Is Indy a Safer City?
The problem with quoting statistics during an election year is that they can change at the drop of a hat depending on a particular point in time. For example, did the city lose 35,000 jobs since January 2008 or has it gained 12,000 jobs since January 2011? Are aggravated assaults up 10% since 2007 or are they down 10% since January 2011?
The most recent example of this is the Melina Kennedy campaign’s charge against Republican incumbent Greg Ballard that Indianapolis is not safe. The campaign points to a Forbes.com listing from last year labeling Indy as one of the most dangerous cities in America; the Circle City ranked 8th on the list.
Well, something must have changed since then because the new list is out and Indianapolis is no longer in the top 10. The new list put out last week is below.
Most Dangerous Cities in America
- Detroit, MI
- Memphis, TN
- Springfield, IL
- Flint, MI
- Anchorage, AK
- Lubbock, TX
- Stockton, CA
- Tallahassee, FL
- Las Vegas, NV
- Rockford, IL
Forbes bases its data on FBI uniform crime stats as well as the number of fatal traffic accidents. According to the latest IMPD preliminary reports crime overall is relatively flat compared to last year where the city saw near record lows in some areas. I think someone might want to go back and re-edit a campaign commercial or change their most recent mailer.
