tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post5256909438303525398..comments2024-03-28T12:57:02.380-04:00Comments on Lehigh Valley Ramblings: Bethlehem Leading in 2010's LV Urban CrimeBernie O'Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-8423351132941009132011-01-13T05:32:41.993-05:002011-01-13T05:32:41.993-05:00Thanks for the clarification, Bernie.Thanks for the clarification, Bernie.Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15294395112603289513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-74549868856416152002011-01-12T11:41:22.241-05:002011-01-12T11:41:22.241-05:00My report here is thru September. The MC is thru t...My report here is thru September. The MC is thru the end of the year. That data was unavailable when I did my report thru September, which is accurate.<br /><br />According to the PSP data, attempted burglaries with forcible entry are up 90.48%. Actual forcible burglaries are up 32.04%. <br />Crime itself is up by 6.27%.<br /><br />In contrast, crime is down nearly <b>twenty</b> per cent in Easton and 10.4% in Allentown.<br /><br />Bethlehem is moving in the wrong direction.<br /><br />The MC data is the same data I am using.Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-23399788095328388702011-01-12T11:26:08.398-05:002011-01-12T11:26:08.398-05:00They are what they are. I checked several times ov...They are what they are. I checked several times over two or three days.Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-88784578419893241752011-01-12T09:24:27.356-05:002011-01-12T09:24:27.356-05:00Yea Bernie, your numbers are way off.Yea Bernie, your numbers are way off.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-64120428220308450732011-01-12T05:27:57.932-05:002011-01-12T05:27:57.932-05:00Bernie,
It looks like there are some different nu...Bernie,<br /><br />It looks like there are some different numbers here in a MC Article. <br /><br />http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-bethlehem-burglaries-street-crime-20110111,0,7448134.storyBillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15294395112603289513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-8776031468022353322011-01-06T22:46:19.797-05:002011-01-06T22:46:19.797-05:00agreed.agreed.Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-66246153027039419052011-01-06T20:58:58.817-05:002011-01-06T20:58:58.817-05:00Just ask yourself this question: What evening wou...Just ask yourself this question: What evening would you feel safe walking in downtown Allentown versus downtown Bethlehem? I wouldn't go near downtown Allentown. There is a positive population in downtown Bethlehem.Tpowderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17351215522390162733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-85038217965160794662011-01-06T15:17:33.599-05:002011-01-06T15:17:33.599-05:00crime is usually reported as number of incidents p...crime is usually reported as number of incidents per 1,000, 10,000 or the fbi uses 100,000<br /><br />looking at the three cities rate for crime per 1,000:<br /><br />A town 10.29<br />Beth 7.19<br />East 13.54<br /><br />the fbi cautions against ranking. crime rates need to be viewed by type-violent, rape, murder, aggravated assault, robbery, auto theftAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-65460527086953367632011-01-06T11:48:03.176-05:002011-01-06T11:48:03.176-05:00Bernie -
I remain suspicious of most of the crime...Bernie -<br /><br />I remain suspicious of most of the crime stats coming from Allentown, other than those that are well-publicized and easily verifiable, such as homicides.<br /><br />A few years ago, Allentown made a well-publicized change in how it would respond to crimes. Officers would not respond to some, while others would be given a lower priority and it would take much longer to get an officer on scene.<br /><br />Not surprisingly, the crime numbers started dropping shortly thereafter. I can't say that it is because of an overt effort to mis-report crimes or give it them a lesser classification. Perhaps it is that many people simply don't report some of the "lesser" crimes because they know the response will be slow or non-existent.<br /><br />In any event, my personal experience in the city and those who I talk to that live there is that crime is not decreasing, despite the constant propaganda from City Hall claiming otherwise.Patrick McHenrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-39805884083289856532011-01-06T10:18:45.601-05:002011-01-06T10:18:45.601-05:00" Bethlehem is still far safer. Far safer. It...<em>" Bethlehem is still far safer. Far safer. It's not even close. By any reasonable standard, Allentown still leads in urban crime."</em><br /><br />True, and that's why the numers are important, so you can make that connection. The percentages show a trend. If this holds, Bethlehem will catch A-town eventually.Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-54673868353182781612011-01-06T10:17:09.530-05:002011-01-06T10:17:09.530-05:00"Not to minimize the numbers, but I don't...<em>"Not to minimize the numbers, but I don't think it's accurate to describe it as due to widespread criminal activity."</em><br /><br />Fair point, and I have heard, too, that one gang may be behind all of this.Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-50789758650835585462011-01-06T10:16:07.972-05:002011-01-06T10:16:07.972-05:00Bill, I agree that the numbers are more important ...Bill, I agree that the numbers are more important than the percentages and thank you for noting that yesterday.Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-35145849506002480002011-01-06T09:06:42.346-05:002011-01-06T09:06:42.346-05:00Bethlehem only has approx 65% of Allentown's p...Bethlehem only has approx 65% of Allentown's population.<br /><br />It's going down the tubes fast, I live here. I think it's actually worse. It's no secret the BPD has hidden crime here for years. Who knows what the actual numbers are.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-71036605042482067322011-01-06T07:42:54.976-05:002011-01-06T07:42:54.976-05:00"Allentown: Known offenses have dropped 3%, f..."Allentown: Known offenses have dropped 3%, from 11,319 to 10,980. Attempted burglaries have increased 18.5%, from 124 to 147.<br /><br />Bethlehem: Known offenses have increased 4.18%, from 4,929 to 5,135. Attempted burglaries have skyrocketed 145%, from 11 to 27."<br /><br />I'm confused. Bethlehem has roughly 80% of Allentown's population yet 50% fewer total crimes and about 75% fewer burglaries. So, while Bethlehem's crime increased from 2009-2010 while Allentown's dropped, Bethlehem is still far safer. Far safer. It's not even close. By any reasonable standard, Allentown still leads in urban crime.<br /><br />What were the biggest changes in Bethlehem's police department in 2009-2010? Didn't the police commissioner leave? The casinos are a possible explanation.<br /><br />Re: Emmaus- the borough of emmaus has information, but lower macungie, without a police department, does not report anything as a municipality. that's where the biggest segment of Emmaus' bedroom community is located.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-21665387283309031912011-01-06T07:07:49.508-05:002011-01-06T07:07:49.508-05:00Looking at the figures, it appears that Bethlehem&...Looking at the figures, it appears that Bethlehem's crime wave (or at least a significant portion of it) may be due to the presence of a single gang or group. When I read the Mcall recently, the police suspect a criminal gang was behind most of the recent hold-ups. Not to minimize the numbers, but I don't think it's accurate to describe it as due to widespread criminal activity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-63544769667742369732011-01-06T06:44:52.749-05:002011-01-06T06:44:52.749-05:00Can you post crime stats for bedroom community Emm...Can you post crime stats for bedroom community Emmaus?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-31739967220305922882011-01-06T06:41:40.760-05:002011-01-06T06:41:40.760-05:00Thanks for posting this Bernie. I live in Allento...Thanks for posting this Bernie. I live in Allentown, where Burglary rates are higher than Bethlehem. I do think that every attempted Burglary is serious, however from strictly a numbers perspective, Bethlehem has a much lower rate when you consider the sizes of the cities. I would love to see significant reductions in such crimes everywhere.Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15294395112603289513noreply@blogger.com