Local crime is a topic that is of great interest to Americans, with more people – particularly those living in urban areas – saying they get news about local crime often or all the time. But where they get this information, how they respond to it, and their overall sense of safety vary widely.
For instance, many Americans who consume local crime news – whether from social media or other news sources, their neighbors, law enforcement or their community app – say they feel the information is generally accurate. In contrast, a significant share of those who prefer TV for local news are more likely to say they believe that the amount of crime in their community is exaggerated by news outlets.
Most local law enforcement agencies produce a variety of official crime statistics reports on a regular basis. Some of these are more detailed, breaking down crimes by category (e.g., violent, property) while others are more general and simply give crime rates in a city or neighborhood. Many of these reports also include a breakdown of past years and projections for future crime trends.
Commercial Crime Forecasts are one of the most popular and useful tools for facility owners seeking to establish a baseline for crime risks. These reports can be purchased online and analyzed for individual sites, or they can be compared with the crime data of neighboring facilities to establish trends in the area.