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Property Crime Trends in Pittston: A Decade of Decline Amidst Population Changes
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
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Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Pittston, located in Pennsylvania, presents an interesting case study in property crime trends over the past decade. From 2010 to 2018, the total number of property crimes decreased by 38.1%, from 215 to 133 incidents. This significant reduction occurred against a backdrop of relatively stable population, which saw a minor decrease of 2.2% from 7,770 in 2010 to 7,601 in 2022.
Burglary rates in the city showed notable fluctuations over the years. In 2010, there were 20 reported burglaries, which increased to 37 in 2014, representing an 85% surge. However, by 2018, burglaries had decreased to 15 incidents, a 25% reduction from 2010 levels. When adjusted for population, the burglary rate increased from 2.57 per 1,000 residents in 2010 to 4.81 per 1,000 in 2014, before declining to 1.95 per 1,000 in 2018. The city's share of state burglaries rose from 0.08% in 2010 to 0.18% in 2014, then decreased to 0.11% by 2018, indicating a relative improvement in the local burglary situation compared to the state average.
Larceny-theft, the most common property crime in the city, showed a downward trend. Incidents decreased from 185 in 2010 to 113 in 2018, a 38.9% reduction. The rate per 1,000 residents fell from 23.81 in 2010 to 14.69 in 2018. Despite this decrease, the city's share of state larceny-theft incidents remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 0.23% and 0.25% from 2010 to 2014, before dropping to 0.17% in 2018. This suggests that while larceny-theft decreased in absolute terms, the reduction was somewhat in line with state-wide trends.
Motor vehicle theft in the city experienced significant volatility. From 10 incidents in 2010, it dropped to just 2 in 2012 and 2013, then rose to 6 in 2014 and remained at that level through 2017, before slightly decreasing to 5 in 2018. The rate per 1,000 residents followed a similar pattern, starting at 1.29 in 2010, dropping to 0.26 in 2012-2013, and settling at 0.65 in 2018. Interestingly, the city's share of state motor vehicle thefts decreased from 0.09% in 2010 to 0.02% in 2012-2013, then rose to 0.07% in 2017 before slightly decreasing to 0.06% in 2018. This suggests that despite fluctuations, the city maintained a relatively low proportion of the state's motor vehicle thefts.
Arson cases in the city were rare, with only one reported incident in 2010 and 2017, and none in the intervening years. This translates to a rate of 0.13 per 1,000 residents in those years. The city's share of state arson cases was 0.17% in 2010 and 0.12% in 2017, indicating that arson was not a significant issue relative to state levels.
Examining correlations between property crime trends and demographic factors reveals some interesting patterns. The reduction in property crimes coincided with a slight decrease in population density, from 5,076 per square mile in 2010 to 4,966 in 2022. Additionally, there was a notable decline in homeownership rates, from 58% in 2015 to 49% in 2022, which could potentially influence property crime dynamics.
Applying predictive models based on these trends, it's projected that by 2029, Pittston may see a further reduction in overall property crime rates. Burglaries could potentially decrease to around 10-12 incidents per year, while larceny-theft might stabilize at approximately 100 cases annually. Motor vehicle thefts are expected to remain low, potentially averaging 4-5 incidents per year.
In summary, Pittston has experienced a significant overall reduction in property crimes from 2010 to 2018, with varying trends across different categories. The most notable improvements were seen in larceny-theft and burglary rates, while motor vehicle theft and arson remained relatively low throughout the period. These trends, coupled with demographic shifts, suggest a changing urban landscape that may continue to influence property crime patterns in the coming years.
