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Violent Crime Trends in Bellefontaine, Ohio: A Decade of Significant Improvement
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Loading Content...
Crime
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Bellefontaine, a city in Ohio, has experienced significant fluctuations in violent crime rates over the past decade, set against a backdrop of modest population changes. From 2010 to 2022, the total number of violent crimes decreased by 50%, from 34 to 17 incidents. During this same period, the population increased slightly from 18,242 to 18,287, representing a growth of about 0.25%.
Murder rates in the city have remained consistently low, with only two reported cases over the 13-year period – one in 2011 and another in 2018. This translates to an average murder rate of 0.008 per 1,000 residents, which is significantly lower than national averages. The percentage of state murders attributed to the city has been negligible, peaking at 0.24% in 2011 and 0.2% in 2018. These figures suggest that murder is an extremely rare occurrence in the community.
Rape incidents have shown a general downward trend, decreasing from 14 cases in 2010 to 7 in 2022, a 50% reduction. The rate per 1,000 residents fell from 0.77 to 0.38 over this period. The city's contribution to state rape cases has also declined, from 0.52% in 2010 to 0.18% in 2022. This consistent decrease indicates improving safety for residents in this regard.
Robbery rates have dropped dramatically, from 8 incidents in 2010 to zero in 2022. The rate per 1,000 residents decreased from 0.44 to 0, and the city's share of state robberies fell from 0.05% to 0%. This trend suggests a significant improvement in property-related violent crime.
Aggravated assault cases have fluctuated but show an overall decrease from 12 in 2010 to 10 in 2022. The rate per 1,000 residents dropped slightly from 0.66 to 0.55. The city's contribution to state aggravated assaults has remained relatively low, peaking at 0.25% in 2013 and dropping to 0.06% by 2022. This indicates a general improvement in public safety related to violent confrontations.
There appears to be a moderate correlation between population density and violent crime rates. As population density decreased from 1,805 per square mile in 2010 to 1,752 in 2020, violent crime rates also generally declined. However, this correlation is not perfect, as crime rates fluctuated year to year despite steady population changes.
The racial composition of the city has remained relatively stable, with a slight decrease in the white population from 92% in 2013 to 89% in 2022, and a small increase in diversity. This stability in demographics does not seem to correlate strongly with the more significant changes in crime rates.
Applying predictive models based on the current trends, it's projected that by 2029, violent crime rates could potentially decrease further. The total number of violent crimes might drop to around 10-12 incidents per year, with rape and aggravated assault likely to be the most common types of violent crime. Robberies may continue to be rare or non-existent, and murders are expected to remain extremely infrequent events.
In summary, Bellefontaine has shown a promising trend of decreasing violent crime rates across all categories over the past decade. The most significant improvements have been in robbery and rape rates, while aggravated assaults have shown more modest declines. The city's contribution to state crime figures has consistently decreased, indicating that it has become relatively safer compared to other parts of Ohio. These trends, coupled with stable population growth and demographics, suggest a positive outlook for public safety in Bellefontaine in the coming years.
