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| Copyright 2009 Tony Daysog, all rights reserved |
12.21.2009
Two recent homicides remind us that
although an island Alameda is not
completely sheltered from severe
types of crime that unfortunately occur
regularly in nearby Oakland. While
every crime is tragic and devastating
to victims and their families, the public
can take some solace in the
knowledge that violent crimes occur
less frequently in Alameda than
elsewhere, as indicated in Federal
Bureau of Investigation data.
Table 1 shows violent crime trends in
the City of Alameda, incorporated
cities in Alameda County, and a select
number of cities in Contra Costa
County. On average, 279 violent crime
incidents occurred per year between
2000 and 2008 in Alameda. The table
shows that violent crime in Alameda
has been trending down since 2005.
Each year between 2000 and 2004,
Alameda experienced 302, 366, 299,
332, and 342 incidents of violent crime.
Violent crime fell starting in 2005.
Each year between 2005 and 2008,
Alameda experienced 232, 221, 205
and 210 incidents of violent crime
respectively.
Because cities in the county vary by
population, for uniform comparison
purposes, Table 2 presents data in
terms of incidents per 10,000 persons.
Over the 2000-2008 period, Alameda
averaged 38 violent crime incidents
per 10,000 persons. Like Alameda,
Albany is a bedroom community
located next to a relatively large city,
Berkeley. At 34 per 10,000 persons,
Albany's long-term violent crime rate is
similar to Alameda's, suggesting both
of our rates may be typical for
bedroom communities next to large
cities.
In Table 3, we compare Alameda
against medium-sized California cities
with populations between 50,000 and
100,000 people. Over the long-term
2000-2008 period, medium-sized cities
as a group averaged 43 violent crimes
per 10,000 persons. At 38 violent
crimes per 10,000 persons, Alameda
posted a slightly better long-term
average than the medium-sized cities'
group average. It is worth noting that
violent crime rates for each year
between 2005 and 2008 were several
points below the long-term 2000-2008
average of 38, underscoring the
downward trend mentioned above.
Table 4 lists all medium-sized cities in
California, ranking these cities by their
2008 violent crime rates. Out of 107
medium-sized cities with 50,000 to
100,000 people, Alameda had the 45th
lowest violent crime rate in 2008.
12.23.2009 add on to 12.21.2009
In looking at Table 4, it is also worth
noting that Alameda's violent crime
rate for 2008 (30 per 10,000) is
significantly lower than the 2008 rates
for San Leandro (66 per 10,000) and
Union City (60 per 10,000), two nearby
"medium-sized" cities in the county.
although an island Alameda is not
completely sheltered from severe
types of crime that unfortunately occur
regularly in nearby Oakland. While
every crime is tragic and devastating
to victims and their families, the public
can take some solace in the
knowledge that violent crimes occur
less frequently in Alameda than
elsewhere, as indicated in Federal
Bureau of Investigation data.
Table 1 shows violent crime trends in
the City of Alameda, incorporated
cities in Alameda County, and a select
number of cities in Contra Costa
County. On average, 279 violent crime
incidents occurred per year between
2000 and 2008 in Alameda. The table
shows that violent crime in Alameda
has been trending down since 2005.
Each year between 2000 and 2004,
Alameda experienced 302, 366, 299,
332, and 342 incidents of violent crime.
Violent crime fell starting in 2005.
Each year between 2005 and 2008,
Alameda experienced 232, 221, 205
and 210 incidents of violent crime
respectively.
Because cities in the county vary by
population, for uniform comparison
purposes, Table 2 presents data in
terms of incidents per 10,000 persons.
Over the 2000-2008 period, Alameda
averaged 38 violent crime incidents
per 10,000 persons. Like Alameda,
Albany is a bedroom community
located next to a relatively large city,
Berkeley. At 34 per 10,000 persons,
Albany's long-term violent crime rate is
similar to Alameda's, suggesting both
of our rates may be typical for
bedroom communities next to large
cities.
In Table 3, we compare Alameda
against medium-sized California cities
with populations between 50,000 and
100,000 people. Over the long-term
2000-2008 period, medium-sized cities
as a group averaged 43 violent crimes
per 10,000 persons. At 38 violent
crimes per 10,000 persons, Alameda
posted a slightly better long-term
average than the medium-sized cities'
group average. It is worth noting that
violent crime rates for each year
between 2005 and 2008 were several
points below the long-term 2000-2008
average of 38, underscoring the
downward trend mentioned above.
Table 4 lists all medium-sized cities in
California, ranking these cities by their
2008 violent crime rates. Out of 107
medium-sized cities with 50,000 to
100,000 people, Alameda had the 45th
lowest violent crime rate in 2008.
12.23.2009 add on to 12.21.2009
In looking at Table 4, it is also worth
noting that Alameda's violent crime
rate for 2008 (30 per 10,000) is
significantly lower than the 2008 rates
for San Leandro (66 per 10,000) and
Union City (60 per 10,000), two nearby
"medium-sized" cities in the county.
