Is Houston getting more violent

[seamusTX]

... an acquaintance ... told me a while back that there was a study done that linked Metro bus stops with a general increase in crime. he said the data showed that, in general, when a Metro bus stop is placed in an area where there's previously not been access to public transportation, crime in those neighborhoods increased substantially.

I'm flattered, but I am not an expert at all.

First, I don't know whether or not this is true in Houston or anywhere else. Not because I haven't looked, but because I can't find data that is broken down that finely. The published data usually goes no finer than by ZIP code and year.

Second, this topic is radioactive. Some residents of certain neighborhoods don't want "those people" to have convenient access. At the same time, some of those people work as housekeepers, nannies, etc., in those neighborhoods.

I have no informed opinion about it, and I live 50 feet from a city bus stop.

- Jim

[esxmarkc]

an acquaintance of mine (husband of a good friend of my wife) told me a while back that there was a study done that linked Metro bus stops with a general increase in crime. he said the data showed that, in general, when a Metro bus stop is placed in an area where there's previously not been access to public transportation, crime in those neighborhoods increased substantially. i guess the idea is that public transportation provides a convenient method of getting in and out of an area without worrying about things like people writing down a license plate number if they see a suspicious vehicle.

"Exact change? Yes sir. If you don't mind holding this microwave oven and TV for a moment I'ts right in my front pocket"

[philip964]

A friend who managed a for profit hospital in San Diego said that the city was extending the bus line to his hospital. He said they would be bankrupt in six months.

[seamusTX]

What happened in six months? Are they still in business?

- Jim

[rmr1923]

... an acquaintance ... told me a while back that there was a study done that linked Metro bus stops with a general increase in crime. he said the data showed that, in general, when a Metro bus stop is placed in an area where there's previously not been access to public transportation, crime in those neighborhoods increased substantially.

I'm flattered, but I am not an expert at all.

First, I don't know whether or not this is true in Houston or anywhere else. Not because I haven't looked, but because I can't find data that is broken down that finely. The published data usually goes no finer than by ZIP code and year.

Second, this topic is radioactive. Some residents of certain neighborhoods don't want "those people" to have convenient access. At the same time, some of those people work as housekeepers, nannies, etc., in those neighborhoods.

I have no informed opinion about it, and I live 50 feet from a city bus stop.

- Jim

Ok, I figured if there was a study done and the results made public, maybe you'd know about it. I can't find anything to verify this, and given some of the outlandish things I've been told by this guy I'm not sure whether I believe it or not.

[seamusTX]

You would have to get city data that was broken down by block and correlate it with changes in public transit routes. I have never seen this done.

There was a huge kerfuffle in Cobb County, Georgia, when the Atlanta public transportation system wanted to extend a subway line into Cobb County. I don't know what became of that.

I have an open mind about the issue, but I doubt criminals use public transportation that much.

I have noticed in Galveston County (which has very limited public transportation) that many crimes are committed in the quick-in-quick-out areas close to the interstate.

- Jim

[Springbike]

This is such a timely topic. Up until yesterday my wife was somewhat negative about my carrying. That changed. She ws with our daughter at Davids Bridal on 1960 and 45 picking up a dress. She noticed a woman in scrubs and a surgical gown come in and look around, go towards the back and leave. As my wife and daughter were leaving the store they noticed the woman come towards them at an approach angle. The woman stared talking very fast, distracting my wife, who at theis point was putting the dress in the car. The woman kept approaching and got inside the 10 foot barrier. My wife got in the car and the woman came uo quickly, put herself between the car door and my wife... My wife pushed her away and got the door closed!
Today my wife asked to go to the range with me. She shot over 200 rounds, picked out her new gun and signed up for her CHL! We are a very lucky familiy!

[Reloader]

been going on like this for over 100 years, just reported more..

[kjolly]

I thought the same thing about Austin last year until the papper published a report that showed these were mainly Family volience, a few drug related and a couple gang related. Looks like if you take care of your family, be a good citizen and stay out of trouble your odds go quite a bit up.

Was on a busniess trip to Dallas last week and was in some areas where I would have felt much more comfortable if I had been carrying.

[rmr1923]

been going on like this for over 100 years, just reported more..

yep, i don't have a link to the source but i recall a study recently showing that there is actually less crime now than 20 years ago, but with the 24 hour news cycle they have to find SOMETHING to talk about. i think the study used "per-capita" figures as opposed to total number of crimes reported, so the total number of crimes has increased but at a slower rate than the increase in population.

i think what's alarming most people isn't the fact that these crimes are occurring, but that they seem to be increasing in supposedly "safe" neighborhoods and suburbs where we typically haven't seen as many violent crimes.

[seamusTX]

yep, i don't have a link to the source but i recall a study recently showing that there is actually less crime now than 20 years ago, ...

This information is correct and it is from the FBI Uniform Crime Report. The point where the upward crime rate turned downward was around 1993.

viewtopic.php?f=83&t=28228" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[Houpilot2001]

Harris County and the City of Houston have a population of about 4 million. It is the fourth most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. It is not even in the top 10 in terms of murder rate per capita.

New Orleans, Detroit, Baltimore, and "gun-free" Washington DC are the perennial contenders for the top rating.

You can slice and dice this data all day:
http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2009/offens ... icide.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

Now just over 6 million according to the all knowing Census!

[seamusTX]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Harris County was 4,092,459 in 2010.

http://2010.census.gov/news/releases/op ... -cn37.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[Houpilot2001]

Sorry, i mis-spoke, I was referring to the metro population.

[seamusTX]

Probably Houston and all its suburbs are 6 million, but most of the "fun" takes place inside the 610 loop or west along Beechnut.

Actually, most cities are like that. In Chicago you can go in minutes from a perfectly peaceful middle-class neighborhood to a slum that makes Juarez look like a garden spot.

- Jim