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Violent Crime Trends in Gibson City: Small Town Faces Rising Aggravated Assaults
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Loading Content...
Crime
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Gibson City, Illinois, a small community of 3,829 residents as of 2022, has experienced fluctuating violent crime rates over the past decade. From 2010 to 2020, the total number of violent crimes increased from 7 to 16, representing a 128.57% increase. During this same period, the population grew slightly from 3,714 to 3,739.5, a 0.69% increase.
Murder trends in the city have remained relatively stable, with only one reported case in 2013. This translates to a rate of 0.26 murders per 1,000 people for that year. The percentage of state murders attributed to Gibson City was 0.17% in 2013, which is significant for a small community. In all other years, there were no reported murders, indicating that homicide is an extremely rare occurrence in this locality.
Rape incidents have fluctuated over the years. The highest number of reported rapes was 3 in 2018, equating to 0.82 rapes per 1,000 residents. The city's contribution to the state's total rape cases peaked at 0.11% in 2012 and 0.07% in 2018. There were no reported rapes in several years, including 2010, 2014, and 2017. The inconsistent pattern suggests that while rape is not a persistent problem, it does occur sporadically in the community.
Robbery rates in the city have been consistently low. There were only two reported robberies over the entire period: one in 2014 and one in 2019. These incidents translate to rates of 0.26 and 0.27 robberies per 1,000 people, respectively. The city's contribution to the state's robbery total was minimal, at 0.01% in both years. The infrequency of robberies indicates that this type of crime is not a significant concern for residents.
Aggravated assault has been the most prevalent violent crime in the area. The number of assaults peaked at 14 in 2020, representing a rate of 3.74 per 1,000 residents. The city's contribution to the state's aggravated assault total reached its highest at 0.05% in both 2015 and 2020. The trend for aggravated assaults has been variable, with notable increases in 2015 (13 cases) and 2020 (14 cases) compared to other years.
There appears to be a correlation between population density and violent crime rates. As the population density increased from 1,600 per square mile in 2010 to 1,610 per square mile in 2020, the number of violent crimes also rose. The racial composition of the city has remained predominantly white, with a slight decrease from 97% in 2017 to 87% in 2022. This change coincided with a small increase in violent crimes, suggesting a potential correlation between demographic shifts and crime rates.
Applying predictive models based on the available data, it is projected that by 2029, violent crime rates may continue to fluctuate but with a potential slight upward trend. The number of violent crimes could range between 18 to 22 incidents annually, assuming current demographic and socioeconomic trends persist.
In summary, Gibson City has experienced a notable increase in violent crimes over the past decade, primarily driven by aggravated assaults. While murder and robbery remain rare, the community has seen sporadic occurrences of rape. The correlation between population density and crime rates suggests that as the city grows, it may face challenges in maintaining public safety. However, the overall violent crime rate remains relatively low for a city of its size, and focused prevention efforts could help mitigate future increases.
