Rise and fall of crime rates
If you place much stock in the state’s Uniform Crime Report then you would be dismayed at the conclusion that violent crime in Fayette County skyrocketed last year. How could this happen, you might wonder, when last year’s report painted such a rosy picture of crime on the decline? You might recall that we warned last year that this would happen. You needn’t color us clairvoyant, we just merely pointed out that the report issued in 2001 failed to carry a full year of statistics for the county’s two largest municipal police departments: Uniontown and Connellsville.
We predicted that once the cities sent in the data, the 2002 report (which actually tallies crimes from 2001) would show an alarming rise in crime. These reports are only as good as the data used to compile the so-called crime statistics. For example, in the 2001 report, Connellsville documented just 25 violent crimes. You might have leaped then to the conclusion that Connellsville is a really, really safe place to live. Had you then looked at the 2002 report that reflects 527 violent crimes, a 2,000 percent increase, you might wonder if police are battling daily riots.
Neither assumption would be correct. Connellsville, more or less, had the same amount of crime for each year. What they, and Uniontown, didn’t have was a decent, consistent reporting system.
Municipal departments aren’t bound by law, although it is strongly recommended, to turn in statistical data to the state police, which is charged with organizing and compiling the UCR. This same data is turned into the federal government for the nation’s report card on crime. If a number of departments fail to comply, then the numbers are skewed and the report holds little value for those in the community who should be spotting trends and working toward crime reduction. And a flawed report also misleads the public and perhaps businesses looking to determine whether to relocate.
Should someone not familiar with Fayette County review this year’s report and see the large increases, they might conclude that the criminal element has taken siege. Although the numbers appear alarming, the report better than last year reflects the true picture of criminal activity. For that Uniontown and Connellsville should be given a small measure of praise for finally filing reports.
We recognize that reports are a necessary evil for most jobs, but especially time consuming for police officers who often justifiably complain that they must spend more time on paperwork than on patrol. But unless these reports are consistently turned in, month after month, year after year, no one will have more than a see-saw impression of crime in Fayette County or be able to tell if crime is on the rise, decline or holding steady.