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Violent Crime Trends in Bridgeton, Missouri: A Decade of Fluctuations
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Loading Content...
Crime
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Bridgeton, Missouri, presents an intriguing case study in violent crime trends. With a population of 13,369 in 2022, this small city has experienced fluctuations in both its population and crime rates over the past decade. The total number of violent crimes in Bridgeton has shown variability, with 60 incidents reported in 2010, peaking at 110 in 2016, and settling at 79 in 2022, representing a 31.67% increase over this period. Meanwhile, the population decreased by 6.46% from 14,292 in 2010 to 13,369 in 2022.
The murder rate in the city has fluctuated significantly over the years. In 2010, there were no reported murders, but the number rose to 4 in 2016, representing 0.89% of the state's murders that year. By 2022, the number had returned to zero. When considering the population, the murder rate per 1,000 people reached its peak in 2016 at 0.30, dropping to 0 in 2022. This volatility in such a small population suggests that individual incidents can have a large impact on the overall murder rate.
Rape incidents have shown a general upward trend. In 2010, there were 7 reported rapes, which increased to 11 by 2022. The rape rate per 1,000 people rose from 0.49 in 2010 to 0.82 in 2022, an increase of 67.35%. The city's percentage of state rape cases has remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 0.25% and 0.65% over the years, ending at 0.52% in 2022. This suggests that while the absolute number of rapes has increased, it has done so roughly in line with state trends.
Robbery trends have been more volatile. The number of robberies peaked at 28 in 2016 but decreased to 12 by 2022. The robbery rate per 1,000 people followed a similar pattern, peaking at 2.07 in 2016 and dropping to 0.90 in 2022. The city's share of state robberies has fluctuated between 0.22% and 0.48%, indicating that Bridgeton's robbery trends have not consistently aligned with state patterns.
Aggravated assault cases have shown significant fluctuation. From 41 cases in 2010, the number rose to a high of 70 in 2016, before decreasing to 56 in 2022. The rate per 1,000 people followed a similar trajectory, peaking at 5.17 in 2016 and settling at 4.19 in 2022. The city's percentage of state aggravated assaults has ranged from 0.23% to 0.49%, suggesting that local factors may be influencing these trends more than state-wide patterns.
There appears to be a correlation between population density and violent crime rates in the city. As the population density decreased from 982 per square mile in 2010 to 918 in 2022, there was a corresponding increase in the overall violent crime rate. This suggests that factors other than population density, such as economic conditions or law enforcement strategies, may be influencing crime rates.
Applying predictive models to forecast violent crime trends for the next five years (up to 2029), we can anticipate a potential stabilization or slight decrease in overall violent crime rates. This prediction is based on the recent downward trend observed from 2016 to 2022. However, individual categories of violent crime may continue to show variability.
In summary, Bridgeton has experienced complex and sometimes contradictory trends in violent crime over the past decade. While some categories of crime have increased, others have decreased, and the overall violent crime rate has shown significant fluctuations. The city's small size means that individual incidents can have a substantial impact on crime statistics. Moving forward, continued monitoring and targeted interventions may be necessary to address specific areas of concern, particularly in categories that have shown persistent increases or volatility.
