Analyzing Crime Trends - Essay Example

Analyzing Crime Trends This article provides an analysis of crime trends in five U.S. cities, which include Albany, Austin, Santa Clarita, Rochester and Kent between the years 2005 and 2008 (City-Data.com n.p). The overall crime rate in Albany, New York in 2005 was 580 per 100,000 people, and it reduced to 485 per 100,000 people in 2008 (NYDP n.p). The overall crime rate in Austin, Texas in 2005 was 438.4 per 100,000 people, but only reduced to 438.3 in 2008 (Texas City Police Department n.p).

In Santa Clarita, California, the overall crime rate stood at 178.7 in 2005 and slightly reduced to 168.2 in 2008 (California City Police Department n.p). The overall crime rate in Rochester, New York in 2005 was 628.6, and it reduced to 605.2 in 2008 (Rochester Police Department n.p). Lastly, the overall crime rate in Kent, Washington was 606.9 in 2005, and it systematically reduced to 518.8 in 2008 (Kent City Police Department n.p).It is evident from the data above that Rochester City, New York had the highest number of crime rate and Santa Clarita, California had the least number of crime rate.

Additionally, there was a general reduction in crime rates for all the five cities. One of the key reasons for the reduction, in crime rates in these five cities, is the implementation of a more decentralized community policing strategy that is characterized by openness to try out new techniques of protecting the cities and statistical analysis (Boba-Santos 87). Additionally, most States have ensured that majority of hard core criminals and offenders have been prosecuted and placed in jail. Incarceration has ensured that majority of crime offenders have been placed out of streets thus the reduction in crime rate (Boba-Santos 91).

Demographics have also contributed in reducing crime rates in these cities. Statistics indicates that young people commit criminal offense more than the elderly (Clark 67). Therefore, the State governments have created a number of social activities that target youths thus keeping them busy. This has also reduced crime rate drastically. Local policy in these cities has also improved surveillance (Siegel 104). Cameras are everywhere in the streets thus making it difficult to commit a crime (Clark 73).

In summary, crime rates have reduced in the United States, and this is evident in the data provided for the five cities. This is particularly attributed to a the change of local policy in different cities and states. Works CitedBoba-Santos, Rachel. Crime Analysis with Crime Mapping, 3rd Edition. California: Sage, 2013. Print. California City Police Department Retrieved from: http://www.calcitypd.org/Clark, Robert M. Intelligence Analysis: A Target-Centric Approach, 3rd Edition. New York: CQ Press, 2010. Print. City-Data.com. Retrieved from: http://www.city-data.com/Kent City Police Department Retrieved from: http://kentwa.

gov/Police/New York Police Department Retrieved from: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/home/home.shtmlSiegel, Larry J. Criminology. Belmont: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.Texas City Police Department Retrieved from: http://www.texas-city-tx.org/Police/Police.htm Rochester Police DepartmentRetrieved from: http://www.cityofrochester.gov/joinRPD/