FBI REPORTS 2010 CRIME RATES DOWN???

The FBI reports that the 2010 Crime Rates are down!  How accurate are these reports?  Consider the economy, the jobless rates, homeless statistics, increase in drug abuse. The rating system may not be accurate or even take into consideration these new factors.. The rating numbers collected are from reporting Police Agencies.  Are the numbers accurate, or created to make the community feel safe?

Just one week's veiwing of  local newspapers across America, or the major news channels and network reports leaves one an image that we are under siege from criminals, local thugs and street gangs.  Just look at the T.V. Reality Show "LOCKUP" on MSNBC. It paints a picture that our prisons are overcrowded, violent and waiting to explode.  On Cables "TRU-TV" the Police chase shows, the violent crimes and armed robberies of actual security surveillance video makes one concerned about going into fast food restaurants, grocery stores, liquor stores and even check cashing storefronts or Banks. Violence in our communities is everywhere. In the wealthy, urban and suburban communities, the confrontational crimes and home invasions are on the increase.

So how did the FBI come up with these numbers?  The answer is that Crime Classifications in communities vary. Robbery is a robbery in any community. However, reporting a robbery as an act is more complicated. If a thug threatens one in language and intimidation ONLY, this may not be declared a Robbery, but rather a simple aggravated assault. In some communities, Robbery is only considered when a weapon is displayed and the threat of violence with the taking of property is completed. Otherwise it may be reported as an attempted theft. In some cases it may only be reported as an assault with intent to rob, not the act of Robbery.

What is a Robbery? It's the act of taking something by the use of force or intimidation! With or without the display of a weapon. In some jurisdictions, the display of the weapon is considered a robbery, in others without a weapon displayed it may be considered an attempted-robbery, or assault, or aggravated assault. Therefore, the reporting may be altered to lessen the appearance of violence in  the community. This may suggest that the numbers game of reporting crimes is present. This will then make the community will feel safe rather than be safe...

This has been a long statistical history of crime reporting in communities, dependant upon the reporting agency and the community politics. After all no community wants to make the list as being prone to high crime, violence or create an atmosphere of fear to its residents, businesses and visitors.