Amy Alderman, a state police crime analyst, told The Flint Journal in a report Tuesday that she suspected not all Wayne County municipalities reported their crime statistics. Genesee County had 4,649 domestic violence victims in 1999, ranking just behind Wayne County but down from 5,052 in 1998. The county encompassing Flint also had four deaths related to domestic violence last year, more than any other county. A Genesee County activist said the statistics there, in contrast to Wayne County's, reflected more willingness to report domestic violence. The reporting is much higher than ever before.
People are more aware of the problem and the ripple effect it has in the community.
Assistant Genesee County Prosecutor Daniel Stamos said his office handled 127 cases in which people were specifically charged with domestic violence. More serious charges also were filed in some cases, depending on the circumstances, he said. Domestic violence is a problem. Michigan residents participated in the 2000 census above the national average but dropped to 71 percent - 1 percentage point from the state's 1990 census performance. Among the nation's most populous counties, Macomb County had the best response rate with 81 percent of residents completing the form.