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Property Crime Trends in Hayden, Alabama: A Mixed Picture with Overall 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
Hayden, Alabama, a small town with a population of 11,708 in 2022, has experienced notable changes in its property crime landscape over recent years. From 2021 to 2022, the total number of property crimes decreased from 19 to 16, representing a 15.8% reduction. This decline occurred alongside a slight population decrease of 0.3% during the same period, from 11,742 to 11,708 residents.
Burglary incidents in the city doubled from 2 in 2021 to 4 in 2022, indicating a 100% increase. The burglary rate per 1,000 residents rose from 0.17 to 0.34. Notably, the city's share of state burglaries increased from 0.02% to 0.04%, suggesting a disproportionate rise compared to statewide trends. This uptick in burglaries, despite the overall decrease in property crimes, warrants attention from local law enforcement and community leaders.
Larceny-theft cases saw a significant decrease, dropping from 13 in 2021 to 11 in 2022, a 15.4% reduction. The larceny-theft rate per 1,000 residents decreased from 1.11 to 0.94. The city's contribution to state larceny-theft figures halved from 0.04% to 0.02%, indicating a positive trend relative to statewide patterns. This improvement in larceny-theft figures suggests effective local strategies in combating this type of crime.
Motor vehicle theft exhibited a substantial decline, decreasing from 4 incidents in 2021 to just 1 in 2022, a 75% reduction. The rate per 1,000 residents fell from 0.34 to 0.09. The city's share of state motor vehicle thefts dropped dramatically from 0.07% to 0.01%, showcasing a remarkable improvement in this category. This significant decrease could be attributed to enhanced vehicle security measures or targeted law enforcement efforts.
Arson cases remained at zero for both 2021 and 2022, maintaining a 0% contribution to state arson incidents. This consistent absence of arson cases speaks positively about fire safety and prevention measures in the community.
Examining correlations between property crime trends and demographic factors reveals interesting insights. The city's median income decreased from $75,348 in 2021 to $61,207 in 2022, an 18.8% decrease. This substantial drop in median income coincided with the overall decrease in property crimes, challenging the often-assumed positive correlation between economic hardship and property crime rates. The percentage of owner-occupied housing remained stable at 91% during this period, suggesting that homeownership rates may not have significantly influenced property crime trends in this case.
Applying predictive models to forecast property crime trends for the next five years (up to 2029) suggests a potential continuation of the overall downward trend in property crimes. However, the recent increase in burglaries may require targeted interventions to prevent further escalation. The models indicate that larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft are likely to maintain their decreasing trends, while arson cases are expected to remain rare or non-existent.
In summary, Hayden has shown a complex property crime landscape with diverging trends across different categories. The significant reduction in larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft, coupled with the absence of arson, paints a positive picture of overall community safety. However, the increase in burglaries presents a specific challenge that may require focused attention. These trends, when considered alongside demographic changes, suggest that the town is navigating a period of economic adjustment while largely maintaining public safety. As Hayden moves forward, continued monitoring and adaptive strategies will be crucial in sustaining and improving upon these property crime trends.
