This section consists of statistical data on crime, traffic, accidents, firearm registration, correctional facility population, fire, and court activities.
Total offenses reported to the Department of Public Safety continued to drop from almost 2,800 in 2000 to a little over 2,400 in 2002. Total offenses remained at over 2,400 in the last three years. Of the Part one offenses, burglary was the number one complaint from the local community with an average of about 50 percent reported for both 2003 & 2004. Assault (1st and 2nd degree ) with about 22 percent of common complaints reported for both 2003 and 2004, followed by Larceny with 17.8 percent in 2004 versus 21.2 percent in 2003, a slightly 3 percent improvement in 2004. Criminal Homicide has declined from an all time high in 2002.
On the part Two Offenses, Disorderly conduct still rated the highest category with a 37percent averages for both 2003 & 2004, followed by DUI offenses. DUI offenses declined from 2000 to 2002, and increased in 2003 and 2004. Property damage/ vandalism dropped since 2001.
Juvenile Offenses reported continued to drop in the past five years. Assault, Burglary and Larceny were the highest offenses reported in Part One Juvenile Offenses category, although Assault and Larceny have declined since 2001. Disorderly Conduct, Runaways and Property Damage were the most common complaints of Part Two Juvenile Offenses. The property damage was the only category in Part Two that recorded declines year after year since 2000.
Average traffic accidents remained at close to a thousand in the past five years. Traffic accidents dropped by 15 percent decline between 2002 and 2003. Traffic fatalities were significantly higher in 2002.
Over 50 fires reported in 2003 versus less than 70 in 2004. There were more residential fires in the last 5 years than both commercial and industrial combined.
Over 1,000 cases were filed at the High Court, while about 600 cases were disposed of in 2003 and 2004. However, over 7,000 cases in both 2003 and 2004 were still pending from the previous years. Land disputes cases seem to be on the rise as filings continued to increase annually for the last 5 years. A total of 7,030 cases were filed in the District Court in 2003, and a 20 percent drop in filings occurred in 2004. A total of almost 12,000 cases were disposed of in 2003 and 2004. Traffic and Small Claim categories seem to decline in 2001. Only 170 firearms were registered in 2004 compared to over 200 in previous years. Correctional facility population remained at over 140. About 66 percent of inmates were citizens or nationalities of Foreign countries.
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