Violence Dropped Again In 2018

Congratulations on all those apprehensions Chief Cain!

Dont forget your body camera when apprehending all these murders! Wouldnt want any on NH finest citizens to protest against you for hiding footage!

In another glaring case of 'under-reporting' -- Murders actually went up in New Haven in 2018, even with the two pending 'self defense' cases.

There were 7 homicides in New Haven in 2017.
2018 represents an increase of 14% (42% if 'self defense' doesn't pan out).

Is New Haven ultimately 'safer' than a decade ago? Definitely.
Is it safer than two years ago -- Probably -- so goes the National Trend.

However, under-representing 'the facts' does nobody any good.

[Paul: Thanks Bill! Good points all. I'm always queasy about focusing too much on homicide numbers -- unless there are dramatic differences from year to year. Because with such a relatively small sample set, the numbers can vary wildly from year to year based on one-time factors -- for instance one year there was a quadruple murder in one spot; another time there was a revenge domestic triple murder at a workplace. I don't think New Haven is more or less safe based on whether there are 7 or 12 total homicides in a year. I find the difference between 34 and 7 or 10 an important marker -- but even then, new Haven always uses its freakish worst year as a baseline, to make the other years look even better (i.e., 2011 as the baseline). I do feel shootings make a better marker than murders. (Or even domestic violence cases, because even those are so important, they depend so much on how many people are reporting incidents, and the majority of victims often don't report attacks ...) It seems we can all agree that, for whatever reasons, violent crime is down, and that the year-to-year case can be overstated ...]

Bill- there's a difference between homicide and murder.

Paul,

I think the 'homicide' rate is a consistently 'negative perception' that lingers over New Haven, especially when we continue to appear on most 'Dangerous City' lists with Murder Capitals like Chicago and Detroit. We both know that we got on that list for real reasons that go back decades!

I think it is an important 'fact' to note, and bring into focus, especially if you feel their are 'extenuating circumstance' that explain 'blips'. The Enquiring Public wants to know!

There are also other ways of 'analysis' besides a 'straight percentage' that might make for a clearer picture.

[Paul: Agreed!]

@ bill- its not like Im holding secret information...

https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/stabbings_lead_to_homicide/

It's called justifiable homicide. Someone still killed another person, but considering the circumstances, it was ruled justified according to the law.

One guy had a knife, stabbed two people. Another armed citizen shot the stabber (offender). Although the guy with the gun killed the guy with the knife, he wasn't charged with a crime. Hence, justifiable.

This board really makes me wonder sometimes.

fcastle,

If we are talking about violent crime, I think an 'incident' where an 'attacker is killed in self defense' is an important 'data point', especially when dealing with notions of public safety. Having to take someone's life to save your own is an 'extreme' situation, you must admit.

Right now it is relegated to a grey area -- call it what you will, but it belongs in the data set, especially as a discussion point in a public forum about how 'safe it is out there'.

That's the difference between homicide and murder.

fcastle,

Parsing semantics does not make for a real /productive community discussion about such an important topic as this! Don't confuse the issue with the facts!

Taking 'one indicator' and blowing it up in a 'puff piece' is something that happens all to often here in New Haven.

Personally, I would like to see a comprehensive article that includes other year-end indicators like 'muggings', 'burglary', and 'theft'. If real progress is afoot, let's 'acknowledge' it honestly. The only way to change 'the perception' of New Haven (if it warrants changing), starts with discussions like this.

The four recent break-ins of local businesses over the holidays tells an 'alternate story' in real time, that is part of the fuller picture of present day 'CRIME HAVEN'.

It's always a positive development when the violent crime statistics point to a decline. But, the issue I have is the City's obsession/focus on a few important stats (shootings, homicides) at the exclusion of the more prevalent quality of life issues that seem to be rampant. Here is a short list of what I have personally experienced in the last 6 months only. Note that I moved from Elm St to Alden Ave over the summer

Part Two..a listening tour of sorts for (OurNewHaven.org) and sadly, my experiences are all too common. I recently met with a young women who lives on Judson Ave. The family cars parked in the backyard have been broken into so often they no longer lock the cars; they leave them open so the thieves can't do damage when breaking in. She stopped calling police to report the issues.

A newcomer (Minister with a wife who is a surgeon at Yale) to New Haven has had his car broken into 3 times within his first year. The first time they stole $3000 worth of tires from his car. He keeps his car locked in his locked garage now. He too stopped calling police to report the issues.

I received these comments from a neighbor in Edgewood: "Over the past several years I have lived in my home three of our vehicles have been vomited on, keyed, broken the drivers side window and stole a Garmin gps and ransacked. A group of kids came to my home and took some drainage rocks from the front and proceed to throw them at my front door breaking the glass. My garage has been broken into three times despite the wrought iron bars on the windows. I have personally seen people smoking drugs and shooting up with needles right in front of my house. I have had the last several packages stolen from my front door"

Make no mistake about it. We live in a lawless city. Period. Full Stop as the saying goes. Meanwhile, our Mayor boasts about lower crime as she surrounds herself with around-the-clock police protection.

OurNewHaven.org is building a "CommonCents" platform. We'll be focusing on the problems "Common" to our neighborhoods & following the money trail-the dollars and "Cents". Improving the quality of life in New Haven will be a big part of our movement.

We're on a listening tour. We'd like to hear what you have to say. Pls email me so we can come listen to your CMT, local group, or simply you.

Dennis Serfilippi
[email protected]
https://www.ournewhaven.org

Seems like the number of cops arrested reached a new high this year.

Nice Year End Round-Up, Dennis!

Let's see the full 2018 Crime Report put forth in an upcoming NHI article -- this piece of 'journalism' is nothing but 'speech notes' for an incumbent's campaign.

Dennis -- Common Cents is a great moniker for a platform that would also make for a great 'party name'.

Thomas Paine meets New Haven's pain.... thumbs up from this dissenter!!!