In 2008, there were 46 fewer total criminal acts in Beat 2431 compared to 2007 -- 967 in 2008 as opposed to 1,013 in 2007. That represents a 4.5% decrease. (Beat 2431 is bounded by Pratt Avenue on the south (6800 North), Lunt Street on the north (7000 North), Clark Street on the West (1700 West) and the lake on the east.)
Meanwhile index crime increased slightly over 2007 -- there were 7 more victims in 2008 compared to 2007, with 323 in 2008 vs. 316 in 2007 -- a 2.2% increase.
There were five more criminal sexual assaults in 2008 than in 2007. There were 6 "non-aggravated sexual assaults" in 2008, and none in 2007. A sergeant at the January Beat 2431 meeting explained that "non-aggravated sexual assaults" charges usually are made in cases where the victim knows the offender.
Meanwhile, there were 9 fewer robberies in 2008 (42 vs. 51) and 7 fewer thefts ( 165 vs. 172).
Aggravated assaults and batteries rose by 7 (34 vs. 27), burglaries increased by 5 (46 vs. 41), and there were 5 more auto thefts (28 vs. 23). There was 1 arson (at the Morse Theater) in 2008, none in 2007.
Non-index crimes down 7.6%
While index assault and battery increased last year, non-index assault and battery dropped by 12% (215 vs. 245). This category showed a large drop in simple domestic battery (31.2%, 66 incidents vs. 96), and in simple assault (21.2%, 78 vs. 99).
Narcotics-related incidents fell almost 17%, from 156 in 2007 to 130 in 2008. In the final catch-all category of "other non-index crimes," we saw a slight increase of 1% -- 299 in 2008 vs. 296 in 2007.
There were 53 fewer non-index crime incidents in 2008 vs. 2007 -- 644 vs. 697, a 7.6% decrease.
(Note: Beat 2431 runs from Clark and Pratt to Lunt and Clark on the west, and the Lake and Pratt and the Lake and Lunt on the east.
