Goals |
Indicator Measures |
How are we doing? |
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| 8.1 Balanced, Robust Strategies for Public Safety, Regional and Homeland Security |
8.1.1 Impact of terrorism on local public safety resources, Metro Boston |
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8.1.2 Collaboration for preventive strategies and emergency preparedness, Metro Boston |
StreetSafe Boston, a major new collaborative effort among the City of Boston, the Boston Police Department, The Boston Foundation and numerous community members and organizations, is a 5 year, $26 million effort to reduce youth crime and homicides in Boston's "hot spot" neighborhoods. |
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8.1.3 Trends in local public safety in Boston vs. Notheast, U.S. other large cities |
As of 2008, Boston had a lower property and violent crime rate than 14 of the largest US Cities. However, between 2001 and 2007, Boston experienced a 78% increase in African American homicide offenders between the ages of 14 and 24—the 6th highest increase among large US cities. And Massachusetts ranks 5th in the nation in the percent of corrections-involved adults: 1 in 24. |
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8.2 Low Crime Rates in Boston |
8.2.1 Trends in reported citywide crime in Part One (Serious) Crime, Part Two (Quality of Life) Crimes and for Crimes in Public Housing, Boston |
Crime rates in Boston continue to decline following an up-tick in 2005 and 2006, with much of the credit going to an increased emphasis on community policing, more street workers and reinvigorated and new public/private partnerships. Overall, crime in Boston declined by 8.4%, or 2,632 incidents, between 2007 and 2008, continuing a gradual drop since the last peak in 2001. |
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8.2.2 Trends in reported Part One Crime per 1000 population, Boston neighborhood |
Violent and property crime has declined in all of Boston's neighborhoods between 2006 and 2008. However, half of reported violent crimes are concentrated in Police Districts that comprise roughly one-third of the city’s population and cover the neighborhoods of Roxbury/Mission Hill (20%), Dorchester (16%), and Mattapan/North Dorchester (14%). |
| 8.3 Perception of Public Safety |
8.3.1 Resident public perception of safety and quality of life ranking, Boston neighborhood |
According to the Boston Police Department’s 2008 Boston Neighborhood Survey, fewer than half of Bostonians—43%—feel that their neighborhood is safe. Neighborhoods with the lowest percentage of residents feeling safe were Roxbury (22%), North Dorchester (22%) and Mattapan (25%) in contrast to residents of the Back Bay (69%),West Roxbury (68%) and the North End (60%). |
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8.3.2 Public perception of threats to community by type, Boston |
Increasing concern over gang activity is a contributor to such perceptions: 19% of Bostonians felt gangs were a problem. |
| 8.4 Strong Civic and Social Networks |
8.4.1 Residents who trust their neighbors, Boston neighborhood |
According to the Boston Public Health Commission, 81%of Bostonians surveyed in 2008 felt that residents are willing to help their neighbors and at least 70%of residents felt this level of trust in their own neighbors. |
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8.4.2 Domestic violence, Boston neighborhood |
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8.4.3 Trends in reported hate crimes, Boston |
Hate crimes in Boston have dropped considerably since 2001, but a slight up-tick since 2006 shows that crimes against African American and white Bostonians are increasingYet proven hate crimes and those strongly indicative of racial/ethnic, gender, sexual orientation or religious bias increased from 169 in 2006 to 212 in 2008—nearly 60% of which were perpetrated against whites (up 60% from 2007) and African Americans (up 15% from 2007). |
| 8.5 Supportive Environment for Youth and Children |
8.5.1 Juvenile crime rates, Boston |
Despite an overall decline in crime, youth gun-related and gang-related violent crime and homicides have been increasing, particularly among Boston’s youth of color, between 2004 and 2008 youth arrests for violent crime in Boston increased 15%. |
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8.5.2 After school program availability, Boston neighborhood |
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8.5.3 Permanent expulsion rates by race, gender, income and English proficiency, Boston Public Schools vs. Massachusetts |
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| 8.6 Partnerships for Violence Reduction |
8.6.1 Partnerships with law enforcement agencies by type, Boston neighborhood |
The Boston Police Department has increased the investment in neighborhood-based police initiatives through Same Cop/Same Neighborhood, B-SMART, Safe Neighborhood Initiative and StreeSafe Boston. |
| 8.7 Police and Community Relations |
8.7.1 Respect and trust between residents and police officers, Boston |
In 2006, 76% of the residents surveyed rated Boston Police officers “excellent” or “good” at being fair and respectful. This is the most positive response the Department has received since the survey was initiated in 1997. |
| 8.8 Public Funding and Support |
8.8.1 Trends in federal, state and city funding for the Boston Police Department |
The Boston Police Department’s funding increased by 28%between FY2002 and FY2009, despite a pull back in federal funds for community policing, which supported an increase in the number of police officers of 178 between 2004 and 2008. |
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