Crime Comparisons between Counties

Walking out of a grocery store an older woman is grabbed from behind and forced to get into another man’s car with a knife held tightly against her neck; of course, she complies. When law enforcement officials arrive on scene, little can be done. They test fate, not knowing the criminals’ personality and attempt to apprehend them. Aggravated assaults tend to be more serious and complicated than a traditional assault. Many lives are put at risk and if the crime was carried out the result of the victim could include bodily injury or even death.

In 2006, the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program recorded 815 aggravated assaults in Maricopa County, AZ and only 178 aggravated assaults in Calvert County, MD (US Dept. of Justice, 2007) The amount of aggravated assault in either county is too many, but the question society must ask is, why? Why are nearly four times more cases of aggravated assault reported in Maricopa County? Even though many believe blaming society for individuals’ actions provides an escape for the criminal, maybe society needs to start addressing plausible contributing factors.

First off, Maricopa County’s population consists of 3,768,123 residents within 9,203 square miles; whereas, Calvert County has 88,804 people residing within 215 square miles (US Dept. of Commerce, 2007). Many would think that population density would be the reason for increased aggression among people, but if the statistics are compared there may be an alarming surprise. Only an approximate 409 people reside in Maricopa County per square mile; whereas, Calvert County has approximately 413 people per square mile. Calvert County is much smaller than Maricopa County, and although Maricopa has more residents, Calvert County has a slightly higher population density.

This may seem daunting to most, but Maricopa’s aggravated assault is less in comparison to Calvert County’s population. Maricopa has 42 times the population and 43 times the land, than in Calvert County. Therefore, if one were to multiply the ratio of aggravated assault rates in Calvert County by 42 there would 7,476 aggravated assaults to every 3,768,123 persons, population of Maricopa County; leaving Calvert County with a higher rate of aggravated assaults.
What is even more alarming is that according to Maryland State Police UCR, Calvert County’s aggravated assaults rates have been growing with the overall crime since the beginning of 2008 with an increase of nearly 21% (Madden, 2008). The residents of Calvert County are proving to be more venerable, thus being easier targets. The once small populated rural county has become more fully developed and the residents seem to be having difficulties accommodating themselves towards the change. They occasionally leave car doors unlocked and their homes are less secure. With the larger developments taking over and the sudden change in the economy, this is bringing in more crime and aggravated assaults that the county is not prepared for.

Another contributing factor that one must address is the amount of cultural diversity within the county. Maricopa County is filled with illegal immigrants; majority cannot speak or understand a bit of English, with a total of 9% of the total population. Recently, a County Attorney released information about research proving that illegal immigrants are contributing to an alarming amount of crime. In 2007, the illegal immigrants accounted for 16.5% sentenced for violent crimes, such as aggravated assault (Thomas, 2008). Majority of the citizens feel helpless with the overwhelming amount of illegal aliens and feel vulnerable to the crime committed in their area (Personal Communications, 2008). All they can do is place their confidence in their governing party that there will be an immigration reform.

One must not assume that just because a county shows a higher crime rate or aggravated assault in a particular area, the location has more crime in comparison to a lower crime rate in another area; all factors must be considered, such as population and size of the area. Vulnerability of Maricopa County and Calvert County seem to be a main concern in this report.

As a prevention of aggravated assaults citizens of these counties could have an opportunity to be informed of how to protect themselves from potential dangers in their area.
Aggravated assaults cannot be predicted the only prevention measure is to make citizens aware so they can take the necessary precautions. No matter how safe the person may believe their neighborhood is, leaving his or her front door open or car door unlocked is leaving them susceptible to crime. Another way to stay protected is to always be aware of the surroundings.

When walking to a vehicle alone at night, whether the car is located in a parking garage or a poorly lit parking lot, there should be no question that danger could be lurking around the corner, asking a security guard or attendant could save a person’s life; aggravated assaults are less likely when people travel in groups or pairs. In conclusion, things are not always as they appear, remember to stay protected and research assumptions.

References
Justice, U. S. (2007, September). Crime in the United States, 2006. Retrieved November 25, 2008, from Federal Bureau of Ivestigation Uniformed Crime Report: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/index.html
Madden, M. (2008, November 12). Calvert's crime up nearly 21 percent. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from The Calvert Independent: http://www.calvertnew.info/news/1095/calvert-crime-increases-21-percent-in-2008
Thomas, A. P. (2008, October 2). Landmark Research Shows Relationship between Crime, Illegal Immigration. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from Maricopa County Attorney New Release: http://www.mcaodocuments.com/press/20081002_a.pdf
United States Department of Commerce. (2007, December). 2006
American Community Survey Data Profile Highlights. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from United States Census Bureau: http://factfinder.census.gov