FBI Crime Stats For Norwalk

The Advocate reports on the regions FBI crime stats, I pulled out Norwalk’s year to year for analysis. Overall, the population of Norwalk is up about 1000 down about 1000 people since 2005, which means that statistically at least the variations year to year on a per capita basis are mostly flat. (2006 was unavailable.) norwalk_fbi_stats2The assaults are slightly up pushing up the overall violent crime total slightly up overall. That and Robbery are only categories that exceeded the 2005 highs. So in the end, taking into account an increase in population, crime looks flat the past two years, and slightly down from 2005. It’s also intersting that the Advocate headline is:

Database: Violent crime on the rise in Stamford, Norwalk

It’s misleading since there is only two two categories that have in fact risen since 2005, and only one is in the violent crime group.

UPDATE: The graph has changed because I made a mistake in the population of Norwalk in 2008. It is not up about 1000, but down about a 1000. This means that there is more credence to the statistical increase in assaults, than I said before.

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  • http://intensedebate.com/people/AndreaLight AndreaLight

    I think it's significant that property crimes decreased as much as they did from 05 to 08, and it will be interesting to see if the recession that hit us beginning Nov. 08 impacts a rise in these numbers. It looks to me as if panhandling is up. But I wouldn't call the 33% increase in assaults a slight increase. I don't know enough about the characteristics of assaults – does this signify increased gang activity or muggings (which belies the property crime decrease)?

    Regardless, I grow increasingly jaded. It seems the same headline is used every year about student test results, just rotating the grade level being cited.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/turfgrrl turfgrrl

    AndreaLight: According to the FBI definition: Program defines aggravated assault as an unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. The Program further specifies that this type of assault is usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or by other means likely to produce death or great bodily harm. Attempted aggravated assault that involves the display of-or threat to use-a gun, knife, or other weapon is included in this crime category because serious personal injury would likely result if the assault were completed. When aggravated assault and larceny-theft occur together, the offense falls under the category of robbery.

    Assaults, split about 50/50 on strangers versus people who know each other.