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Property Crime Decline in Leeton, Missouri: A Small City's Success Story
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
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Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Leeton, located in Missouri, presents an interesting case study in property crime trends. Over the years from 2010 to 2017, the city experienced a significant decrease in total property crimes, from 15 incidents in 2010 to just 3 in 2017, representing an 80% reduction. This dramatic drop occurred while the population remained relatively stable, decreasing slightly from 1,833 in 2010 to 1,523 in 2017, a decline of about 17%.
Burglary rates in the city show a notable downward trend. In 2010, there were 3 burglaries reported, which decreased to 1 in 2011, and then to zero for the subsequent years through 2017. This translates to a 100% reduction in burglaries over the period. When considering the population, the burglary rate per 1,000 residents fell from 1.64 in 2010 to 0 by 2013 and remained at that level. The city's contribution to state burglary statistics also diminished, from 0.01% in 2010 to 0% in subsequent years, indicating an improvement in local safety relative to the state average.
Larceny-theft, the most common property crime in Leeton, also showed a declining trend. From 12 incidents in 2010, it decreased to 2 in 2017, a reduction of about 83%. The larceny-theft rate per 1,000 residents dropped from 6.55 in 2010 to 1.31 in 2017. The city's share of state larceny-theft incidents decreased from 0.01% in 2010 to 0% by 2017, suggesting a faster improvement in this category compared to the state average.
Motor vehicle theft in the city fluctuated but remained low throughout the period. There were no reported incidents in 2010, 2011, and 2013, with one incident each in 2012 and 2017. The rate per 1,000 residents in years with incidents was approximately 0.57 in 2012 and 0.66 in 2017. Interestingly, despite the low numbers, the city's contribution to state motor vehicle theft statistics was 0.01% in 2012 and 2017, indicating these isolated incidents had a measurable impact on state-level data.
Arson incidents were consistently reported as zero throughout the examined period, from 2010 to 2017. This absence of arson cases suggests a stable and safe environment in this respect, with the city maintaining a 0% contribution to state arson statistics.
There appears to be a correlation between the decreasing property crime trends and the increasing median income in Leeton. As the median income rose from $41,646 in 2013 to $46,428 in 2017, an increase of about 11.5%, the total property crimes decreased. Additionally, the percentage of owner-occupied housing increased from 76% in 2013 to 81% in 2017, which may have contributed to the reduction in property crimes, particularly burglaries and larceny-theft.
Applying predictive models to forecast property crime trends for the next five years (up to 2029), we can anticipate a continued low level of property crimes if current socioeconomic trends persist. The total number of property crimes is likely to remain in the single digits annually, with larceny-theft potentially being the most frequent type of crime. However, given the already low crime rates, significant further reductions may be challenging to achieve.
In summary, Leeton has demonstrated a remarkable improvement in property crime rates between 2010 and 2017. The substantial decreases in burglary and larceny-theft, coupled with consistently low rates of motor vehicle theft and arson, paint a picture of a community that has become increasingly safe over time. These positive trends, correlated with rising incomes and home ownership, suggest that Leeton has made significant strides in enhancing the security and well-being of its residents.
