I was digging around the office the other day, looking for some paperwork for a grant, when I came across the 1968 Duluth Police annual report. As I was paging through it, I noticed the crime statistics section.
I was particularly shocked by the number of burglaries that occurred that year. There were several hundred more burglaries reported in 1968 than we had in 2006! Now, I realize Duluth's population was over 100,000 and today we sit at under 90,000, but, according to the Census Bureau, we actually have more households in Duluth now than we did in 1968. To me, this is likely due to much lower birth rates (meaning smaller families), a lower marriage rate and probably a host of other reasons I am missing. So, we have more households in the city and much more commercial development, but we have hundreds of fewer burglaries?
I then examined auto thefts and found a similar trend.
We know there are significantly more vehicles in the city today than in 1968. The college population in Duluth is creeping toward 20,000 -- many of whom are not counted in the census -- and most students today have their own cars. So, we have more cars in town, but a decline in auto thefts between 1968 and 2006? That statistic also surprised me.
OK, so how about homicides and robbery?
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This is more of a mixed bag. We had two homicides in 1968, compared with one in 2006. We had 41 robberies in 1968 and 116 in 2006. While I believe the robbery rate is more in line with the perception of what has happened to crime in Duluth, the statistics do not indicate there have been major increases in crime.
The issue of the perception of crime in Duluth led me to wonder, Why is it that you hear crime has never been higher?
There are a few factors I believe play into this perception.
First, in a portion of Duluth neighborhoods, people don't know each other like they used to. Many of these neighborhoods were close-knit in 1968. Everyone knew each other and what was going on on that block. In some neighborhoods today, we receive 911 calls because a fellow tenant or neighbor has loud music playing. Often the 911 caller has not even attempted to introduce themselves and request the music be turned down.
Another reason for the perception of increased crime is neighborhood blight. Graffiti, junked cars and overgrown lots all feed into the perception of crime and disorder.
Perhaps the biggest change in perception comes from the media. It seems even minor crimes in Duluth now receive coverage. In one case last month, a reported burglary came into 911 and police squads responded. Officers arrived and found the burglary did not occur. Even this non-event was reported on one station. While we want the public to be informed of what is occurring, I don't think an unfounded burglary warrants headline news.
Crime in Duluth ebbs and flows as evident by the crime statistics.
We know police alone cannot lower the crime rate.
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However, we can lower crime and improve neighborhood safety by engaging citizens and businesses in crime prevention programs such as neighborhood watch, citizen patrols and numerous other community policing programs.
Duluth Police Chief Gordon Ramsay can be contacted at 730-5020 or by e-mail at gramsay@ci.duluth.mn.us .
