21 December 2020
{Outraged|Annoyed} by the Austin {City Council|City board}’s {decision|choice} in August to “defund the {police|authorities|cops},” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott {repeatedly|consistently} blasts the Capital City and threatens reprisals. In making their case, Abbott and other critics {point to|indicate} an uptick in {certain|specific|particular} {crimes|criminal offenses|criminal activities} this year versus {last year|in 2015}, such as a 55 percent {rise|increase} in murders through November and a 32 percent spike in {car|vehicle|automobile|cars and truck} thefts.
In {response|reaction|action}, {supporters|advocates|fans} of this {summer|summertime|summer season}’s cut in {police|authorities|cops} {funding|financing} continue to hail Austin as one of the {safest|best|most safe} {big|huge} cities in the {country|nation}. They {point to|indicate} year-over-year drops in {crimes|criminal offenses|criminal activities}like {rape, shoplifting, and drug|rape, drug, and shoplifting|shoplifting, rape, and drug|shoplifting, drug, and rape|drug, rape, and shoplifting|drug, shoplifting, and rape} {violations|infractions|offenses}, and note that the city’s {fiscal year|} {actually|really|in fact} {begins|starts} in October, {meaning|implying|indicating|suggesting} {most of|the majority of} the {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} numbers Abbott {refers to|describes} are from {before|prior to} the cuts.
{A new|A brand-new} {study|research study}, {published|released} December 15 by the MoneyGeek {website|site}, {bolsters|reinforces|boosts|strengthens} this claim. The report {finds|discovers} Austin is the ninth {safest|best|most safe} {largest|biggest} U.S. city (with {at least|a minimum of} 300,000 {residents|locals|citizens|homeowners}). Other Texas cities in the {top|leading} 15 are El Paso (No. 12) and Arlington (No. 13). At No. 1 is Raleigh, North Carolina.
For its {study|research study}, MoneyGeek {analyzed|evaluated|examined} {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} {data|information} for 303 cities with a population of {at least|a minimum of} 100,000. The {website|site} then {calculated|determined|computed} each city’s {cost|expense} of {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} and ranked the cities {based on|based upon} the {cost|expense} of {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} per capita.
In Austin, MoneyGeek {computed|calculated} the {cost|expense} of {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} per capita at $1,052. That figure is $1,167 for El Paso and $1,234 for Arlington. The {cost|expense} of {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} per capita in top-ranked Raleigh is $531.
“There’s {an ongoing|a continuous} stereotype that {larger|bigger} cities are more {dangerous|harmful|hazardous|unsafe}. While no {larger|bigger} cities … made the {overall|general|total} {safest|best|most safe} list, {fewer|less} than half of the 15 least-safe cities in the U.S. were {large|big} cities,” MoneyGeek {says|states}. “{Four|4} of the cities that are least safe {also|likewise} rank in the {top|leading} 15 {best|finest} cities to {buy|purchase} {a home|a house} {during|throughout} the COVID-19 pandemic, {suggesting|recommending} that even cities that are not {among|amongst} the {safest|best|most safe} {places|locations} to live can be {attractive|appealing} markets for {homeowners|property owners|house owners}.”
{Overall|In general}, Arlington, Virginia, ranks as the {safest|best|most safe} city in the MoneyGeek {study|research study}. Its {cost|expense} of {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} per capita is $132. {Two|2} Dallas-Fort Worth {suburbs|suburban areas|residential areas}– Allen and Frisco– {also|likewise} appear on MoneyGeek’s list of the 20 {safest|best|most safe} U.S. cities. Allen ranks {third|3rd}, with {a cost|an expense} of {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} per capita of $176. The {cost|expense} of {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} in seventh-place Frisco {comes to|concerns|pertains to} $237.
{Among other|To name a few} {major|significant} cities in Texas:
- San Antonio {shows up|appears} at No. 215, with {a cost|an expense} of {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} per capita of $1,909.
- Houston appears at No. 252, with {a cost|an expense} of {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} per capita of $2,616.
- Dallas {comes in|is available in|can be found in} at No. 257, with {a cost|an expense} of {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} per capita of $2,682.
In last {place|location}, at No. 303, is what MoneyGeek {characterizes|defines|identifies} as the {country|nation}’s most {dangerous|harmful|hazardous|unsafe} city– St. Louis. The {cost|expense} of {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} per capita there {totals|amounts to} $9,334.
{A number of|A variety of} {monetary|financial} {factors|elements|aspects} {contributed to|added to} MoneyGeek’s rankings, such as {medical and {mental|psychological}|{mental|psychological} and medical} {health care|healthcare} for victims, damage to {{property|residential or commercial property|home}, {police|authorities|cops} and {jail|prison}|{property|residential or commercial property|home}, {jail|prison} and {police|authorities|cops}|{police|authorities|cops}, {property|residential or commercial property|home} and {jail|prison}|{police|authorities|cops}, {jail|prison} and {property|residential or commercial property|home}|{jail|prison}, {property|residential or commercial property|home} and {police|authorities|cops}|{jail|prison}, {police|authorities|cops} and {property|residential or commercial property|home}} {costs|expenses}, {home|house} {values|worths}, and {auto|car|automobile|vehicle} {insurance|insurance coverage} premiums.
“{Despite|In spite of|Regardless of} {progress|development} {overall|in general}, {crime|criminal offense|criminal activity} still {impacts|affects} America’s {communities|neighborhoods}. {Crime|Criminal offense|Criminal activity} and {safety|security} are {intertwined|linked} with {prosperity|success}, {income|earnings}, and {economic|financial} {opportunity|chance}. {Crime|Criminal offense|Criminal activity} is {costly|expensive|pricey} to {individual|private|specific} victims, {perpetrators|criminals|wrongdoers}, {communities|neighborhoods}, and society at {large|big},” MoneyGeek says.Source: austin.culturemap.com