How much trust can you put in local crime statistics?
October 31, 2011
There's a big niff-naw going on over Vice President Joe Biden's use of crime statistics for the city of Flint and it raises questions of accuracy about such statistics generally. He was in the city earlier this month to promote a bill in Congress for more funding for local cops and firefighters.
He quoted these stats for Flint, according to the Flint Journal:
Biden cited these statistics, provided by the city of Flint:
• 2008: 91 rapes and 35 murders
• 2010: 229 rapes and 65 murders
But those numbers clash with the statistics reported by other law enforcement agencies.
FBI:
• 2008: 103 rapes and 32 murders
• 2010: 92 rapes and 53 murders
Michigan State Police:
• 2008: 102 rapes and 32 murders
• 2010: 81 rapes and 51 murders