Crime in Charlestown continues to trend lower in 2012 when compared to 2011—and has seen the sharpest decline in the city—according to statistics released this week by the Boston Police Department.
The data shows crime information through July 22. During that period, crime in the neighborhood has been down by 19 percent.
That decrease impacted most categories of crime—except for robberies and aggravated assaults.
Police recorded 21 robberies and attempted robberies so far in 2012, compared to 17 in the same period of 2011. Burglaries have been a couple ticks down compared to last year’s numbers, with 31 recorded by July 22 in 2012 compared to 36 in 2011.
The biggest declines came in vehicle theft—down by about a third—and all other theft, which dropped from 216 for this time in 2011 to 174 in 2012.
City-wide, crime numbers have trended about 6 percent lower in 2012 when compared to 2011. However, Boston has seen one more homicide so far this year than it had for the same period last year.
The neighborhood saw an 11 percent increase in crime in 2011.
Breakdown by category :
All stats are for crimes recorded on or before July. 22. The top line represents incidents in Charlestown. The bottom line represents incidents city-wide.
Homicide
- Zero in both 2011 and 2012
- 25 in 2011; 26 in 2012
Rape and Attempted Rape
- Four in 2011, one in 2012
- 134 in both 2011 and 2012
Robbery and Attempted Robbery
- 17 in 2011; 21 in 2012
- 1,013 in 2011, 974 in 2012
Aggravated Assault
- 22 in 2011, 27 in 2012
- 1,626 in 2011; 1,724 in 2012
Burglary and Attempted Burglary
- 36 in both 2011; 31 in 2012
- 1,779 in 2011; 1,695 in 2012
Larceny and Attempted Larceny
- 216 in 2011; 174 in 2012
- 7,484 in 2011; 6,841 in 2012
Vehicle Theft and Attempted Vehicle Theft
- 39 in 2011, 16 in 2012
- 495 in 2011; 392 in 2012
Total
- 334 in 2011; 270 in 2012
- 13,093 in 2011; 12,275 in 2012
Julia Gaynor
2:23 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
What about that murder outside the bus stop last year on Bunker Hill street? The shooting in broad daylight? These numbers can't be correct because it doesn't mention that...
Julia Gaynor
2:24 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
You guys reported on it:
http://charlestown.patch.com/articles/man-shot-on-bunker-hill-street
Matt M. Casey
2:37 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
These numbers are based on year-to-date incidents. Since we're not yet into late November, that incident isn't included in these statistics.
Julia Gaynor
2:40 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
But it says 0 in both 2011 and 2012. Even if it was YTD, July 26 2011-July 26-2012, that includes November 2011.
Matt M. Casey
2:43 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
It's zero for Jan 1-July 22 in both years—not for July 22, 2011 to July 22, 2012. We're looking at two non-contiguous time periods.
Julia Gaynor
2:58 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
That is bizarre. But thanks for clearing it up!
Matt M. Casey
3:00 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
You're welcome. It would probably be better if they did a 12-month rolling sample set, but that's fairly complicated and BPD's computer systems seem a bit antiquated.