How to Figure out Crime Statistics in a Town

When moving to a new town such as Palm Desert, safety should be an important consideration. There are several ways to find out the likelihood of criminal activity in a town. These are through casual observations, general online research, and comprehensive online research. Once you have conducted your research, alarm companies in Palm Desert can help you assess and implement the best ways to protect your future home and family from crime.

Casual observation

You can infer a lot about crime levels based on what you or existing residents observe. Firstly, consider the type of people you observe and at what times of the day. Some indicators of a safe town could be:

  • Children playing in front yards
  • Women jogging alone in the evening
  • Many well-maintained parks
  • Family gatherings in parks and recreational areas at night

Next, take a look at the properties and facilities in the area. These could be signs of concern:

  • Many taverns, with few family-friendly recreational areas
  • Business having bars on the windows
  • Clearly marked security presence and guard dogs in residential properties
  • Many houses for sale and for lease
  • Poorly lit and damaged roads and sidewalks
  • Obvious signs of vandalism
  • Abandoned or poorly maintained properties

Finally, ask questions of existing residents to see if they have safety concerns. Find out if there is a local neighborhood watch. Ask whether it’s safe for older children to walk or catch the bus to school by themselves. Ask these residents if they have implemented security measures at their own properties.

Looking for home alarm companies in Palm Desert? AMS is here to help with all of your home alarm needs. Contact us today to get help with your home alarm needs.

General online research

With the power of the internet at your fingertips, plenty of information is at hand. Begin by searching for the city’s official website. It should provide information under headings like:

  • crime rate
  • moving to
  • public safety
  • new residents
  • neighborhood safety initiatives

The town’s official police department website will provide even more comprehensive detail. The police department’s Facebook page is likely to yield a more ‘public’ view of crime, which could be very helpful.

Online news sites provide easily obtainable information on criminal activity. Check both the local news station’s site and the newspaper’s site. Pay particular attention to any mention of school safety incidents, break-ins and violent or sexual assaults.

Comprehensive online research

There are many online resources which are particularly devoted to neighborhood crime statistics. Here are several suggestions:

FamilyWatchdog.us is a website which collates information from sex offender registries to show sexual offenders in the area you select. You can opt to see these in list form or on a map. It includes names, addresses, photographs and details of offenses. There is an option to subscribe for updates.

CrimeReports.com – search and compare towns for information on crimes, compiled from law enforcement agencies.

MyLocalCrime.com – lists types of crime from most recent incidents. You can also subscribe to alerts.

City-data.com – generates informative profiles for all cities in the US. Information includes weather, demography and crime rates.

Neighbourhoodscout.com – provides a breakdown of specific neighborhoods within U.S. cities. There are also overall profiles on the cities.  Neighborhoods are ranked in key areas of safety, demography, schools and real estate.

If your research leads to you believe the neighborhood is not as safe as you would like, it is advisable to consider options for security. These options could include increasing exterior lighting, taking out adequate insurance and having a professional alarm company assess and install a security system for your home.

photo credit: Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view Bedroom of the Bungalow via photopin (license)

Recent Posts