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Property Crime Trends in Center, Missouri: A Decade of Significant Improvement
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
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Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Center, Missouri, a small community with a population of 681 as of 2022, has experienced notable fluctuations in property crime rates over the past decade. From 2011 to 2018, the total number of property crimes decreased significantly from 11 to 2, representing an 81.8% reduction. During this same period, the population saw a modest increase of 7.9%, growing from 696 to 774 residents.
Burglary rates in the city have shown a downward trend over time. In 2011, there were 2 reported burglaries, which decreased to 1 in 2013 and 2014, before dropping to zero from 2015 to 2018. This represents a 100% decrease in burglary incidents. When considering the population, the burglary rate per 1,000 residents fell from 2.87 in 2011 to 0 by 2018. The city's contribution to state burglary statistics also diminished, from 0.01% in 2011-2012 to 0% in subsequent years, indicating an improvement in local crime prevention efforts relative to the state.
Larceny-theft incidents also demonstrated a declining trend. In 2011, there were 9 reported cases, which decreased to 1 by 2015 and remained at low levels through 2018. This represents an 88.9% reduction over the period. The larceny-theft rate per 1,000 residents dropped from 12.93 in 2011 to 1.29 in 2018. The city's share of state larceny-theft statistics decreased from 0.01% in 2011-2012 to 0% in later years, suggesting improved local prevention measures compared to state trends.
Motor vehicle theft showed minimal occurrence in the city. There were no reported cases from 2011 to 2015, with only one incident each in 2016 and 2018. This resulted in a rate of 0 per 1,000 residents for most years, increasing slightly to 1.29 per 1,000 in 2018. The city's contribution to state motor vehicle theft statistics remained at 0% for most years, with a slight increase to 0.01% in 2016 and 2018, indicating that this crime type is not a significant concern for the community.
Arson incidents were rare in Center. Only one case was reported in 2011, representing 0.11% of state arson cases that year. From 2012 to 2018, no arson incidents were reported, resulting in a 100% decrease and a consistent 0% contribution to state arson statistics. This suggests that arson is not a prevalent issue in the community.
Examining correlations between property crime trends and socioeconomic factors reveals interesting patterns. As the population density increased from 1,753 per square mile in 2011 to 1,949 in 2018, property crimes decreased, suggesting that increased community presence may have deterred criminal activities. Additionally, the rise in homeownership from 69% in 2016 to 72% in 2018 coincided with a period of low and stable property crime rates, potentially indicating that higher ownership rates contribute to community stability and crime reduction.
Applying predictive models to forecast property crime trends for the next five years (up to 2029) suggests a continuation of the low crime rates observed in recent years. Based on the consistent decrease in overall property crimes and the stabilization at low levels, it is projected that Center will maintain its low property crime rates, with potential for further marginal decreases.
In summary, Center, Missouri has demonstrated a remarkable improvement in its property crime landscape over the past decade. The significant reductions in burglary, larceny-theft, and the rarity of motor vehicle theft and arson incidents reflect positively on the community's safety and security measures. These trends, coupled with increasing population density and homeownership rates, suggest a strengthening community fabric that may continue to support low crime rates in the foreseeable future.
