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Violent Crime Trends in Herculaneum: A Decade of Growth and Change
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Loading Content...
Crime
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Herculaneum, located in Missouri, has experienced notable changes in violent crime rates over the past decade, alongside significant population growth. From 2010 to 2022, the total number of violent crimes increased from 3 to 11, representing a 266.67% increase. During this same period, the population grew from 3,961 to 5,177, a 30.70% increase.
Murder rates in the city have remained consistently low, with no reported cases from 2010 to 2022. This stability is particularly noteworthy given the population growth, maintaining a murder rate of 0 per 1,000 residents throughout the period. The city's contribution to the state's murder statistics has remained at 0% over the years, indicating a relatively safe environment in terms of homicides.
Rape incidents have shown fluctuation over the years. The city reported no cases from 2011 to 2016, but saw an increase to 3 cases in 2020 and 2022, with a peak of 5 cases in 2021. This translates to a rate of 0.58 per 1,000 residents in 2020, increasing to 0.94 per 1,000 in 2021, and then decreasing to 0.58 per 1,000 in 2022. The city's contribution to state rape statistics rose from 0% in 2016 to 0.24% in 2021, dropping slightly to 0.14% in 2022. This trend suggests a growing concern that requires attention from local law enforcement.
Robbery rates have remained relatively low but inconsistent. The city reported 1 case in 2010, 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2022, with no cases in the intervening years. The robbery rate per 1,000 residents was 0.25 in 2010, decreasing to 0.19 in 2022 due to population growth. The city's contribution to state robbery statistics has fluctuated between 0% and 0.03% over the years, indicating a minimal impact on overall state figures.
Aggravated assault has shown the most significant increase among violent crimes. Cases rose from 1 in 2010 to 7 in 2022, peaking at 14 in 2018. The rate per 1,000 residents increased from 0.25 in 2010 to 1.35 in 2022, with a high of 2.84 per 1,000 in 2018. The city's contribution to state aggravated assault statistics grew from 0.01% in 2010 to 0.04% in 2022, peaking at 0.08% in 2018. This trend suggests a growing concern for public safety and potentially indicates broader social issues within the community.
A strong correlation exists between the increase in violent crimes and population growth. As the population density increased from 952 per square mile in 2010 to 1,245 per square mile in 2022, violent crimes rose correspondingly. This suggests that the growing urbanization of the area may be contributing to higher crime rates.
Applying predictive models based on these trends, it's projected that by 2029, Herculaneum may see: a continued low or zero murder rate; rape cases potentially stabilizing around 3-4 per year; robbery cases remaining low but potentially increasing to 2-3 per year; and aggravated assault cases likely increasing to 12-15 per year.
In summary, Herculaneum has experienced a significant increase in violent crimes, particularly aggravated assaults, correlating with its population growth. While murder rates remain low, the rise in other violent crimes, especially rape and aggravated assault, presents a growing challenge for the community. These trends underscore the need for targeted crime prevention strategies and community engagement initiatives to ensure public safety keeps pace with the city's expansion.
