Is Crime Up Or Down In Sarasota?

Is there more crime in Sarasota so far this year than last year? Depends who you ask and how you frame it.

In Sarasota city limits, crime rates are down this year, the Sarasota Police Department says, but arrests have increased. That's for data through April 30.

During that time frame, there have been 548 felony index crimes reported, representing a 5 percent decrease compared to the same time in 2011. A felony index crime includes murder, forcible sexual offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, burglary, grand larceny, and car thefts. From Jan. 1 to April 30, 2011, there were 577. This also means 29 fewer victims were involved, according to the police department.   

However, in the first four months of 2012 arrests have increased by 14 percent, according to police.  In raw numbers, that's 1,658 arrests this year compared to 1,453 in the first four months of 2011.  

"These improvements would not have occurred without the collaboration with our community and the dedication of the men and women who serve the City of Sarasota’s Police Department," Capt. Paul Sutton said in a statement.

Here it is in chart form: 

2012 / 2011 Year to Date Comparison (as of 4/30/12)

2012

2011

Change

%

TOTAL INDEX OFFENSES

548

577

-29

-5.0%

MURDER

1

3

-2

-67%

FROCIBLE SEXUAL OFFENSES

7

13

-6

-46%

ROBBERY

56

58

-2

-3%

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

35

28

7

25%

AGGRAVATED BATTERY

19

30

-11

-37%

BURGLARY

234

219

15

7%

GRAND LARCENY

163

178

-15

-8%

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT

33

48

-15

-31%

CALLS FOR SERVICE

21,964

20,965

999

5%

TOTAL ARREST CHARGES

2,414

2,151

263

12%

TOTAL ARRESTS

1,658

1,453

205

14%

Source: Sarasota Police Department

For the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, which includes a larger sample area given the vast unincorporated areas, felony index crimes decreased by 11.62 percent through the end of March this year compared to the same time last year. Those are the latest available numbers. That's  2,091 such crimes committed during that time frame in 2011 compared to 1,848 this year.

Part II classified crimes are also down in the county— are considered negligent manslaughter, kidnapping, arson, simple assault, bribery, embezzlement, fraud, are down 21.3 percent in the county through the end of March. Numbers for Part II crimes for this year from Sarasota Police were not available.

However, 2011 in its entirety tells a different story for last year, The Herald-Tribune reports:

Despite declines in car thefts and other categories, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office reported more burglaries (2,224, up from 2,182), robberies (165, up from 140) and larcenies (5,420, up from with 5,249).

Those increases in property crimes gave the agency an overall increase in its crime rate of 3.2 percent. ...

Sarasota Police saw property crimes affecting their overall rate, too — a 1.1 percent increase. Even though burglaries within the city limits dropped from 825 to 698 and car thefts from 134 to 114, robberies increased from 165 to 172 and larcenies from 2,229 to 2,414.

Arrests are flat at the sheriff's office so far this year, having one fewer arrest made this year, 2,013 overall, than last year.

So what has increased?

In the city, it's aggravated assault and burglaries this year:

• Aggravated assaults jumped 25 percent from 28 offenses to 35.

• Burglaries increased seven percent from 219 offenses to 234.

In the county, it's burglaries, car thefts and arson:

• Two more robberies (38 overall) this year through the end of March counts for a 5.6 percent increase

• One more car theft (74 overall) through the same time period counts for a 1.4 percent increase

• And there's been two arson cases this year compared to one last year, which means is a 100 percent increase.

CHIME IN: What do these numbers mean to you? Do you feel safe or think that there should be a hightened awareness for certain crimes?