback. OK, so this explanation is the political and judicial tendencies of the area? Is there a specific gang or maybe a couple of such gangs that perhaps have skewed the crime stats?

Is there perhaps some demographic explanation, too? I don't see anything in the data that makes the area much different than other places. When I saw the #1 ranking of Washington in property crime, I was first thinking of the other Washington -- District of Columbia.

It is promising to see that the physical crimes are so low compared to other states. However, it's quite a shocker to see such a disparity --- a place that is very low for physical crimes can be so high for property crime.

[the dufferz]

Also I should add to the mix that Washington was the 2nd state to enact the "three strikes your out" law. This has, I believe had an effect on the higher levels of crime.

We have a lot of ethnic groups that tend to "gang" around, some are real gangs, some are just jerks and what we used to call "hoods". Drugs and the need for drug money is a factor for property crime.

Shoreline should be relatively quiet, especially if you are on the west side of hwy 99 where the houses get nicer as you get closer to the waterfront. What you will see, however, is that the area along hwy 99 is pretty run down.

[shoreline bound]

Thanks again. Yes, indeed, I'm quite familiar with the gangster mentality. I know all too well the LA neighborhoods of Watts and Compton for example. That area invented the Crips and the Bloods, which are now national syndicates, and as a kid growing up, I saw that evolution. However, these type of gangs are more focused on the violent, assault type crimes. Ergo the nationally-topping violent crime stats. But the property crimes aren't something I recall from the data as being extraordinary.

[RodFarlee]

Originally Posted by shoreline bound

The state of Washington is #1 in 2005 among all states in the country with regard to property crime. Holy cow!

1) Methamphetamine is the cause of over half the property crimes and arrests, according to every law enforcement official I've heard talk about it.

2) WA is #1 on the FBI website, #3 after AZ and DC on the DOJ website, and the rankings shift from year to year. More realistically, the FBI estimates that only 40% of property crimes nationwide are reported, and it varies across the country, so all that one can be certain of is that WA property crime rate is someplace in the top 15 states.

3) WA has a law enforcement and judicial staff and budget per capita that are about 2/3 of the national average. Several states have double the number of officers per capita.

4) WA incarceration rate is only 60% of the US average. Several states have more than double the incarceration rate.

5) The crime rates vary greatly between localities, with a relative handful of troubled areas accounting for a disproportionate number of the reported crimes.

In summary, we just haven't made drug abuse and property crime as high a priority as we should. In particular, we just don't treat meth as the poison it is.

[diggitydot]

Originally Posted by RodFarlee

In summary, we just haven't made drug abuse and property crime as high a priority as we should. In particular, we just don't treat meth as the poison it is.

Amen.

Methamphetamine use and its related crimes are higher in specific areas of the state, too. There's crime everywhere, but some counties/cities are MUCH worse than others. It's now a standard test in Cowlitz County to test newborn babies for meth. And about 20% test positive.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by shoreline bound

The state of Washington is #1 in 2005 among all states in the country with regard to property crime. Holy cow! It's significantly high for burglary, larceny, motor theft and rape. It's pretty good for violent crimes.

Please, I'd appreciate some explanations. I need to understand this. Thanks.

It's drugs, gangs, and a lax judicial system.

I'd be very careful about where you move, especially if you have kids. And living out of "the 'hood" isn't always a guarantee. Gangs are presence even in many middle-class neighborhoods and suburbs throughout the Puget Sound area.

[Deborah Marchant']

Dear Mr. Mark S.
I'd like to respond to your message "It's drugs, gangs, and a lax judicial system." I'd like to say that it is the war within individuals that perpetuates violence. Here's how to heal the war. Believe we are worthy of peace, not punishment. And from then on great communication within ourselves and between each other creates peaceful relations.

When people take it upon themselves to look within, and connect with others creating understanding, then peace will reign. Let us all heal the war within and keep on communicating no matter what. Then there will be world peace. Whose to say this is impossible? There are many good changes happening. Growing and eating organic and less toxic foods is going mainstream. There is a House Resolution HR808 ~ for the formation of a US Dept of Peace being looked at right now. There is a 2008 presidential candiate who will be a Peaceful President, Dennis Kucinich.

Can you think of anything else that is creating peace in your life. What are you doing yourself Mr. S or anyone else reading this? Can you see how this is happening worldwide and without the distorted images presented by the conflict creating, consumer media?


As for the crime in places like Shoreline, Washington, I am facing it head on. As I write this, I am putting together a campaign to make it easy for the City of Shoreline to endorse the adoption of HR 808. And after it is adopted, I will have a good case to present to my Congressman Jay Inslee, who at this time of writing has yet to endorse it. He is holding out believing at this time that the State Department and Public Schools will spread the peace.

We need to demand that the US policy be peace! We are All Worthy of Peace! Peace is practical! Peace creates healthy environments, healthy bodies, healthy minds. And it saves money. While I write this the Bush Administration is spending 10 billion a month on perpetuating 'the war within'.

There is good news though. As there always is when you look for it. The City of Seattle already has approved of the adoption of HR808 because the city of Seattle mayor, Mr. Nickels and Seattle's Congressman McDermott, signed the city and congressional district up! And THAT is something to celebrate.
Check out HR 808 by typing it into your search engine and see what's happening with it now.

As for those looking for a place to live that is safe, ask what you can do make this happen right where you already live.

Peace, Deborah Marchant'

[Fat Freddy]

There are a lot of people who want your stuff.

So they steal it.

Why they do it doesn't really matter.

You had it, now they do.

Game over.