Dec. 2, 2008
FBI Statistics in 2006 Cloud Writers Theory that WVU/Morgantown Safer Than MU/Huntington
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – A concerned letter writer has reacted to the robbery of the theatre at Pullman Square, the unsolved off campus Leah Hickman murder, and the fraternity house invasion by a violent man with a weapon. The writer asserts that West Virginia University/Morgantown, WV has an better crime safety environment than Marshall University/Huntington, WV.
FBI 2006 by State by University statistics suggest otherwise, particularly when adding the Metropolitan crime per 100,000 population statistic. A few notes, Morgantown is closer to the Pittsburgh area, which has a comparatively higher crime ranking. Huntington includes other rural county areas in Ohio and Kentucky. Also, these so-called “rankings” are discouraged by the FBI which assembled the statistics.
Based on the FBI charts, MU with just under 14,000 students recorded seven violent crimes in the 2005 school year, while West Virginia University with about 26,000 students recorded only three violent crimes. However, when broken down, the universities take turns with which one ranks first and which ranks second.
For example, Marshall reported one robbery, 138 property crimes, 120 larceny/thefts, and one car theft. WVU reported three robberies, 217 property crimes, 205 larceny/thefts, and three car thefts.
On the other hand, WVU reported no aggravated assaults and eight burglaries. MU had six aggravated assaults and 17 reported burglaries. For the year reported, neither school had a murder/nonnegligent manslaughter/forcible rape.
The table which can be accessed at http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/data/table_09_wv.html contains the following disclaimer: Caution should be exercised in making any intercampus comparisons or ranking schools because university/college crime statistics are affected by a variety of factors. These include demographic characteristics of the surrounding community, ratio of male to female students, number of on-campus residents, accessibility of the campus to outside visitors, size of enrollment, etc.
Subject to the same constraints, the WV Offenses Known to Law Enforcement by State by City, 2006, reports that Morgantown (population 28, 317) had 113 violent crimes, Huntington (population 49,242) had 349, and Charleston (population 51,221) had 508.
When broken down to Rate Per 100,000 inhabitants Morgantown actually leads Huntington 240 violent crimes per 1,000 to Huntington’s 229 per 1,000. But these results are based on the Metropolitan Statistic Areas. (Morgantown adds Monongalia and Preston Counties for a population of 114,603; Huntington adds the following counties: Boyd and Greenup, Ky., Lawrence County, Oh., and Cabell/Wayne, WV. for a population of 286,889.)
Incidentally, Charleston’s MSA (which includes Boone, Clay, Kanawha, Lincoln and Putman Counties with a population of 306.706) violent crime rate per 1,000 is 397.8; the Wheeling, WV MSA (which includes Belmont Co., Ohio as well as Marshall/Ohio Counties in WV with a population of 148,832) is 168.6.
The FBI has statistics on crimes and clearances (i.e. arrests or solving by other extraordinary means) at: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/data/table_26.html.
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FBI Statistics in 2006 Cloud Writers Theory that WVU/Morgantown Safer Than MU/Huntington
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – A concerned letter writer has reacted to the robbery of the theatre at Pullman Square, the unsolved off campus Leah Hickman murder, and the fraternity house invasion by a violent man with a weapon. The writer asserts that West Virginia University/Morgantown, WV has an better crime safety environment than Marshall University/Huntington, WV.
FBI 2006 by State by University statistics suggest otherwise, particularly when adding the Metropolitan crime per 100,000 population statistic. A few notes, Morgantown is closer to the Pittsburgh area, which has a comparatively higher crime ranking. Huntington includes other rural county areas in Ohio and Kentucky. Also, these so-called “rankings” are discouraged by the FBI which assembled the statistics.
Based on the FBI charts, MU with just under 14,000 students recorded seven violent crimes in the 2005 school year, while West Virginia University with about 26,000 students recorded only three violent crimes. However, when broken down, the universities take turns with which one ranks first and which ranks second.
For example, Marshall reported one robbery, 138 property crimes, 120 larceny/thefts, and one car theft. WVU reported three robberies, 217 property crimes, 205 larceny/thefts, and three car thefts.
On the other hand, WVU reported no aggravated assaults and eight burglaries. MU had six aggravated assaults and 17 reported burglaries. For the year reported, neither school had a murder/nonnegligent manslaughter/forcible rape.
The table which can be accessed at http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/data/table_09_wv.html contains the following disclaimer: Caution should be exercised in making any intercampus comparisons or ranking schools because university/college crime statistics are affected by a variety of factors. These include demographic characteristics of the surrounding community, ratio of male to female students, number of on-campus residents, accessibility of the campus to outside visitors, size of enrollment, etc.
Subject to the same constraints, the WV Offenses Known to Law Enforcement by State by City, 2006, reports that Morgantown (population 28, 317) had 113 violent crimes, Huntington (population 49,242) had 349, and Charleston (population 51,221) had 508.
When broken down to Rate Per 100,000 inhabitants Morgantown actually leads Huntington 240 violent crimes per 1,000 to Huntington’s 229 per 1,000. But these results are based on the Metropolitan Statistic Areas. (Morgantown adds Monongalia and Preston Counties for a population of 114,603; Huntington adds the following counties: Boyd and Greenup, Ky., Lawrence County, Oh., and Cabell/Wayne, WV. for a population of 286,889.)
Incidentally, Charleston’s MSA (which includes Boone, Clay, Kanawha, Lincoln and Putman Counties with a population of 306.706) violent crime rate per 1,000 is 397.8; the Wheeling, WV MSA (which includes Belmont Co., Ohio as well as Marshall/Ohio Counties in WV with a population of 148,832) is 168.6.
The FBI has statistics on crimes and clearances (i.e. arrests or solving by other extraordinary means) at: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/data/table_26.html.
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