If you are like me, reading crime statistics provides a momentary amount of entertainment that passes just as quickly as the next news story that comes along. Yet I recently came to a conclusion: crime statistics are more than just numbers. They are also a learning opportunity. They offer opportunities I intend to take advantage of moving forward.
What can we learn from crime statistics? We can learn:
- How safe our local communities are.
- The types of crimes local criminals commit.
- The types of people criminals victimize.
- The ways criminals commit crimes.
All these things are important in their own, unique ways. But I find that the most fascinating aspect of studying crime statistics is learning more about human nature. No doubt I am a big fan of studying up on crime so I can better protect myself. But I also love to learn about how people think and behave. I have discovered I can learn a lot about human nature by studying both criminals and their victims.
A Typical Midwest State
I must confess that the impetus for this post was a fascinating article I read on the Vivint Smart Home website. The Vivint piece focused on Nebraska crime rates and how they influence property owner decisions about home security. It is a great article for the simple fact that Nebraska is a typical midwestern state. Most of us can look at what happens there and find some sort of application to where we live.
According to the Vivint piece, Nebraska’s crime rate is lower than the national average at 34.60 incidents per 1,000 residents. Just over 20,000 property crimes were reported in 2022, and higher rates of crime tend to be reported in urban areas. The biggest concerns in terms of violent crime are robbery and aggravated assault.
So, what can we take away from Nebraska’s crime statistics? The rest of this post will be devoted to discussing some of the key points from the Vivint article. If you want all the details, check out the article for yourself.
Urban vs. Rural Crime
Nebraska is not unusual in its tendency to see more crime in urban areas. The interesting thing is that the state is largely rural. Omaha is its largest city with an estimated population of just under half-a-million. The state’s total population is an estimated 1.96 million.
There is an important lesson about human nature in the statistics. Crime tends to be more common in urban areas simply because there are more people. Where more people congregate, there are more opportunities to commit crime.
While it may be true that much larger cities like Detroit and New York tend toward higher crime rates, the highest crime rates in Nebraska are found in cities like Omaha and Lincoln. This would seem to suggest that residents of those two cities should be more diligent about protecting themselves against all sorts of crimes.
Car Thefts Are on the Rise
The Vivint piece goes on to cite statistics showing an alarming increase in the number of car thefts. Once again, Omaha and Lincoln see the most such crimes every year. Omaha police investigated 475 car thefts last year, representing a 90% increase from 2022. Lincoln’s car theft rate is in the neighborhood of 400 vehicles per year.
What is the lesson here? There are actually two. First is the fact that thieves are opportunistic creatures. They will go after whatever is easiest for them to steal. For whatever reason, cars seem to be a hot item right now. It could be due to the fact that prices on both cars and car parts have gone through the roof since the COVID pandemic.
The second lesson is that victims are still making it too easy on thieves. When car theft rates increase by 90%, it is not solely due to the fact that thieves are getting better at what they do. It is also that car owners are making it too easy on them.
The Same Tips Are Offered
If you need proof that car owners are making life easy on car thieves, just look at the tips law enforcement offers. They have been offering the same tips for as long as I can remember, and I am in my late fifties. Those tips include:
- Locking car doors and rolling up the windows.
- Not leaving keys in the car.
- Parking in well-lit areas.
- Not leaving valuables in the car.
- Installing an anti-theft system.
All these tips came directly from the Vivint article. But guess what? You can Google tips for preventing car theft and find thousands of articles that offer the exact same suggestions. The suggestions have not changed in decades because they still apply. And the fact that they still apply suggests that people are not taking heed of them.
The lesson here is also two-fold. First is the fact that there are things we can all do to prevent being victimized by crime. We are generally as safe as we make ourselves. In other words, I can reduce the chances of a criminal coming after me by limiting his opportunities to do so. If I make the effort to protect myself, I make life harder on criminals.
Second is the fact that criminals prey on the vulnerable. In terms of car theft, there is no one more vulnerable than the person who leaves his keys in the ignition with the car running. And yet how often do people engage in this very practice? Criminals count on people not protecting themselves. Their livelihoods depend on it.
Security Is a Mindset
For me, the undercurrent in all of this is expressed in the idea that security is a mindset. I can install a home security system to protect against burglary. But a security system is just an object. More important is the fact that I am taking steps to protect myself and my family. My mindset matters more than the objects I buy.
