FBI Statistics Show US Border States Less Violent

[Madeline]

From the Associated Press June 3, 2010:

The four big cities in America with the lowest rates of violent crime are all in border states: San Diego, Phoenix, El Paso and Austin, according to a new FBI report. And an in-house Customs and Border Protection report shows that Border Patrol agents face far less danger than street cops in most U.S. cities.

...FBI crime reports for 2009 says violent crime in Arizona declined. And violent crimes in southwest border counties are among the lowest in the nation per capita -- they've dropped by more than 30 percent in the last two decades. Of America's 25 largest cities, San Diego -- with one out of four residents an immigrant -- has the fewest violent crimes per capita.

Mexican border safer for police than big cities, statistics say | cleveland.com

Well, which is it? I have been taking it as an article of faith that there has been a terrible uptick in violent crime in the border states. But FBI statistics are almost impossible to "massage". They are dependent on accurate reporting by law enforcement but as best I know, the forms to be used for reporting crime have not been altered and presumably, the SouthWestern states have had a huge incentive to report fully.

So do we have a new, terrible crime problem or don't we?

 

[WillowTree]

I'm going to believe Gov. Brewer and the good folks of Arizona.