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Violent Crime Trends in Williamsport: Little League City Faces Fluctuating Safety Challenges
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Loading Content...
Crime
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Williamsport, located in Pennsylvania, has experienced notable fluctuations in violent crime rates over the past decade. From 2010 to 2018, the total number of violent crimes varied, with a peak of 132 incidents in 2014 and a low of 71 in 2018, representing a 46.2% decrease over this period. During the same timeframe, the city's population declined from 29,509 in 2010 to 28,759 in 2018, a 2.5% decrease.
The murder rate in the city has shown significant volatility. In 2010, there were 2 murders, which increased to a high of 7 in 2015, before decreasing to 1 in 2018. This translates to a murder rate per 1,000 people that ranged from 0.068 in 2010 to 0.239 in 2015, falling to 0.035 in 2018. The city's contribution to the state's total murders fluctuated dramatically, from 0.4% in 2010 to a peak of 1.5% in 2015, before dropping to 0.18% in 2018. These figures suggest that while murder rates have been volatile, they remain a relatively small portion of the state's total.
Rape incidents in the city have shown a general upward trend. From 12 cases in 2010, the number rose to 19 in 2015, before settling at 11 in 2018. The rate per 1,000 people increased from 0.407 in 2010 to 0.648 in 2015, then decreased to 0.382 in 2018. The city's percentage of state rape cases fluctuated between 0.33% and 1.0%, with the highest contribution in 2015. This indicates that while rape incidents have increased overall, they remain a small fraction of state totals.
Robbery trends show a significant decline over time. From 55 incidents in 2010, robberies peaked at 62 in 2012 before dropping sharply to 12 in 2018. The rate per 1,000 people decreased from 1.864 in 2010 to 0.417 in 2018. The city's contribution to state robbery totals also fell from 0.43% in 2010 to 0.16% in 2018, indicating a substantial improvement in this area of violent crime.
Aggravated assault cases have shown more variability. From 33 incidents in 2010, the number rose to a high of 66 in both 2014 and 2017, before decreasing to 47 in 2018. The rate per 1,000 people increased from 1.118 in 2010 to 2.247 in 2014, ending at 1.634 in 2018. The city's percentage of state aggravated assaults grew from 0.22% in 2010 to 0.52% in 2014, settling at 0.36% in 2018. This suggests that aggravated assaults remain a persistent issue, despite recent improvements.
There appears to be a correlation between population density and violent crime rates. As the population density decreased from 3,362 per square mile in 2010 to 3,276 in 2018, there was a general downward trend in overall violent crime, particularly evident in robbery rates. However, this correlation is not consistent across all crime types, as evidenced by the fluctuations in murder and aggravated assault rates.
Applying predictive models based on these trends, it's projected that by 2029, Williamsport may see a continued overall decrease in violent crime rates, particularly in robberies. However, aggravated assaults may remain a concern, potentially fluctuating around current levels. Murder rates are likely to remain low but unpredictable due to their historical volatility.
In summary, Williamsport has experienced a complex evolution of violent crime patterns over the past decade. While there have been significant improvements in some areas, particularly robbery, other types of violent crime have shown more variability. The city's declining population and density appear to have some influence on crime rates, but the relationship is not uniform across all crime categories. As Williamsport moves forward, addressing persistent issues like aggravated assaults while maintaining the positive trends in other areas will be crucial for improving overall public safety.
