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Property Crime Trends in Attalla: A Decade of Disproportionate Increases
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
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Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Attalla, a city in Alabama, has witnessed significant changes in its property crime landscape from 2010 to 2022, despite minimal population growth. The total number of property crimes increased by 54.88%, rising from 297 to 460 incidents, while the population grew by a mere 0.05%, from 6,147 to 6,150 residents. This stark contrast between crime rates and population growth suggests complex underlying factors influencing criminal activity in the area.
Burglary trends in Attalla have shown dramatic shifts over the past decade. Initially, burglaries decreased by 55.38%, from 65 incidents in 2010 to 29 in 2016. However, this trend reversed sharply, with burglaries surging to 231 in 2022, marking a 255.38% increase from 2010 levels. The burglary rate per 1,000 people rose significantly from 10.57 in 2010 to 37.56 in 2022. Notably, Attalla's share of state burglaries increased from 0.28% in 2010 to 2.03% in 2022, indicating a disproportionate rise compared to state-wide trends.
Larceny theft incidents in Attalla initially followed a downward trend, decreasing from 226 in 2010 to 92 in 2016, a 59.29% reduction. However, by 2022, the number of incidents increased to 205, which is still 9.29% lower than the 2010 figure. The larceny theft rate per 1,000 people decreased slightly from 36.77 in 2010 to 33.33 in 2022. The city's share of state larceny thefts increased marginally from 0.31% in 2010 to 0.44% in 2022, suggesting a relatively stable position in state-wide larceny trends.
Motor vehicle theft trends in Attalla have been volatile over the studied period. From 6 incidents in 2010, they dropped to zero in 2016, but then increased significantly to 24 in 2022, representing a 300% increase from 2010 levels. The rate per 1,000 people rose from 0.98 in 2010 to 3.90 in 2022. The city's share of state motor vehicle thefts increased from 0.10% in 2010 to 0.36% in 2022, indicating a growing problem relative to state trends.
Arson data for Attalla is limited, with only one incident reported in 2021, representing 0.76% of state arsons. No arsons were reported in 2022, making trend analysis for this specific crime category difficult.
An interesting correlation appears between property crime rates and median income in Attalla. As median income increased from $32,974 in 2013 to $50,483 in 2022, property crime rates initially decreased but then rose sharply. This suggests that factors beyond income are influencing crime rates in the city. Additionally, the percentage of owner-occupied housing increased from 65% in 2013 to 77% in 2022, coinciding with the overall increase in property crimes, particularly burglaries.
Based on these trends, predictive models project that by 2029, Attalla could see property crime rates continue to rise, potentially reaching around 600-650 incidents annually. Burglaries may continue to be a significant concern, possibly accounting for nearly half of all property crimes in the city.
In conclusion, Attalla has experienced a complex evolution in its property crime landscape over the past decade. The most striking discovery is the substantial increase in burglaries, which has far outpaced population growth and significantly increased the city's share of state burglaries. This trend, coupled with the rise in motor vehicle thefts and the overall increase in property crimes despite rising median incomes and home ownership rates, suggests a need for targeted crime prevention strategies. The city's changing crime profile, particularly in relation to state averages, indicates that local factors are playing a significant role in shaping these trends.
