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Violent Crime Trends in Park Ridge, Illinois: A Decade of Fluctuations in a Chicago Suburb
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
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Crime
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Park Ridge, Illinois, a suburban city located northwest of Chicago, has experienced fluctuating violent crime rates over the past decade. From 2010 to 2020, the total number of violent crimes varied, with no consistent trend, ranging from a low of 11 incidents in 2019 to a high of 23 in 2011. During this same period, the city's population grew steadily from 41,135 in 2010 to 43,567 in 2020, representing a 5.9% increase.
Murder rates in the city have remained exceptionally low, with only two recorded incidents over the entire period - one in 2012 and another in 2019. This translates to a murder rate of approximately 0.02 per 1,000 residents in those years, with zero murders in all other years. The percentage of state murders attributable to Park Ridge was 0.15% in 2012 and 0.14% in 2019, indicating that the city contributes minimally to Illinois' overall murder statistics.
Rape incidents have shown some variation, fluctuating between zero and three cases per year. The highest number of rapes (3) was reported in 2020, resulting in a rate of 0.07 per 1,000 residents. The city's contribution to state rape statistics has ranged from 0% to 0.11%, with the highest percentage occurring in 2011. Data for rape was not available for 2013, which may affect the overall trend analysis.
Robbery trends in the city have shown more variability. The number of robberies peaked at 12 in 2012, representing a rate of 0.29 per 1,000 residents. However, by 2020, this had decreased to 6 incidents or 0.14 per 1,000 residents. The city's contribution to state robbery statistics has fluctuated between 0.02% and 0.07%, with the highest percentage in 2012.
Aggravated assault cases have shown the most significant fluctuations among violent crimes in the city. The number of incidents ranged from a low of 3 in 2016 to a high of 15 in 2018. In 2020, there were 10 aggravated assaults, equating to a rate of 0.23 per 1,000 residents. The city's contribution to state aggravated assault statistics has varied between 0.01% and 0.08%, with the highest percentage in 2013.
Examining correlations, there appears to be a weak positive relationship between population growth and the number of violent crimes. As the population increased from 41,135 in 2010 to 43,567 in 2020, the total number of violent crimes showed slight increases in some years, though not consistently. The racial composition of the city has remained relatively stable, with a slight decrease in the white population from 83% in 2013 to 79% in 2022, and a small increase in Asian and Hispanic populations. However, there doesn't appear to be a strong correlation between these demographic shifts and violent crime trends.
Applying predictive models based on the available data, it's projected that violent crime rates in Park Ridge will remain relatively stable over the next five years, with potential slight fluctuations. By 2029, the total number of violent crimes is expected to remain within the range of 15 to 25 incidents per year, assuming no significant changes in socioeconomic factors or law enforcement strategies.
In summary, Park Ridge has maintained relatively low violent crime rates compared to state averages, with murder and rape incidents being particularly rare. While there have been fluctuations in robbery and aggravated assault cases, the overall violent crime rate has remained low relative to the city's population growth. The city's contribution to state crime statistics remains minimal across all categories of violent crime, suggesting that Park Ridge continues to be a relatively safe suburban community within Illinois.
