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Property Crime Trends in Sweetwater, Tennessee: A Decade of Significant Decline
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
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Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Sweetwater, located in Tennessee, has experienced notable fluctuations in property crime rates over the past decade, alongside modest population growth. From 2010 to 2022, the total number of property crimes decreased by 50.17%, from 291 to 145 incidents. During this same period, the city's population increased by 7.41%, from 11,522 to 12,376 residents.
Burglary rates in the city have shown a significant downward trend. In 2010, there were 80 burglaries, which decreased to 15 in 2022, representing an 81.25% reduction. When adjusted for population, the burglary rate per 1,000 residents fell from 6.94 in 2010 to 1.21 in 2022. The city's share of state burglaries fluctuated, peaking at 0.44% in 2016 before declining to 0.11% in 2022. This substantial decrease in burglaries suggests improved security measures or changes in local law enforcement strategies.
Larceny-theft incidents also experienced a decline, though less pronounced than burglaries. The number of larceny-thefts decreased from 192 in 2010 to 111 in 2022, a 42.19% reduction. The rate per 1,000 residents dropped from 16.66 to 8.97 during this period. The city's contribution to state larceny-theft cases remained relatively stable, ranging between 0.13% and 0.29%, ending at 0.15% in 2022. This trend indicates a general improvement in property protection or a shift in criminal activity patterns.
Motor vehicle theft showed more variability over the years. There were 19 incidents in 2010, which decreased to 19 again in 2022, after peaking at 34 in 2016. The rate per 1,000 residents slightly decreased from 1.65 in 2010 to 1.53 in 2022. The city's share of state motor vehicle thefts fluctuated between 0.11% and 0.41%, ending at 0.11% in 2022. This relatively stable trend suggests that efforts to combat motor vehicle theft have maintained effectiveness despite population growth.
Arson cases in the city have been sporadic and low in number. The data shows 0 cases in 2010, peaking at 3 cases in 2016, and settling at 2 cases in 2022. The rate per 1,000 residents remained consistently low, reaching a maximum of 0.25 in 2016 and ending at 0.16 in 2022. The city's contribution to state arson cases varied widely, from 0% in several years to a high of 0.45% in 2016, ending at 0.37% in 2022. These low numbers make it difficult to establish a clear trend, but they suggest that arson is not a prevalent issue in the city.
Examining correlations, there appears to be a moderate inverse relationship between median income and property crime rates. As median income increased from $37,251 in 2013 to $39,706 in 2022, overall property crime rates declined. Additionally, there's a slight correlation between the decrease in the percentage of owner-occupied housing (from 68% in 2013 to 63% in 2022) and the reduction in property crimes, particularly burglaries.
Applying predictive models based on the observed trends, it's projected that by 2029 (five years from now), the city may see further reductions in property crime rates. Burglaries could potentially decrease to around 10 incidents per year, larceny-theft might stabilize at approximately 100 cases annually, and motor vehicle theft could remain steady at about 20 incidents per year. Arson cases are likely to remain low, potentially averaging 1-2 cases annually.
In conclusion, Sweetwater has demonstrated a positive trend in reducing property crime rates over the past decade, particularly in burglaries and larceny-thefts. This improvement, coupled with modest population growth and increasing median income, suggests an overall enhancement in the city's safety and economic conditions. The continuation of these trends could further solidify Sweetwater's reputation as a progressively safer community in the coming years.
