MA’s Most Violent Cities and Towns: New FBI Crime Data

Email to a friend Permalink

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Patrick Sargent, GoLocalWorcester Reporter

From to 2013 to 2014, the number of reported rapes in Worcester dropped 31 percent (22 in 2013 compared to seven in 2014). The city of Fitchburg, with a population nearly five times less than Worcester, reported 31 incidents of rape.

In 2014, the city of Worcester witnessed 1,762 violent crimes and 5,604 property crimes - a significant decrease from 6,239 property crimes in 2013. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Worcester also saw decreases in murders and robberies.

The FBI released its 2014 crime statistics this week, breaking down data on a state by state - and community - basis. The information reported includes violent crimes such as murder, forcible rape, aggravated assault, and robbery.

Former Superintendent of Massachusetts State Police Tom Foley, of Worcester, said "We look at these numbers to see how things are trending. It's hard to look at those stats in a vacuum. There are certain events that go on and in comparison to what's going on in the rest of the country, police chiefs can see how their towns measure up. In Massachusetts, the police chiefs know what's going on in their communities."

Of the top 50 most violent cities and towns in Massachusetts in 2014, eight belonged to Worcester County.

SEE SLIDES: #50 to #1- MA Most Violent Cities and Towns

Across the country, FBI data reveals that the estimated number of violent crimes decreased 0.2 percent when compared with 2013 figures. There were an estimated 1,165,383 violent crimes in the United States reported to law enforcement last year.

A total of 18,498 city, county, state, university and college, tribal, and federal agencies participated in the Uniform Crme Reporting (UCR) Program in 2014.

Massachusetts and Worcester County in 2014

In Massachusetts, there were 26,399 violent crimes reported to law enforcement - up slightly from 2013’s total of 25,789.

The number of property crimes went down substantially from 129,599 in 2013 to 125,267 in 2014.

In Worcester County, the number of violent crimes reported was 3,576. Of those violent crimes, there were 2,727 cases of aggravated assault, 629 robberies, 212 forcible rapes, and 8 total cases of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter.

Robberies, forcible rapes and murder and nonnegligent manslaughter totals are all down significantly from 2013.

Based on violent crimes per capita, there were eight cities and towns from Worcester County that rated in the 50 most violent in the state. The city of Worcester was the most violent with a rate of 9.61 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, followed by Fitchburg (8.14) , Gardner (7.37), Leominster (6.55), Webster (4.8), Barre (4.01), Southbridge (3.67), and Dudley (3.53).

Winchendon and Marlborough finished just outside the most violent 50 cities and towns at #51 and #52 respectively.

Not Every Town or City Reporting

"Anybody that's in the business knows that there's a big grey area there. The grey area consists of stats not being submitted and the good stats being submitted. Any kind of chief can sit down and look at it and say 'Okay, this is why we have spike here, or drop there,”said Foley. "Crime runs beside what your budget looks like. If your budget is getting cut, and police officers are off the street, your programs aren't being performed anymore, then you see crime going up."

Of those towns missing from Worcester County are Brookfield, North Brookfield, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Oakham and New Braintree.

In 2013, North Brookfield had the third-highest violent crime rate in Worcester County.

Foley said, "What the Feds try to do is get you to make sure you submit your stats. A lot of times that's tied into any kind of federal funding your town might be getting. There's a lot of towns that don't submit their stats for a number of reasons including the town is too small and they don't have the money to do a report, or the police chief looks at the numbers and says 'these aren't going to make me look good.'"

New Data Reported

FBI Director James Comey said in the report release that the UCR plans to begin collecting data about non-fatal shootings between law enforcement and civilians, and encouraged all law enforcement agencies to submit their data about fatal shootings and justifiable homicide data, which is currently collected. 

"Once the FBI begins collecting the expanded data, UCR plans to add a special publication that will focus on law enforcement’s use of force in shooting incidents. That report will outline facts about what happened, who was involved, whether there were injuries or deaths, and the circumstances surrounding the incidents," said the FBI in their release 

Explains Comey, “We hope this information will become part of a balanced dialogue in communities and in the media—a dialogue that will help to dispel misperceptions, foster accountability, and promote transparency in how law enforcement personnel relate to the communities they serve."

---

Related Slideshow: #50 to #1: MA’s Most Violent Cities and Towns in 2014

Related Articles

• MA’s Most Violent Cities and Towns: FBI Crime Data
• MA’s Most Violent Cities and Towns: New FBI Crime Data
• Crime in Worcester Spirals Higher in Latest National Ranking
• Worcester Crime Stats Mask Problem Areas
• FBI Files Tried to Connect Duddie Massad to Organized Crime and Raymond Patriarca
• Crime is Worcester’s Plague - Gemme Goes Silent
• Worcester Crime Trends and Lack of Police Transparency
• Crime and Drug Prevention Targeted by Worcester’s National Night Out
• Gang Crime at Worcester’s University Park Fueled by New Bench
• Worcester’s Emerging Crime Trends: Is the City Safe?
• BREAKING: Mayor Petty Defends His Leadership and Gemme in Face of Crime Wave
• The Patriarca Papers - FBI Files of the Boss of the New England Crime Family
• Crime Data: On-Campus Criminal Offenses at Colleges in Worcester
• 25 Massachusetts Cities and Towns with Highest Hate Crime Rates
• New FBI Data: Worcester Has 2nd Lowest Hate Crime Rate in State
• Main South Community Taking Proactive Approach to Crime Fighting

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Email to a friend Permalink