Poll: Cartersville and Crime via Statistics

The results are in and the numbers reported by for 2010 indicate crime in the municipality has changed with some categories increasing and others decreasing.

This week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released Uniform Crime Reports for 2010.

While two Cartersville murders were reported in 2009 and none in 2010, the decrease represents the biggest percentage change over all categories, which include a range of offenses, from violent crimes and arson to burglary and theft.

The next largest percentage change came with one more forcible rape reported in 2010 than in 2009. In the earlier year, six were reported, while 2010 saw seven reports of rape.

Burglary, at 11 percent, and assault, at more than 9 percent, are two other categories that increased, while robbery and motor vehicle theft decreased.

Here are the full results, based on population estimates of 18,646 and 19,325 for 2009 and 2010, respectively, and comparisons of the years:

• Violent crime—58 in 2010 compared to 57 in 2009 represents an increase of 1.75 percent.
• Murder and non-negligent manslaughter decreased from 2 in 2009 to zero in 2010, or a 100 percent drop.
• Forcible rape increased by one, from six reports in 2009 to seven in 2010, which represents more than a 16.5-percent jump.
• Robbery decreased by nearly 6 percent, from 17 in 2009 to 16 in 2010.
• Aggravated assault was up by three reports or more than 9 percent, from 32 reports in 2009 to 35 in 2010.
• Property crimes increased by nearly 3 percent, from 879 reports in 2009 to 904 in 2010, a difference of 25.
• A more than 11 percent increase, reports of burglary jumped from 145 in 2009 to 161 in 2010, or by 16.
• Larceny and theft went by 10 reports, from 682 in 2009 to 692 in 2010, or a 1.5 percent increase.
• Down by one report, motor vehicle thefts decreased nearly 2 percent from 52 in 2009 to 51 in 2010.
• Arson remained level at two reports each for 2009 and 2010.