In the area, fewer crimes were reported in 1998 than in 1990. Property crimes typically outnumber violent crimes by a ratio of about six to one. In most years, about 75 percent of all violent crimes are assaults. Shoplifting and theft of motor vehicles were the most common types of theft. To Think About Victimization rates vary greatly across different crimes and among different populations.
Crime statistics depend heavily upon the willingness of victims to report crimes.
In some cases, successful community policing may generate more crime reports as citizens place greater trust in the police to protect them. Nationwide studies validate the observations of regional law enforcement professionals that, for many types of crime, as many as half the reported incidents are connected with the use of illegal drugs or alcohol. In the future, it would be possible to develop a Residential Crime Index. This could link the number of reported residential burglaries and robberies to the number of housing units shown on the Real Property files of the County Assessors. This would be a useful tool for examining crime patterns in precincts and neighborhoods throughout the region.