WE ARE SAFE, JUST AND ENGAGED

Violent crime occurred
at a rate of 432 per 100,000 population
in Travis County in 2008

Victims of violent crime face tangible costs of over $17 billion annually because of medical and mental health care expenses, lost productivity, and property damage according to a report by the National Institute of Justice. If  the intangible costs of reduced quality of life, pain, and suffering are added to this, the total rises to $330 billion.

This indicator is on the CAN community dashboard not only so our community can monitor the violent crime rate, but also to create opportunities for community conversations about issues related to violent crime such as the factors that drive violent crime in our community. 

The rate of violent crime in Travis County was below the state and nation in 2008. Crime rates in large cities are often higher than those in suburban and rural communities. The Austin Police Department reports that Austin’s rate of 532 violent crimes per 100,000 residents was lower than the rate of 996 for other U.S. cities of comparable size.

Top of Page

 

Arrests are not
proportionate for all races

The arrests of African Americans in Travis County in 2008 were disproportionate to the demographic distribution of the total population.   While African Americans comprised 8% of the total population, they accounted for 23% of arrests.  The White population comprised 52% of the total population in 2008 and 44% of arrests.

This data raises questions about what causes certain populations to enter our criminal justice population with greater frequency.  Responsibility for this outcome does not lie solely with the criminal justice system.  We as a community must learn more about what this data means and how we can work together to make sure certain segments of our population are not over-represented in the criminal justice system.

 

Top of Page

 

Voter turnout
is disproportionate

The Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network explains that who votes and who does not vote impacts who elected officials pay attention to, the course of public policy and the quality of American democracy.  It also impacts civic participation of all kinds.  People who don’t vote are less likely to self-identify as stakeholders in their communities.  They are less likely to volunteer, contact their elected officials or participate in public life.  Frequent voters, on the other hand, are more likely to engage in community affairs, serve on boards and commissions and even enter public service themselves.

Data on voter turnout by ethnicity is not collected or reported by government entities and is only available through exit poll surveys conducted by private research firms. A comparison of voting data by Opinion Analysts with population data from the American Community Survey shows that voter turnout in Travis County was disproportionate in 2008. While those who identified as White, Asian or Other represented 80% of the total voting population, they comprised 57% of the overall population.  Hispanics and African Americans were underrepresented in the voting booths.

 

Top of Page