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Violent Crime Trends in Preston, Maryland: A Small Community's Safety Profile
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Preston, Maryland, is a small community that has experienced fluctuations in both population and violent crime rates over the years. From 2010 to 2011, the total number of violent crimes decreased from 2 to 1, representing a 50% reduction. During this same period, the population grew from 1,781 to 1,858, an increase of 4.3%. This initial data suggests a divergence between population growth and violent crime rates in the early part of the decade.
Regarding murder trends, the data shows no recorded incidents of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter in Preston for both 2010 and 2011. The percentage of state crime for this category remains at 0% throughout the observed period. With no murders reported, the rate per 1,000 people is consistently zero, despite the population changes. This absence of murder cases suggests a relatively safe environment in terms of the most severe form of violent crime.
The rape statistics for Preston also show no reported incidents in both 2010 and 2011. The percentage of state crime for rape remains at 0%, and the rate per 1,000 people is zero. This consistent lack of reported rape cases, even as the population grew, indicates that sexual violence was not a prominent issue in the community during this period.
Robbery trends in Preston show a decrease from 1 incident in 2010 to 0 in 2011. This represents a 100% reduction in robbery cases. The percentage of state crime for robbery decreased from 0.02% to 0%, reflecting this change. In terms of population, the robbery rate per 1,000 people dropped from approximately 0.56 in 2010 to 0 in 2011. This significant decrease suggests an improvement in public safety regarding property crimes.
Aggravated assault remained constant with 1 incident reported in both 2010 and 2011. The percentage of state crime for aggravated assault stayed at 0.01%. However, due to population growth, the rate of aggravated assault per 1,000 people slightly decreased from approximately 0.56 in 2010 to 0.54 in 2011. This stability in aggravated assault cases, despite population growth, suggests that the community maintained a consistent level of safety in this category of violent crime.
When examining correlations between violent crime trends and other factors, there appears to be a weak inverse relationship between population density and violent crime. As the population density increased from 3,246 per square mile in 2010 to 3,387 in 2011, the total violent crime decreased. However, with only two years of data and small crime numbers, this correlation should be interpreted cautiously.
Applying predictive models to forecast violent crime trends is challenging with limited data. However, if we extrapolate from the observed decrease in total violent crimes and assume this trend continues, we might expect to see further reductions in violent crime over the next seven years, reaching 2029. This could potentially result in years with zero reported violent crimes if the trend persists.
In summary, Preston demonstrated a positive trend in violent crime reduction from 2010 to 2011, with total violent crimes halving despite population growth. The absence of murders and rapes, combined with decreases in robbery and stable aggravated assault rates, paints a picture of a community that maintained and even improved its safety profile during this period. These findings suggest that Preston was making strides in creating a safer environment for its residents, though continued monitoring and crime prevention efforts would be crucial to maintain this positive trajectory.
