Crime Data and Trends in the United States

Introduction

Crime is one of the greatest challenges that the United States faces today. Every day, law enforcement agencies receive reports of various forms of criminal activities. In an effort to combat crime, these agencies often carry out statistical analysis. This analysis involves identifying the level of crime in a given area and presenting this level using mathematical and statistical concepts. The Uniform Crime Reporting is one of the tools that make use of criminal data to offer insights into crime levels in different US cities and states (“About the Uniform”, n.d). This tool is used by the FBI in its efforts to make Americans safer. The question of crime data and trends is the subject of this paper. The paper begins by offering a graphical representation of the levels of different crimes in Indianapolis, Austin and San Francisco. The paper then proceeds to pose questions that need to be addressed. The paper concludes by identifying some of the measures that can be put in place to address the crimes in the three American cities mentioned above.

National crime data and trends 

In the tables below, figures for the crime rates in the United States are provided. These tables are intended to highlight the trends in criminal activity in the United States. 

Year Crime	2015	2014	2013
Violent crime	1197704	1153022	1168298
Rape	90185	89864	82109
Robbery	327374	322905	345093

(FBI, 2016). 

Crime data and trends for select cities 

The following table contains figures for different crimes committed in the three cities for the 2013-2015 period (All figures obtained from the FBI uniform crime reporting tool). 

Indianapolis

Year Crime	2015	2014	2013
Violent crimes	11124	10758	10749
Rape	677	573	656
Robbery	3802	3808	3800

Austin

Year Crime	2015	2014	2013
Violent Crime	3497	3581	3123
Rape	487	571	217
Robbery	929	873	763

San Francisco

Year Crime	2015	2014	2013
Violent crime	6710	6761	7064
Rape	344	355	161
Robbery	3610	3137	2653

Questions 

The tables and the graphs provided above raise numerous interesting questions. Some of these questions are provided below:

There appears to be a rather large number of violent crimes reported in the three cities. What are some of the factors that are responsible for this?

There is a significant reduction in the number of violent crimes in Austin and Indianapolis. Why has this trend not been witnessed in San Francisco? Are there measures that this city can put in place to reduce the number of violent crimes?

With the exception of Indianapolis, there is a drop in the number of rape cases in the cities. What measures could be responsible for this drop? Is it that Indianapolis has failed to implement measures aimed at reducing rape?

Overall, the graphs and the tables suggest that there has been an increase in the crime rates in all the three cities. Should this be cause for concern? What policies can be implemented to reverse this trend? Are similar trends being witnessed in other US cities? If so, what forces could be pushing the surge in crime rates?

Crime prevention programs and initiatives

From the figures and graphs provided above, it is clear that crime has reached pandemic levels in the United States. There is need for concerned parties to institute measures that will lower the rates for the different crimes. In the discussion below some of these measures are highlighted.

Measures for preventing violent crime

Violent crimes in the United States are a cause for concern. Thousands of Americans suffer harm every day as a result of these crimes. To shield their people from harm, there is need for policy makers to implement policy changes. One of the measures that can be adopted to prevent violent crime is community policing (Sherman, n.d. Basically, community policing allows law enforcement officials to work with communities in tackling crime. It has been shown to be an effective measure in addressing crime. Through community policy, officers are able to obtain information from the public. This information concerns such issues as crime hotspots (Larsson, 2015). The officers are then able to focus their attention and their resources on these hotspots. 

Apart from community policing, violent crime in the US can also be tackled through boosting the capacity of law enforcement officials. One of the factors that have allowed criminal gangs to thrive in the US is that law enforcement agencies are ill-equipped to tackle crime. They lack the resources and support that they need to effectively tackle crime. To ensure that violent criminals pose no threat, there is need for officials to be provided with such tools as weapons and communication equipment that will enable them to focus their efforts on criminal gangs. 

Involving the public is yet another measure that can be adopted to tackle violent crime. There is need to carry out sensitization campaigns. It is advised that law enforcement officials should give violent crime the same level of focus and seriousness that is given to health crises (Larsson, 2015). This will allow the officials to dedicate all their resources to tackling crime. As part of the public sensitization campaign, concerned stakeholders need to target their efforts and resources at communities that are most vulnerable (Larsson, 2015). For instance, of the three cities analyzed above, Indianapolis seems to have the highest levels of violent crimes. Federal and local authorities need to join hands to ensure that the residents of this city do not live in fear. 

Measures for preventing rape

Rape is one of the crimes that cause great harm to victims. The victims live with deep wounds and many suffer trauma. To ensure that rape does not ruin more lives, the US must act now. While there is a role that government agencies can play in tackling sexual assault, individuals are ultimately responsible for their safety. There are various measures that individual Americans can take to protect themselves. Avoiding dangerous situations is among these measures (“Reduce the Risk”, n.d). By staying clear of these situations, Americans are able to shield themselves from the perpetrators who lurk in the dark. Being assertive and responding physically to threats are other measures that individuals can adopt (“Reduce the Risk”, n.d). Assertiveness allows one to ward off perpetrators while physical response can be an effective strategy for tackling an attacker. Individuals are also advised to be armed when in dangerous situations. Weapons offer one the tools that they may use to ward off an attack. Vigilance and caution are also advised as part of strategies for preventing crime. Individuals, particularly women need to keep a close eye on their surroundings and avoid any environments that could pose a threat. One is also advised to limit close interactions with strangers. For instance, individuals are advised against picking up hitchhikers (“Rape Prevention Strategies”, n.d). While it is not necessarily true that all hitchhikers are intent on committing crime, it is unwise to let a stranger into one’s personal space. As is clear from the discussion so far, there is little that law enforcement officials can do to prevent rape. Individuals must always remember that they are responsible for their own safety and that there are various measures that they can adopt to stay safe.

Measures for preventing robbery 

As is the case with rape, individuals are ultimately responsible for preventing robbery. There are many different actions that they can undertake to ensure that they are not robbed. Business owners are advised to ensure that their premises are always manned and that entrances are well secured. They are also advised against providing strangers with personal information (“Robbery Prevention”, n.d). This information can be used by unscrupulous individuals to plan and execute robberies. Law enforcement agencies can become involved in robbery prevention by conducting regular patrols (Sherman, n.d). Through these patrols, they are able to identify suspects before they carry out attacks. Groups of individuals can also come together to ensure their safety and to prevent robberies. For instance, neighborhood watches are common in the US. These are groups that are comprised of regular individuals who take it upon themselves to ensure their safety (Sherman, n.d). While the effectiveness of these groups cannot be guaranteed, they serve as successful deterrents against robberies and other criminal activities. 

In conclusion, the United States is committed to ensuring the safety of its people. The high rate of criminal activity that the country witnesses is among the factors that hinder American security. Rape, violent crimes and robberies are some of the security challenges that the US grapples with today. No American city has been spared of the devastating impacts of criminal activity. Over the last few years, there has been a significant increase in the crime rates in various American cities. This trend is indeed worrying and underscores the need for urgent action to be taken. Boosting the capacity of law enforcement officials and encouraging the public to participate are just some of the actions that the US may take as it seeks to join the list of countries that have guaranteed security for their people. The implementation of the prevention measures will go a long way in creating a safe environment for all Americans. 

References

About the Uniform Crime Reporting Program. (n.d). Retrieved 26th February 2017 from https://www.ucrdatatool.gov/abouttheucr.cfm  

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). (2016). Crime in the United States. Retrieved 26th February 2017 from https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2015/crime-in-the-u.s.-2015/tables/table-1  

Larsson, N. (2015). 24 Ways to Reduce Crime in the World’s most Violent Cities. Retrieved 26th February 2017 from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/jun/30/24-ways-to-reduce-in-the-worlds-most-violent-cities  

Rape Prevention Strategies. (n.d). Retrieved 26th February 2017 from http://www.honeydewcpf.org.za/files/Rape%20Prevention%20Strategies.pdf  

Reduce the Risk of becoming a Rape Victim. (n.d). Retrieved 26th February 2017 from http://police.uncc.edu/crime-prevention-safety/sexual-assault-prevention/reduce-risk-becoming-rape-victim  

Robbery Prevention. (n.d). Retrieved 26th February 2017 from http://www.lapdonline.org/crime_prevention/content_basic_view/8820  

Sherman, L. W. (n.d). Retrieved 26th February 2017 from https://www.ncjrs.gov/works/chapter8.htm