Using FBI statistics that the agency warns not to take out of context, The Clarion-Ledger reported a 9.3 increase in violent crime for the Jackson area this morning.
"Each year when crime in the United States is published, some entities use reported figures to compile rankings of cities and counties," the FBI warns in a pop-up window on its Web site. "These rough rankings provide no insight into the numerous variables that mold crime in a particular town, city, county, state or region. Consequently, they lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting communities and their residents."
The FBI warns that valid assessments are possible "only with careful study and analysis of the range of unique conditions affecting each local law enforcement jurisdiction," and urges data users against comparing statistical data of individual reporting units from cities, metropolitan areas, states, or colleges or universities solely on the basis of their population coverage or student enrollment.
The paper reported the FBI statistics that show Jackson suffered a 9.3 percent increase in violent crime, from 1,512 reported incidences in 2007 to 1,652 in 2008. The statistics, garnered from Jackson Police Department reports, show the city also reported a 4.6 percent increase in property crime, with 13,035 incidences, with burglary leading the numbers. The city reported a 17-incident increase in homicides in 2008, recording 63 homicides over the 47 homicides reported in 2007.
Jackson Assistant Police Chief Lee Vance said the FBI is using old statistics, however, and reports that the city is currently experiencing a decrease in crime this year.
"If you want to do a story on old numbers then you can follow the FBI angle and nothing else," Vance told the Jackson Free Press. "The numbers are a comparison of 2007 to 2008, and this is Sept. 15 of 2009, which represents three-quarters of this year. So, in my opinion, the numbers have little value unless you only want to do a negative crime story."
Vance reports a 9.7 decrease in violent crime compared to this time last year. The city, Vance said, also enjoyed a 5.1 decrease in carjacking this year, as well as a 20.6 percent decrease in aggravated assaults. The homicide count is also low so far, with only 31 homicides reported, compared to a 50 homicides by September 2008.
"We've got a decrease in every violent crime category, except aggravated assault, which stayed the same compared to last year," Vance said. "We're looking forward, not backward.
The FBI pointed out that its information relies exclusively on the accuracy of local law enforcement reports, which could vary from city to city.
"One city may report more crime than a comparable one, not because there is more crime, but rather because its law enforcement agency, through proactive efforts, identifies more offenses," the FBI reports on its Web site. "Attitudes of the citizens toward crime and their crime reporting practices, especially concerning minor offenses, also have an impact on the volume of crimes known to police."
The statistics record a comparative drop in crime in the bedroom communities around Jackson, although Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance President Bill Chandler says the nativist views of surrounding law enforcement agencies in suburban counties like Rankin and Madison discourage the area's population of undocumented workers from reporting countless cases of aggravated assault, rape and robbery.
"Immigrants in the surrounding areas are constantly under attack by criminals, because they know undocumented workers don't usually have bank accounts and carry their money on them," Chandler said.
"Thanks to the viciousness of our state government, police and sheriffs, people are afraid to report crimes," he said. "We get most of our reports from Madison, Rankin, Scott counties and Warren County. Rarely does it happen in Jackson, because the Jackson police seem to be enforcing the law without worrying about whether a victim is documented or not."
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