Some good news to report on crime statistics in Zilker

Analysis by Connie Temple

While it may be a bit disconcerting to use the term good news when referencing crime - it is factual. 2011 crime statistics reflect a decrease not only nationally and in our city but also in our neighborhood. Here are a few recent reports and postings that reference this downward trend nationally and in South Austin.

In an online KVUE report on national crime statistics posted on December 18, 2011: The FBI said Monday that violent and property crimes reported to police continue to drop despite tough economic times.

An FBI report states that violent crimes reported in the first half of 2011 were down 6.4 percent compared to the first six months of 2010. The number of property crimes, including burglary, larceny and vehicle theft, decreased 3.7 percent. All four offenses in the violent crime category — murder and non-negligent homicide, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault — decreased between the first half of 2010 and 2011. Robbery experienced the biggest drop of 7.7 percent.

The report is based on information from more than 12,500 law enforcement agencies, although many crimes go unreported to police. There were drops in every region of the country.

The figures continue a downward trend in recent years. Violent crime was down 6.2 percent in the first half of last year, 4.4 percent in 2009 and 3.5 percent in 2008. And property crimes dropped 2.8 percent last year, 6.1 percent in 2009 and 2.5 percent in 2008.

Excerpts from an Austin American American-Statesman report posted on November 27, 2011 by Patrick George: …”we started putting more officers where the hot spots were," said police Cmdr. Ernest Pedraza , who oversees South and Southwest Austin, also known as Austin Police Region 4.

Pedraza said these hot spots included several neighborhoods, as well as Barton Creek Mall, Southpark Meadows shopping center and other retailers along the Interstate 35 corridor. The result: Police Department statistics show that South and Southwest Austin combined have seen a 14 percent drop in violent crime and a 16 percent drop in property crime from Jan. 1 to mid-November when compared with the same period in 2010.

There has been a 28 percent drop in sexual assaults, from 50 to 36; a 27 percent drop in robberies of businesses, from 51 to 37; a 32 percent drop in nonresidential burglaries, from 524 to 358; and a 23 percent drop in residential burglaries, from 1,800 to 1,382.

The only crime that has increased between last year and now is homicides. Between Jan. 1 and mid-November 2010, the region had five homicides. During the same time period this year, there were 11 homicides. Seven of them have been solved.

Pedraza said officers have increased the number of patrol cars and bicycle cops in neighborhoods and have done more sting operations and undercover work since last year. They have also targeted motels along I-35 where drugs are sold and patrons engage in prostitution. "We saw a continual drop throughout the year in burglary and property crimes," he said.

In an email that included a link for a Public Service Announcement video from the Austin Police Department (Travis Morgan) dated November 28, 2011: “I am very proud to say that we are currently experiencing a five year low in property crime in Region 4 (South Austin). We are certain this has to do with you the citizens who are reporting suspicious activity and helping us catch criminals.”
After reading several articles and postings like these about the downward trend of crime I was curious to see if this was trend held for our neighborhood as well.

Based on the data provided by the SpotCrime website the incidents of reported crimein Zilker decreased not only in 2011 but also in 2010 as compared to 2009: