Safety

Data Committee Results
General Population Survey Results
Non-English Speaking Survey Results
Community Leader Survey Results

Data Committee Results

The following was collected by the Data Committee:

• Crime Index Summary
  
• Total Snohomish County Crime Index Offenses Reported - 1995-2000
  
• Violent Crime Index Offenses Reported - (Unincorporated and Incorporated) 1995-2000
  
• Property Crime Index Offenses Reported - (Unincorporated and Incorporated) 1995-2000
  
• Domestic Violence Offenses Reported - 1997-2000
  
• Hate/Bias Crimes

Snohomish County
Crime Index Offenses1

The crime index is a basic measure of crime, which can be used for comparing the extent of crime among cities, counties and states of similar size. The index is simply the total number of certain offenses that occur in a given area in a given calendar period (usually quarterly and annually). The offenses in the following graph are murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, arson, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny (theft), and motor vehicle theft - all of the Part I offenses except simple assault and manslaughter by negligence.

The offenses were selected as indicators of the total amount of criminal activity because they are serious offenses that are the focus of widespread concern. They occur with sufficient frequency to reflect fluctuations in the overall level of criminal activity. They are most likely to be reported and reported accurately, to law enforcement due to their seriousness. They are offenses that can clearly and specifically be defined. Notwithstanding its usefulness, the index does have limitations.

The relationship between the index offenses and total criminal activity, both reported and unreported, has never been firmly established. The varying severity of offenses is not taken into account, resulting in equal weight being given to a shoplifting and a forcible rape. However, in order to address that situation, we have broken Total Crime Index Offenses into two categories, violent crimes and property crimes. Violent crimes include murder, non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault while property crimes include arson, burglary, larceny (theft), and motor vehicle theft. Furthermore, the actual incidence of crime in a city may not be accurately depicted by the index if the majority of the city's crime involves non-index offenses such as gambling and narcotics.

In the following charts, you will notice that Unincorporated Snohomish County (reported by Snohomish County Sheriff's Office) has had a steady decline in total crime index offenses since 1997. The incorporated part of the county (reported by local police departments) had a steady decline in the index rates from 1997 through 1999. However there was a slight increase in offenses per 1,000 population for the year 2000 from 51.9 offenses per 1,000 population to 55.2 per 1,000.

After the first two charts, which show the total (violent and property crimes) there are a series of four charts that represent unincorporated and incorporated areas of the counties with violent and property crimes broken out separately. 2

Domestic Violence

Data collection statewide began July 1, 1995. Data on violations of protection/no contact orders began June 6, 1996. Because of incomplete reporting prior to January 1997, the domestic violence information for this report will be from 1997-2000. The above data includes simple assault and violation of protection/no contact orders in addition to other crime index violations already reported (murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson) that are tied to domestic violence.

Hate/Bias Crimes

• The Washington Hate Crime Malicious Harassment Act defines hate crime as criminal offenses that manifest evidence motivated by the offender's bias against the victim's race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, handicap or gender.
  
  
• It must be recognized that hate crimes are not separate, distinct offenses, but rather traditional crimes motivated by the offender's bias. Because of the difficulty of ascertaining the offender's subjective motivation, bias would be reported when the law enforcement investigation revealed sufficient objective facts to lead to a reasonable and prudent person to conclude that the offender's actions were motivated, in whole or in part, by bias.
  
  
• In 1995 there were four Hate/Bias Crimes in Snohomish County; all were simple assaults.
  
  
• In 1996 there was only one Hate/Bias Crime reported in the County and was intimidation.
  
  
• In 1997, there were six Hate/Bias Crimes reported in the County. There were two aggravated assaults, one simple assault, two intimidation crimes, and one burglary.
  
  
• In 1998, there was a big jump to 19 Hate/Bias Crimes reported in the County. This included 13 intimidations, three simple assaults and three vandalism crimes.
  
  
• In 1999 there were 14 Hate/Bias Crimes reported in the County. This consisted on seven crimes of intimidation, three simple assaults and four "Destruction/Damage/Vandalism" crimes.
  
  
• In 2000 there were 14 Hate/Bias Crimes reported in the County. They included six simple assaults, four intimidations, and four vandalisms.
  
  
• By quite a large margin, the crime of intimidation accounted for 48 percent of the Hate/Bias crimes, followed by 26 percent for simple assault, 14 percent for vandalism, seven percent for Destruction/Damage/Vandalism, three percent for aggravated assault and two percent for burglary.
  
  
• The hate/bias that was associated with these crimes was as follows:

  Race/Ethnicity - 78%
  Sexual Orientation - 12%
  Religion - 10%

Overall, Hate/Bias crimes amounted to .0004 of all reported crimes committed in Snohomish between 1995 and 2000.

1 Data collected from Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) Uniform Crime Reporting Section Annual Reports. Input for this data is not required by law to be reported to WASPC and some jurisdictions elected for various reasons, not to consistently report data. Where this occurred crime statistics for that jurisdiction were averaged from the time reported by the agencies.

2 Violent Crime statistics include Murder, Non-Negligent Manslaughter, Forcible Rape, Robbery, and Aggravated Assault. Property Crime statistics include Arson, Burglary, Larceny (theft), and Motor Vehicle Theft.

General Population Survey Results

Respondents were pleased with the rapid response of police in their community but split on whether crime is a concern or not. Many respondents weren't familiar with the incidence of child abuse or elderly neglect.

Crime is a Concern
Those most likely to strongly agree that crime is a concern in their community were:

• Respondents with the least amount of education, high school or less (32%) compared to college graduates (19%) and those with Post Graduate work (21%).
  
• Those who are not currently married (30%) versus married respondents (23%).
  
• Those with income below $75,000 per year (29%) compared to $75,000 or more (17%).
  
• Renters (33%) versus owners (23%).
  
• Respondents who rated their community "fair/poor" (43%) compared to those who said "good" (23%) or "excellent" (17%).
  
• Those who have had to use financial assistance in the past 12 months (37%) versus those who have not had help (24%).
  
• Respondents in Everett/Hwy99 (30%) were more likely to strongly agree that crime is a concern than were residents of View/S. Central (20%).
  
• The mean score for Everett/Hwy99 (4.4) was significantly higher than the score for View/S. Central and North/East (4.0 each)

Police Respond Rapidly
Respondents most likely to strongly agree they get rapid police response in their community were:

• The oldest respondents, 65 or older (65%) compared to younger respondents (47%).
  
• Respondents with income below $75,000 (53%) compared to the highest income respondents, $75,000 or over (40%).
  
• Respondents who rate their community "excellent" (62%) compared to those who said "good" (45%) or "fair/poor" (43%).
  
• View/S. Central residents (5.4) awarded significantly higher mean scores, high level of agreement, than did those in North/East (5.1).
  

Abuse of Children Perceived to Be Rare
It is important to note more than one-third (36%) of respondents didn't know if they agreed or disagreed that abuse of children is rare in their community. Those who agreed strongly were most likely to be:

• Owners (26%) compared to renters (18%).
  
• Respondents who rate their community "excellent" (30%) compared to those who said "good" (22%) or "fair/poor" (17%).
  
• Those who have not needed financial assistance in the past 12 months (25%) compared to those who have (17%).
  
• Residents of North/East (4.6) and View/S.Central (4.6) were the most likely to agree when compared to Everett/Hwy99 (4.1).
  
• Respondents in North/East (26%) and View/S.Central (27%) compared to those in Everett/Hwy99 (19%).
  
• Respondents with the least education, high school or less (25%) compared to those with the most, post graduate work (16%).

Abuse of Elderly or Disabled Perceived to Be Rare
A sizeable proportion of respondents (28%) said they didn't know if the abuse of the elderly or disabled is rare. Those who strongly agreed tend to be:

• The oldest respondents, 65 or older (46%) compared to younger and middle age respondents 54 years old and younger (30%).
  
• Respondents who rate their community "excellent" (44%) compared to those who said "good" (32%) or "fair/poor" (20%).
  
• Those who have not needed financial assistance in the past 12 months (34%) compared to those who have (26%).
  
• Residents of View/S. Central (5.1) were more likely to agree than those in Everett/Hwy99 (4.6).

Non-English Speaking Survey Results

Non-English speaking respondents were similar to the general population in their responses on safety issues. They were somewhat more concerned about crime in the community (4.4) than the general population (4.1). They also strongly agreed that police respond rapidly when called (51%); as did 49% of the general population. Both groups gave similar average ratings (4.3 in non-English speaking, and 4.4 for the general population) saying that child abuse rarely happens: 36% of each group said they didn't know how to rate the incidence of abuse. With regard to abuse of the elderly or disabled, an even higher proportion of non-English speaking respondents said they didn't know how rare the abuse is (46% compared to 28% of the general population). Non-English speaking respondents were less likely to strongly agree that the abuse rarely happens (14% compared to 33% of the general population).

Non-English speaking and general population respondents both expressed a moderate level of agreement that they have stored food and other basic necessities (4.5 and 4.6, respectively) in case of an earthquake. Non-English speaking respondents are much more likely to know someone that has experienced violence in their home (only 24% disagreed that they knew someone, compared to 62% of the general population who denied knowing someone). While 54% of the general population feel safe walking alone at night, only 22% of non-English speaking respondents agreed strongly. Non-English speaking respondents are also less likely to disagree that a household with a gun is a safer home (28% disagreed compared to 47% of the general population), and less likely to strongly agree they would welcome greater diversity in the community (32% compared to 52% of the general population that strongly agreed).

Community Leader Survey Responses

Crime is a Concern
One-quarter of respondents (25%) strongly agreed with this statement and were most likely to be:

• Respondents aged 35 to 64 (28%) compared to those 65 or older (7%). The 35 to 64-year group had a higher average rating (4.3) than the 65 or older group (3.5).
  
• Those who rated their community "fair/poor" (59%) compared to those who rated it "good" (27%) or "excellent" (13%). The respondents who rated their community "fair/poor" gave a higher average rating (5.5) than those who gave a "good" (4.6) or "excellent" (3.4) rating.

Police Respond Rapidly
Close to half of the respondents (46%) strongly agreed and were most likely to be:

• Men (53%) compared to women (41%).
  
• Those who rated their community "excellent" (63%) compared to those who rated it "good" (35%) or "fair/poor" (34%). Respondents who rated their community "excellent" also had a higher average rating (5.7) compared to for those who gave a "good" rating (4.9) or for those who gave a "fair/poor" rating (4.6).
  

• Those who rated their community "excellent"(19%) or "good" (12%) compared to 3% who said "fair/poor". Those who rated their community "excellent" had an average rating of 3.8, those who rated it "good," 3.4, compared to those who said "fair/poor" who gave a rating of 2.5.
  
• Men expressed a higher level of agreement that child abuse is rare (3.8) compared to women (3.2).
  
• The oldest respondents, 65 or older (4.0) also expressed more agreement than did the youngest respondents, under 35 years of age (2.6).
  

• Men (22%) compared to women (8%). The men's average rating was 4.2 compared to the women's rating of 3.3.
  
• Those who rated their community "excellent" (4.2) or "good" (3.7) had a higher average rating compared to those who said "fair/poor" (2.7).
  
• The oldest respondents, 65 or older had a higher average rating, indicating a higher level of agreement that abuse of the elderly is rare, compared to the youngest respondents, under 35 years of age (2.8).

It is interesting to note respondents under the age of 54 (44%) were the most likely to say they didn't know about the incidence of elderly abuse or neglect compared to respondents 55 or older (20%).