Crime

[plaza-midwood]

The Charlotte Business Journal reported a new report that ranks all major cities in terms of crime rate. Charlotte ranked #70 (with #1 being the most crime and #300 being very low crime). I have included most of the Top-100 below, along with a few notables outside that range.

Also, pay attention to the actual number beside the name. The rankings themselves are important, but even moreso is the actual number (i.e. how we compare to the national average).

Crime Statistics

1 Camden, NJ 466.50

2 St. Louis, MO 374.87

3 Oakland, CA 325.60

4 Detroit, MI 315.00

5 Flint, MI 295.20 70

6 New Orleans, LA 284.44

7 Birmingham, AL 278.79

8 Cleveland, OH 267.24

9 Jackson, MS 243.68

10 Memphis, TN 241.58

11 Gary, IN 240.31 76

12 Compton, CA 240.19

13 Baltimore, MD 227.42

14 Richmond, CA 218.12

15 Kansas City, MO 203.05

16 Washington, DC 202.26

17 Orlando, FL 200.05 82

18 Atlanta, GA 196.64 83

19 Cincinnati, OH 192.35

20 Dayton, OH 189.31 85

21 Philadelphia, PA 183.32

22 North Charleston, SC 180.87

23 Little Rock, AR 175.64

24 Hartford, CT 175.40

25 Baton Rouge, LA 161.04

26 Macon, GA 159.52 91

27 Buffalo, NY 159.51 92

28 Indianapolis, IN 154.99

29 Newark, NJ 153.40 94

30 Minneapolis, MN 152.61

31 Rockford, IL 150.34

32 Trenton, NJ 145.95

33 Rochester, NY 145.

34 Tacoma, WA 144.81

35 Miami Gardens, FL 144.42

42 Miami Beach, FL 135.26

45 Miami, FL 132.70

47 Dallas, TX 130.24

48 Pittsburgh, PA 129.58

49 St. Petersburg, FL 127.71

52 South Bend, IN 124.99

53 West Palm Beach, FL 120.23

54 Fayetteville, NC 119.62

55 Columbus, GA 114.17

56 Nashville, TN 113.42

57 Houston, TX 112.85

58 Sacramento, CA 112.12

60 Oklahoma City, OK 110.12

63 Pompano Beach, FL 106.36

64 Syracuse, NY 106.35

65 Tucson, AZ 104.85

67 Las Vegas, NV 103.50

70 Charlotte, NC 101.60

71 Jacksonville, FL 100.40

72 Albuquerque, NM 99.33

73 Tallahassee, FL 96.90

74 Winston-Salem, NC 94.25

75 Greensboro, NC 93.98

77 Fort Lauderdale, FL 92.98

87 Wilmington, NC 85.30

92 Phoenix, AZ 81.490

93 San Francisco, CA 80.51

98 Durham, NC 78.10

99 Richmond, VA 77.42

104 Boston, MA 73.80

111 Columbia, SC 69.40

116 Savannah, GA 65.95

124 Gainesville, FL 61.30

131 San Antonio, TX 59.80

154 Los Angeles, CA 46.23

156 Long Beach, CA 44.93

167 Denver, CO 39.54

183 Seattle, WA 32.13

191 San Diego, CA 23.84

195 Raleigh, NC 19.08

256 New York, NY (12.58)

324 Virginia Beach, VA (42.59)

330 Boulder, CO (44.51)

340 Scottsdale, AZ (48.33)

350 Huntington Beach, CA (53.54)

361 Orange, CA (58.50)

365 Danbury, CT (60.00)

375 Cary, NC (68.21)

http://os.cqpress.com/citycrime/2009/CityCrimeRankings2009.htm

[hokiehigh]

I am pleasantly surprised Charlotte is "safer" than most other cities. Also, I noticed Richmond was near the bottom now. A few years ago it was top 5 or maybe #1. We have its old Police Chief now so hopefully we will keep getting safer!

[caterpillar2]

I am pleasantly surprised Charlotte is "safer" than most other cities. Also, I noticed Richmond was near the bottom now. A few years ago it was top 5 or maybe #1. We have its old Police Chief now so hopefully we will keep getting safer!

I remember when Minneapolis wouldn't even have made the list. Now they are in the twenties. I think Charlotte is doing rather well. I hope that data is actual.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

I am pleasantly surprised Charlotte is "safer" than most other cities. Also, I noticed Richmond was near the bottom now. A few years ago it was top 5 or maybe #1. We have its old Police Chief now so hopefully we will keep getting safer!

You're reading the list incorrectly.

Richmond is the 14th most dangerous city.

EDIT: Wow, my bad.

I think it's interesting to look at the metro rankings as well; Charlotte has an odd distinction of having some suburbs that are more dangerous than the core city.

[Guest]

You're reading the list incorrectly.

Richmond is the 14th most dangerous city.

I think it's interesting to look at the metro rankings as well; Charlotte has an odd distinction of having some suburbs that are more dangerous than the core city.

Actually you are in fact reading it incorrectly. Richmond, CA is number 14, Richmond, VA is number 99 :-)

[plaza-midwood]

Yes, seeing Richmond VA ranked below Charlotte suprised me as well. I expected them to be up near Baltimore. They've made some huge strides. (Virginia Beach / Hampton / Suffolk as well).

I also did not expect to see Orlando and Atlanta effectively TWICE as crime-ridden as Charlotte (101.60 vs. 200.05 and 196.64).

Nor did I expect New York City ranked so low! #258...wow. If you asked me which city had significantly less crime...NYC or Long Beach, CA...never in a million years would I guess NYC. That's really hard to believe.

Anyway, hopefully we can get Charlotte's number down even lower...into the Denver/San Diego/Seattle/Raliegh range. But as it stands right now, we are comparable to Tucson, Jacksonville, Albuquerque, Tallahassee, and Winston-Salem. And *FAR* better than Atlanta, Minneapolis, Washington DC, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Philly, New Orleans, Miami, Pittsburgh, Orlando, etc. Not too bad.

[New Name]

RE: Richmond, VA & Chief Monroe...

I moved to Richmond, VA about 10 years back, and lived there until moving to Charlotte.

At the time I arrived in Richmond, it was a pretty bad city (specifically it had the 3rd highest murder rate per capita in the US). And anytime I think about it now, I am reminded of one of the seminal Richmond punk bands songs about Richmond:

Avail "Scuffle town"

"There's kepone in the river

But the river's still Flowing east

Ethyl doze the planet In an attempt to keep

The downtown clean

Still it's a beautiful day

And the sun is still shining Over the James

Oregon Hill is at end time

VCU crept up and lit the torch

West Ave. honkeys don't forget

That trains still run north

Third per-capita Next year number one!!!"

Now look at Richmond, and I can't help but feel very fortunate to have Chief Monroe follow me to Charlotte.

[Urbanity]

Nor did I expect New York City ranked so low! #258...wow. If you asked me which city had significantly less crime...NYC or Long Beach, CA...never in a million years would I guess NYC. That's really hard to believe.

Being originally from New York myself - it is not in the least hard to believe .

Granted up until about the early-mid 90's NYC was really horrific in crime, but I can tell you that for more than ten years now one has very little fear of being a victim of crime in NY. Not that it doesn't happen, of course, but it's less likely than ever.

To tie this back into CLT - one of the reasons I think NYC is so low in crime, particularly street level crimes, is due to its density and high traffic street-scene. You can walk down most streets at a late hour and be surrounded by people which I think in and of itself is a deterrent. I'm think Charlotte's rankings are decent, and certainly better than I thought they would be, but I think they could be even lower as we add more density and pedestrian traffic to this great city of ours.

[Guest]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/07/13/3377695/cmpd-to-release-second-quarter.html

:-(. As mentioned around the Forum in threads like Optimist Park.

There has been quite the upswing in violent crime this year.

Just this week there was a murder in Belmont. And last night there was a shooting at the NC Music Factory. SMH.

This has been a murderous week for me, a store owner on my block in Brooklyn was murdered for the $200 in his cash register. Scary world we live in.

[Urbanity]

News reporting that another gun slaying last night. This was at an E. Charlotte Party - 1 dead; 2 injured.

It sort of feels like Charlotte's Summer of Sam in a way. Not that we have a single crazy person, but that we are having a single (I hope) crazy summer that is hot, deadly and leaving a psychological mark.

[ah59396]

News reporting that another gun slaying last night. This was at an E. Charlotte Party - 1 dead; 2 injured.

It sort of feels like Charlotte's Summer of Sam in a way. Not that we have a single crazy person, but that we are having a single (I hope) crazy summer that is hot, deadly and leaving a psychological mark.

I feel the same way. Is it just due to more widespread reporting of violent crime? Or is this truly an abnormal summer? As a city dweller, I hate to admit (though I guess it's not a bad thing) that I have been much more "aware" of my surroundings while out and about.

[Matthew.Brendan]

To tie this back into CLT - one of the reasons I think NYC is so low in crime, particularly street level crimes, is due to its density and high traffic street-scene. You can walk down most streets at a late hour and be surrounded by people which I think in and of itself is a deterrent.

I agree with this.

I came downtown with my kids last weekend mid-day and I couldn't believe how empty the streets were. Yes there's nightlife with bars and restaurants. But the lack of _any_ retail at all is bizarre. Amelie's thankfully was open and doing brisk business for its tiny size.

[New Name]

Really sad story about a homicide at the 7-11 on N. Tryon @ Dalton in North End this morning

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/12/05/3707535/dead-person-found-at-n-tryon-store.html

 

 

 

 

Police say they were called about 7 a.m. to the store, after a caller said a man was bleeding and appeared to have been assaulted. Officers arrived a short time later and determined the man had been beaten. The victim died at the scene.

Officers say it the victim apparently was attacked elsewhere and came to the store for help. Police are canvassing the neighborhood, trying to find witnesses and additional information.

 

I use the 7-11 only when necessary. There aren't a lot of "good" gas stations in the area, and if you're looking for a "brand-name" outlet as a safer place to stop - I guess 7-11 is that. But I will say that I without fail, every single time I go here (from 7am until midnight) I have someone walk up to me and ask me for change or try to sell me something.  

 

I've noticed also that there is some demolition going on across the street at one of the old boarded up factories. Fact is, though.... this whole area is VERY sketchy and in very bad shape aesthetically.   And this is where the Amtrak station is. 

[15895]

North Tryon is the lAst place in CLT you'd ever catch me.

Weird how 1 second A is street is hardcore, Ghetto, rough (West blvd/North Tryon) then as soon as you cross some tracks or go under a bridge, ritzy, wealthy, signature street (east blvd/tryon)

[Matthew.Brendan]

North Tryon is the lAst place in CLT you'd ever catch me.

Weird how 1 second A is street is hardcore, Ghetto, rough (West blvd/North Tryon) then as soon as you cross some tracks or go under a bridge, ritzy, wealthy, signature street (east blvd/tryon)

You should visit Washington DC some time, and see the ghetto that is our Nation's Capital, woven right in amongst one of THE power centers of the world.

[nonillogical]

Anyone else think Midnight Diner should be upset about this article? The shooting was clearly a spillover from Uptown Cabaret and it happened in the parking lot in between the 2, but the Diner is what gets plastered all over the website.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/12/06/3709720/1-shot-near-midnight-diner.html

[carolinagarnet]

You should visit Washington DC some time, and see the ghetto that is our Nation's Capital, woven right in amongst one of THE power centers of the world.

DC has big ghettoes, but they are pretty clearly defined: most of the area north of U Street and east of Capital Street. The price of real estate and the lack of developable land in the city is gentrifying areas like Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights and Capital Hill that were previously pretty rough.

 

Anyone else think Midnight Diner should be upset about this article? The shooting was clearly a spillover from Uptown Cabaret and it happened in the parking lot in between the 2, but the Diner is what gets plastered all over the website.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/12/06/3709720/1-shot-near-midnight-diner.html

I was really surprised when I read the article this morning until I heard that it happened in the former hotel parking lot. That area is really seedy at night. On a related note, does anybody know why they decided to keep the former hotel office? It looks so out of place.