El Paso Named Safest Big US City

[Zippyjuan]

Contrary to what you may hear in some places, border towns with Mexico are actually some of the safest cities in the United States. Two are in the Top Five safest big cities (over 500,000) in the US- El Paso and San Diego.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_16675219

El Paso named safest US city

by Daniel Borunda \ El Paso Times
Posted: 11/22/2010 12:00:00 AM MST

Though the city has been ranked in the top three each year since 1997, this is the first time El Paso has taken the top spot for having the lowest crime rate among cities of more than 500,000 population in the annual rankings by CQ Press, a publishing firm based in Washington, D.C.

Government leaders, law enforcement officials and residents were thrilled with the new ranking.

"This isn't something that mystically or magically appeared," Police Department spokesman Darrel Petry said.

"This is something we have been striving for for the past 13
years. We truly attribute it to our relationship to the community - the trust."
The ranking was compiled with data from 2009 in the crime categories of murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and auto theft. Detroit was ranked as having the highest crime rate.

El Paso Mayor John Cook said the new rank counters out-of-town misconceptions that El Paso is dangerous because of the drug cartel warfare that has engulfed neighboring Juárez for nearly three years.

Rankings
Lowest crime rate*

1. El Paso.

2. Honolulu.

3. New York.

4. San Jose, Calif.

5. San Diego.


Highest crime rate*

1. Detroit.

2. Baltimore.

3. Memphis, Tenn.

4. Washington.

5. Atlanta.
Source: CQ Press City Crime Rankings 2010-2011.

*Cities with more than 500,000 population.

[Zippyjuan]

The same results were seen in a survey earlier this year:
http://www.theeagle.com/texas/Data--...-border-states

Published Friday, June 04, 2010 12:03 AM
Data: Safest U.S. cities are in border states
By MARTHA MENDOZA
Associated Press


MEXICO CITY -- It's one of the safest parts of America, and it's getting safer.

It's the U.S.-Mexico border, and even as politicians say more federal troops are needed to fight rising violence, government data obtained by The Associated Press show it actually isn't so dangerous after all.

The top 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.

The Customs and Border Protection study, obtained with a Freedom of Information Act request, shows 3 percent of Border Patrol agents and officers were assaulted last year, mostly when assailants threw rocks at them. That compares with 11 percent of police officers and sheriff's deputies assaulted during the same period, usually with guns or knives.

In addition, violent attacks against agents declined in 2009 along most of the border for the first time in seven years. So far this year assaults are slightly up, but data is incomplete.

"The border is safer now than it's ever been," said U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Lloyd Easterling.

He said one factor is that with fewer jobs available amid the U.S. recession, illegal immigration has dropped. And responding to security concerns after 9-11, the Border Patrol has doubled the number of agents in the region since 2004.

Nonetheless, border lawmakers and governors say their region is under siege and needs more troops.

"Violence in the vicinity of the U.S.-Mexico border continues to increase at an alarming rate. We believe that this violence represents a serious threat to the national security of the United States as well as a serious threat to U.S. citizens that live along the 1,969-mile long border," a dozen bipartisan members of Congress from border states wrote President Obama.

In Arizona, a stringent new immigration law takes effect next month, requiring police to question suspects' immigration status if officers believe they're in the country illegally. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said in a televised interview last weekend: "We are out here on the battlefield getting the impact of all this illegal immigration, and all the crime that comes with it."

In response to the concerns from the border states, Obama pledged to send 1,200 National Guard troops to help and spend an extra $500 million on border security.

Arizona Sen. John McCain, said he should send at least 6,000 troops, which are needed because he said Arizona leads the nation in marijuana seizures, suffered 368 kidnappings in 2008 and has the highest U.S. property crime rates.

But 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.

[Elwar]

I spent a month in El Paso a few years ago.

The guy that was renting my place told me to just make sure that I have a clear view of my car from one of the windows "just in case".

And don't accidentally take the exit that leads into Juarez.

[libertyjam]

What total crap. shows just how statistics can lie. I guess it is safe if you don't mind being kidnapped, or beheaded if you can't pay the ransom.

[Kotin]

Lol have you ever been to el paso?? Somehow I doubt this..

[libertyjam]

Live in Texas right along side of you, Been there many times, unless you live there probably more times than you. It is NOT the safest city in the US, I feel infinitely more safe in St. Louis, just named the most dangerous city this year, than I ever have in El Paso.

[Marenco]

[libertyjam]

Up yours, whiny twit.

[HOLLYWOOD]

I've been there a bunch of times...

See, there's this thing called posting/reporting crime to the public. Apparently, New York City is catching a lot of flak about not reporting all crimes to the public.

Lot's of reason why... health/life/home insurance rates for residence/public employees like cops/fire...

then there's federal funding grants and their "requirements/requisites" etc...

There's so many lies even at the local level with government all to benefit themselves... rest assure it always leads to money.

El Paso is doing what New York City has been doing... reporting the crime figures as they see fit... (usually coincide with budget/benefits/pay increases too)

[Zippyjuan]

Perhap somebody could provide us with crime statistics to compare cities since they question these here. Support your contentions. Other input welcomed.

[Slutter McGee]

Other than high rates of car theft el paso aint bad. But the safest? I think somebody is fudging the statistics down there in el paso

Slutter McGee

[oyarde]

Live in Texas right along side of you, Been there many times, unless you live there probably more times than you. It is NOT the safest city in the US, I feel infinitely more safe in St. Louis, just named the most dangerous city this year, than I ever have in El Paso.

Yeah , just stay out of East St Louis and Juarez .

[oyarde]

San Diego SHOULD BE SAFE , THEY LOCK MORE PEOPLE UP PER CAPITA FOR DRINKING THAN ANYPLACE IN THE WORLD .

[james1906]

Of course El Paso is showing up as the safest. Everyone is illegal and lives under the radar. Do you think an illegal is going to file a police report?

[oyarde]

Of course El Paso is showing up as the safest. Everyone is illegal and lives under the radar. Do you think an illegal is going to file a police report?

Good point . I am a person who is inclined not to call them for anything . I would prefer to resolve it myself in about any manner and will make myself happy with that instead of dealing with authorities .I imagine if a person is not legal they would not want to call.

[Zippyjuan]

San Diego SHOULD BE SAFE , THEY LOCK MORE PEOPLE UP PER CAPITA FOR DRINKING THAN ANYPLACE IN THE WORLD .

I take it you have been busted?

[Zippyjuan]

Of course El Paso is showing up as the safest. Everyone is illegal and lives under the radar. Do you think an illegal is going to file a police report?

I see. Everybody in El Paso is an illegal alien.

Ironically you are supporting one reason for a lower crime rate- if somebody is here illegally, they don't want to get busted and sent back to wherever they come from so they are less likely to go around committing crimes. Thank you for bringing it up!

[MozoVote]

El Paso / Juarez is really one big city with a river splitting the "good side of town" from the "gang turf".

[james1906]

I see. Everybody in El Paso is an illegal alien.

Obviously hyperbole, but the illegal population of El Paso is much higher than most other cities.

Ironically you are supporting one reason for a lower crime rate- if somebody is here illegally, they don't want to get busted and sent back to wherever they come from so they are less likely to go around committing crimes. Thank you for bringing it up!

I'm not following, but if you have no record of yourself, isn't it easier to commit a crime? Especially against someone who isn't going to report it to the police?

[Zippyjuan]

If you are in someplace illegally, you want to avoid the authorities and avoid any problems with them. Engaging in criminal activities will have the authorities looking for you and if they find you, you will go to jail and/ or get deported which is what you do not want. You are correct that if a crime is committed against them that they are probably less likely to report that as well.

This article (PDF) from the conservative CATO institute shows that immigrants have lower crime rates than born citizens do. Areas with higher numbers of immigrants (both legal and illegal) have lower crime rates than comparable cities with smaller immigrant populations. http://www.cato.org/pubs/irb/irb_june2010.pdf (short- three pages). There are other studies which support this as well.

[Pauls' Revere]

From the article:

City crime rankings are not without controversy. The FBI, whose statistics are used to compile the list, has warned that such rankings do not take into account factors that shape crime, such as population density, youth demographics, climate and family cohesiveness.

Criminologists cite other factors, including studies that show cities with a high number of Hispanic immigrants tend to have low crime rates.

One theory by an Ohio State University researcher argues that murder rates are linked to trust in government and a sense of belonging. When trust fails, people settle their own scores violently.

In other words...$#@! does not get reported.

[Justinjj1]

Going from my own personal experience, having been to El Paso several times, I can definitely see it as being one the safest cities.

[Clairvoyant]

I have a hard time even considering El Paso as a big city, I mean most to cities with highest crime are easily 2-3 times in size.

[Brett]

Baltimore lost it's bottom spot to Detroit. Go Maryland?

[Zippyjuan]

I have a hard time even considering El Paso as a big city, I mean most to cities with highest crime are easily 2-3 times in size.

The list was of cities with populations over 500,000 and El Paso is listed as having about 750,000. The city of San Diego (also a border city and in the top five) is about 1.5 million (SD county is closer to three million).

[oyarde]

I take it you have been busted?

No , Never ( knock on wood ) , my home town is # 5 per capita though .

[oyarde]

I take it you have been busted?

No , Never ( knock on wood ) , my home town is # 5 per capita though .

[thorin]

The fact that it is on the same list as New York tells me that no large city is safe anymore.

Personally, I do think the drug wars thing is a little overrated. Individual illegal aliens acting on their own commit WAY more felonies than supposed drug cartels. 25% of felons are illegal aliens.

In recent Testimony of District Attorney John M. Morganelli before the House Subcommittee on immigration, Border, Security and Claims he stated:

"Unfortunately, the majority of illegal aliens who are here are engaged in criminal activity. Identity theft, use of fraudulent social security numbers and green cards, tax evasion, driving without licenses represent some of the crimes that are engaged in by the majority of illegal aliens on a daily basis merely to maintain and hide their illegal status.
In addition, violent crime and drug distribution and possession is also prevalent among illegal aliens. Over 25% of today's federal prison population are illegal aliens. In some areas of the country, 12% of felonies, 25% of burglaries and 34% of thefts are committed by illegal aliens."

[Zippyjuan]

According to Governer Schwartzenegger, about ten percent of people in California jails are illegal. The New York Times took a look at one reporter (Lou Dobbs) who claimed that one third of all prison inmates were illegal aliens. Their findings:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/30/bu...0leonside.html

Here are the facts, according to the Department of Justice:

¶In 2000, 27 percent of the inmates in federal prisons were noncitizens. Some of these noncitizens were illegal immigrants, and some were in this country legally. In 2001, this percentage dropped to 24 percent, and it continued dropping over the next four years, falling to 20 percent in 2005.

Bottom line: illegal immigrants make up significantly less than a third of the federal prison population, and the share has been falling in recent years.

¶The share of state prison inmates who are noncitizens is much lower. (This is largely because immigration violations themselves are federal crimes.) In 2000, 4.6 percent of inmates in state prisons were noncitizens. This number remained quite steady over the next five years, right around 4.6 percent.

¶Over all — combining federal and state prisons — 6.4 percent of the nation’s prisoners were noncitizens in 2005. This is down from 6.8 percent in 2000.

¶By comparison, 6.9 percent of the total United States population were noncitizens in 2003, according to the Census Bureau.

It should be noted that "non citizens" includes people here both legally and illegally. Illegal aliens would be only a fraction of even that number so the claim that one fourth of the people in federal prisons are illegal aliens is false.

At the end of the article they added:

For one thing, the consequences of being arrested can be enormous for illegal immigrants, which is an obvious deterrent to crime. For another, immigrants, as a group, aren’t typical of the population. The fact that they have picked up and moved to another country suggests that they have more ambition, and perhaps even more skill, than the average person. This could help explain why the United States, a nation of immigrants, is such an economic powerhouse.

[Rael]

Hmm, what do the cities in the bottom 5 all have in common?