Many major American cities continue to report overall declines in their crime rate, sustaining a positive downward trend that began the late 20th century.
These five cities, each with a population above 500,000, are the most notable for their double-digit drops between the years 2010 and 2014:
Is your city among them? (Three more with smaller declines are listed at the bottom.)
Austin, Texas
Burglaries Down 34%
During the four years surveyed, the city that prides itself on being “weird” has seen a 34% decrease in burglary rates, nearly doubling the success of the first two years (2010-12), when Austin posted a drop of 17%.
Boston, Massachusetts
Burglaries Down 25%
The “Boston Miracle,” began in the early 21st century as a collaboration of police, ministers, and community leaders that helped end a murder wave in the 1990s. Today, a decade later, the city of Boston has cut its burglary numbers by one-quarter.
San Diego, California
Burglaries Down 20%
The safest large city in California, San Diego, experienced a 20% decline in burglary crimes between 2010 and 2014—a trend that began in 2010-12, when the number dropped 8%.
El Paso, Texas
Burglaries Down 19%
As a border city, El Paso’s law enforcement officers must deal with added illegal immigrants from Mexico and beyond. Contrary to popular belief, though, the influx of immigrants has not led to an increased crime rate because they normally are eager to avoid the police. El Paso has lower crime rates than both Texas as a whole and the rest of the U.S. in general, tallying a 19% drop in burglaries between 2010 and 2014.
New York City
Burglaries Down 19%
Despite its designation as the largest city in the country, and its public image as a dangerous place to wander at night, the Big Apple earned bragging rights with its historic drop in murder rates since the 1990s. Likewise, the rate of burglaries reported by its citizens has continued its downward trend through 2015, dropping 19%
Washington, DC
Burglaries Down 18%
As the first female police chief in the nation’s capital prepares to leave office, her record of achievement includes a significant 17% decrease in burglaries reported in Washington, DC between 2010 and 2014.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Burglaries Down 10%
Philadelphia has been working to restore its image as “The City of Brotherly Love”, and if current trends continue, it may live up to that motto. Between 2010 and 2014 the city’s violent crime rates have come down, and the burglary rate is no exception, having dropped 10%.
Other cities that have seen a drop in burglary rates include Los Angeles, Portland, and Denver, which each tallied a decline of 1%.
SHARE the News– Promote the Good… (Top photo, Austin: argash, CC)