criminal jane Eastern Suburban Crime Rate on the Decline

Residents of eastern suburban communities (and those planning to move into those areas) can breathe a small sigh of relief. According to the Pennsylvania State Police's recent release of the 1995 Uniform Crime Report, there have been fewer serious crimes reported in 1995 when compared to 1994 in many communities. Communities in the report include:

Braddock, Churchill, East McKeesport, Forest Hills, Monroeville, North Versailles, Pitcairn, Pittsburgh, Rankin, Swissvale, Turtle Creek, White Oak, Wilkins, Irwin, Latrobe, Manor, North Huntingdon, Penn Township and Trafford.

Criminal homicide, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft and arson are among those categorized as "serious crimes." Nevertheless, the most common serious crime found in many eastern suburban communities is larceny, otherwise known as theft.

Officials make mention of two trends which are more than likely linked to the fall of suburban crime rate: police working closely with residents, and residents who let police know about what is going on in their neighborhoods.

ALLEGHENY COUNTYSERIOUS CRIMES PER 100 PEOPLE
COMMUNITYPOPULATIONCRIMES 1994CRIMES 199519941995
Braddock4,4093062046.9404.627
Braddock Hills2,036101*N/A4.691N/A
Churchill3,8713013*0.7750.336
East McKeesport2,6198562*3.2462.367
Edgewood3,65969N/A1.886N/A
Forest Hills7,39510072*1.3520.974
Monroeville29,6191,3061061*4.4093.582
McKeesport25,7311,0881,023*4.2283.976
North Braddock7,3461501322.0421.797
North Versailles12,491352309*2.8182.474
Oakmont6,988163206*2.3332.948
Penn Hills52,2751,0671,0752.0412.056
Pitcairn4,05596*60*2.3671.480
Pittsburgh368,59426,62521,9627.2235.958
Plum25,730N/A448*N/A1.741
Rankin2,2713012*1.3210.528
Swissvale10,5073992873.7972.732
Turtle Creek6,52813598*2.0681.501
Verona3,247N/A79*N/A2.433
Wall853N/AN/AN/AN/A
White Oak8,8981811742.0341.955
Wilkins7,700211144*2.7401.870
Wilkinsburg21,0801,6211,3087.6906.205
Wilmerding2,3094546*1.9491.992
WESTMORELAND COUNTYSERIOUS CRIMES PER 100 PEOPLE
COMMUNITYPOPULATIONCRIMES 1994CRIMES 199519941995
Derry Borough2,924117N/A4.001N/A
Greensburg16,6845366323.2133.788
Irwin5,066106822.0921.619
Jeannette11,118179*184*1.6101.655
Latrobe9,3501691471.8071.572
Manor2,64133*211.2500.795
Murrysville17,5063113201.7771.828
North Huntingdon28,593417363*1.4581.270
Penn Township16,1911351300.8340.803
South Greensburg2,36226*261.1011.101
Southwest Greensburg2,46350*89*2.0303.613
Trafford3,34149411.4671.227

* Figure represents an estimate based on at least nine monthly reports.
N/A denotes the figures weren't included in the state report.
Table and information reprinted from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/Anita Dufalla.

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