A widespread fear of crime remains among the residents of East Baton Rouge Parish. That’s according to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation’s latest City Stats report released Monday.
But that’s no surprise, as parish crime levels have virtually held steady. BR Police Department data show total crime incidents fell only slightly from almost 15,300 in 2011 to approximately 14,800 in 2012.
Non-violent crime remained essentially unchanged within the 12,000 to 13,000 range, while violent crime actually rose slightly over the same time period.
BRAF’s latest City Stats report shows only slightly more positive feedback from last year when it comes to residents feeling safe. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said they felt safe walking alone at night in their neighborhoods. That’s up from 55 percent last year.
Additionally, only 57 percent of those polled are concerned they or a family member would be crime victims, down from 62 percent the year before.