Calling “BS” on the “Safest City” Ranking
June 8, 2009 | 1:09 pmSorry, but I’m going to have to disagree with my journalistic superiors on this one.
In case you haven’t seen it yet, there’s a Real Clear Politics article making the rounds the last couple days that landed on the AJC’s “Most Popular” page this morning, which ranks Atlanta as the nation’s second least safe city, just behind Memphis, TN.
Someone please stop the madness!
It may be an unpopular position amongst a general population who feel less safe than they did a year ago (due in large part to the rash of highly public crimes), to argue against anything that validates our fear…but someone has to do it.
First of all, this ranking is crap for the same reason that so many other city rankings are crap – because every city’s limits and annexation laws are different. Some city limits span their entire metropolitan area, while others – like Atlanta – are centered only around the city’s core and represent a flippin’ 10th of the metro-area population. So when “Real Muddy Rankings” reports that they’ve crunched some numbers based on FBI data (which warns against doing such things) and RANKED city crime based on % of their general population, we MUST immediately call BS, or note the disparity and perhaps dig deeper into the data. NOT report on it like it’s a credible study!
Let me be clear, I have no problem with comparing Atlanta’s 2008 to 2007 stats and reporting that property crime is up while violent crime is down. However, none of the articles I’ve seen actually give priority to this reliable data. Yes, they note that the ranking is “disputed”, but only after they’ve colored the entire article with the “second least safe” headline. And then to add insult to injury, they treat violent crime and property crime as equals. Like they are at all comparable! Am I the only one that would rather be mugged than stabbed?
Yes, crime is something Atlanta needs to get a better hold of. Recent cutbacks in law enforcement certainly won’t help improve anything. But I ask the news media to be more responsible about reporting this data and resist easy, sensationalized headlines.
I was in Maine in December of 2000 when they were stunned by a murder. That brought the ENTIRE state’s murder count for that year up to 8.
You really don’t think Atlanta has a problem?
I never said Atlanta didn’t have a problem. I just have a problem with this ranking.
Just because we want to promote a cause doesn’t mean we should grab hold of any old data that supports it…especially when it’s suspect.
And BTW, Atlanta’s murder rate was down in 2008 vs. 2007 (109 vs. 125).
+1
The “emptiest cities” story that made the rounds a few months ago was total BS, as is this one. Which isn’t to say that Atlanta isn’t dangerous or empty, just that it’s apples and oranges.
[...] 2. Atlanta: America’s ’second least safe city’? (The stats suggest that could be the case, but some aren’t so sure.) [...]
[...] Metro wrote a good post on how RCP’s analysis — and the entire issue of comparing cities’ crime rates — is [...]
“Lies, damned lies, and statistics”
Numbers don’t lie, but interpretations can be less than truthful. Yes, we should all be concerned about crime and in reducing it. But you can’t judge the safety of the city overall by looking at these numbers alone.
No other city has Atlanta’s exact history, demographic profile, economy, etc. — so ranking Atlanta and other cities by the criteria in these statistics is only giving us a very small piece of various big pictures and not a reliable overview.
DM – If possible I would prefer to be neither mugged nor stabbed. Realizing after the Glendale thing that may be a tall order. Fortunately, success lives in Gwinnett, so I could always move out there to ensure my family’s safety.
Gwinnett is safe? I have lots of in-laws out that way and I beg to differ! Gentrification hasn’t hit out there yet and there’s some real grim areas. There may be fewer housing projects but there’s a lot more parked cars on lawns.
Kidding. Fortunately, MARTA doesn’t go to Gwinnett so the criminals can’t go up there to steal TVs and carry them back to Decatur on the train.
Are you saying all criminals ride the bus? I’ve lived on Oakhurst for a long time and I remember while growing up that we could not walk thru Oakhurst Park for fear of being robbed and sometimes you would have to call the police 5 to 6 times to get them to respond. The City of Decatur PD is much better and maybe Atlanta needs to get advise from them and other city’s with good service.
Again, I believe Bo is joking.
Well, Bo needs to learn how and when to tell a joke because some words can cause more pain than good.
LOL! I should’ve had a clue by the “Sucess Lives…” crack, but honestly, I have so many friends who live OTP who insist that they’re “safer because of it, it sometimes grates on me & makes me a bit sensitive. Color me temporarily insane, Bo– I usually catch on better than that!
Hmmmmm…I don’t know about your being any safer in Gwinnett. According to some pals of mine in law enforcement there, they have rather large, recurring problems with Asian & Latino gangs (which often fight each other for “territory”). I’m by no means certain that places in the close-in metro area OTP are any safer than those ITP (especially Decatur).
Bo, just word for the wise, sarcasm is not always very well translated in emails or blog posts. When you are kidding or using sarcasm it is always best to make that point clear. I got it … but obviously many others didn’t.
Man, tough crowd. I’ll be here all week!
I say keep it up–love the misconstrued blog posts, they go a long, long way. However, I will be at the bar.
“Is this thing on?” “Test, Test”
Funny, Bo!
“A well-armed society is a polite society” – Robert A. Heinlein
This from a writer who protested against disarming nuclear weapons AND preached a type of free love. Oh the irony.
Eric
You never watched Deadwood did you.
I watched it until we decided HBO wasn’t worth the extra $15/month. You’re not really using a stylized Hollywood production as an argument for gun control, are you?
And that reminds me of another quote: “Gun control means hitting your target.”
So if everyone owned a gun the only person left would be the one with the best aim? I’m sure it’s very polite to, not only aim at your target, but also hit it, with a bullet, and kill it.
Eric
Your right I should come up with something deeper, more insightful – like quoting bumber stickers.
Thank you, W. and GAK, for being contestants on “Bait the Liberal!” This game would be more fun if it wasn’t just so darn easy.
But seriously…that quote is on a bumper sticker? Didn’t know that. I saw it on a policeman’s T-shirt a long time ago. At the shooting range. I’ll try to come up with some more creative quotes next time.
Oh, and Robert Heinlein bores me. Have you ever tried to read “The Cat Who Walks Through Walls?” YAWN.
Anyway, where was I? Have I successfully derailed this conversation yet? If so, then my work is done. Off to bed.
Oh no, now I’m a liberal! Jesus help me.
Excellent riposte, W! That made me laugh out loud.
$5 to the first person that gets the comments section of a crime posting to devolve into something that DOESN’T involve gun control, where the left makes emotional pleas and the right laughs at them while quoting various famous people on the subject.
$10 if it has something to do with bunny rabbits.
Eric,
This might be too long for a bumpersticker, but maybe it would fit on your windshield…
A great many people now reading and writing would be better employed in keeping rabbits.
- Dame Edith Sitwell
DM – does this qualify for the $10 – I need to buy W and GAK a cold beer.
Alright, so Slappy needs beer money:
Dame Sitwell, despite her brilliant take on language and music, spent the war knitting socks(?)–a pair supposedly ended up in Sir Alec Guinness’ possession. Therefore, instead of reading and writing blogs, in order to stay out of jail (and the military) we should all knit socks. Unlike rabbits, socks don’t just make themselves.
Pomposity must have its advantages, but I guess I just haven’t found them yet.
Don’t I at least get a little cash for devolving the conversation to Heinlein? I’d like to give it to SAACJack as part of the stimulus.
Ha! Slappy…no, your comment must lead to further discussion of coneys for it to count. But that was pretty funny.
Eric, no cash for you either. Quoting someone isn’t original enough to get you paid…but I am impressed that we’ve managed to go so long without quoting Churchill.
Though I am quite happy that I’m inadvertently creating groups of drinking buddies!
Mission accomplished!
All in good clean fun.
Where is my stimulus check?
Shouldn’t I be able to just show my SS Card and get a free GM car, since our government just “charged” it to my account?
I am also looking forward to my free healthcare so I can stop paying for my premiums myself and go SPEND THAT MONEY on, like, well, STUFF. Enough of this working everyday. I am ready to just HANG OUT!
Am I being impatient? Must be the increasing heat.
I don’t know. I get accused of falling for the bait by a guy who admits that his only reason for being here is to bait people, which if you check the record I did no such thing. Then DM lumps me into a pinko commune for my emotional response, which, again, if you check the record you won’t find that. I’ll refrain from the laughing and back slapping going on on this one. Sorry that this thread devolved into AJC nutjob blog territory. We should expect better out of this.
Ha. Yes, I definitely took a bit of liberty with the “left” reaction this time around, but in the past, that’s the most common way that particular conversation goes.
Actually, I’m very impressed at the discussion. It devolved a bit, but not to the point that every other gun control conversation has on this site. So, in fact, I should commend you guys.
And just for the record…it never got anywhere near AJC nutjob territory.
Well, we’re just not trying hard enough–come on people! jeez, where are crackpots when you really need ‘em?