Local Crime Statistics You Need To Know

By Lori Melton

Per the latest FBI crime statistics report, about 1.2 million violent crimes were committed nationwide in 2015. This number reflects a 3.9 percent increase from 2014. Violent crimes include murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. While crime increased on a national scale, Detroit saw a decrease in the overall number of violent crimes with a total of 11,846, down from 13, 616 in 2014.

National vs. State

Despite this drop in crime, Detroit still ranks second highest in terms of violent crimes for cities over 100,000 residents across the country. The Motor City tops the list of crime rates for the state of Michigan with Flint, Pontiac, Lansing and Kalamazoo rounding out the Top 5 most violent cities in the state.

Law enforcement teams still have a lot of work to do to make Detroit and its surrounding neighborhoods safer. However, Governor Rick Snyder is proud of the gains the city has made. MLive reported his statement on the downward crime trend in Detroit.

"I commend the State Police and their partners in reinventing public safety in our state," said Governor Snyder. "Michigan will only reach its full potential when the problem of violent crime is addressed in every city. The data just released by the FBI shows that the Secure Cities Partnership and the focus on 'smart justice' is making a significant, positive impact in our efforts to prevent crime and keep all Michiganders safe."

Murder

Detroit's murder rate is 43.8 per 100,000, which places it third in the nation for the most murders behind St. Louis and Baltimore. This figure is nearly double that of Milwaukee, six times higher than Los Angeles and almost 10 times higher than New York City.

Robbery

Per a Detroit Free Press statistical analysis, the number of robberies in Detroit dropped 14 percent and car thefts were nearly cut in half, down from just over 10,000 in 2014 to just over 5,200 in 2015. A nationwide comparison finds an overall 1.4 percent increase in robberies across the board.

How Safe Are You?

Reading a bunch of statistics and watching daily crime reports on the news can often be mind-numbing. The question is: How safe are you? Several online sources now break down crime incidents per neighborhood.

For instance, the City of Detroit gives a neighborhood map representing all crime incidents from 2009 to a present provisional lens. Click here to see this map. You can also pull up crime maps and statistics that zero in via neighborhood and street address on SpotCrime.com. For instance, a current Detroit Golf map shows a robbery occurred on the 00 block of West 6 Mile in Wildemere on Nov. 4.

In general, you should always stay alert, informed and aware of your surroundings. Participating in a neighborhood crime watch can tip you off to suspicious activity in your area. Reporting any crimes or suspicious happenings to your local police can help them apprehend perpetrators and hopefully deter future crimes.

Finally, beefing up home security by installing an alarm system and new windows and door locks are extra measures you can take to help protect yourself, your loved ones and your belongings from falling victim to criminal invasions.