The crime-free Salinas of yore is obviously history. But, on the brighter side, the violence appears to have flattened out. Here are the numbers from City Data:
Crime in Salinas by Year
| Type | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Murders | 12 | 18 | 15 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| per 100,000 | 9.7 | 14.2 | 9.7 | 12.8 | 12.6 | 11.4 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 9.6 |
| Rapes | 60 | 62 | 56 | 59 | 57 | 69 | 43 | 45 | 51 |
| per 100,000 | 48.7 | 49.1 | 36.4 | 37.7 | 37.9 | 46.1 | 28.8 | 30.5 | 35.1 |
| Robberies | 346 | 448 | 399 | 367 | 399 | 452 | 335 | 383 | 378 |
| per 100,000 | 280.8 | 354.7 | 259.3 | 234.3 | 265.5 | 302.3 | 224.6 | 259.2 | 260.2 |
| Assaults | 737 | 734 | 799 | 692 | 725 | 678 | 645 | 683 | 711 |
| per 100,000 | 598.0 | 581.1 | 519.3 | 441.9 | 482.4 | 453.4 | 432.4 | 462.3 | 489.5 |
| Burglaries | 729 | 808 | 843 | 757 | 837 | 918 | 935 | 907 | 1,205 |
| per 100,000 | 591.5 | 639.7 | 547.9 | 483.4 | 556.9 | 613.9 | 626.8 | 613.9 | 829.6 |
| Thefts | 3,764 | 3,760 | 4,102 | 4,013 | 5,163 | 4,549 | 4,339 | 3,718 | 3,332 |
| per 100,000 | 3054.3 | 2976.7 | 2665.9 | 2562.4 | 3435.0 | 3041.9 | 2908.8 | 2516.4 | 2294.0 |
| Auto thefts | 650 | 627 | 765 | 926 | 1,415 | 1,297 | 1,504 | 1,398 | 2,341 |
| per 100,000 | 527.4 | 496.4 | 497.2 | 591.3 | 941.4 | 867.3 | 1008.3 | 946.2 | 1611.7 |
| Arson | 31 | 63 | 53 | 58 | 51 | 37 | 35 | 29 | 37 |
| per 100,000 | 25.2 | 49.9 | 34.4 | 37.0 | 33.9 | 24.7 | 23.5 | 19.6 | 25.5 |
| City-data.com crime index (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 320.9) | 468.0 | 493.9 | 415.0 | 398.0 | 483.4 | 475.0 | 427.2 | 423.4 | 502.1 |
The fun has been increasing of late. Morning news showing streets literally with blood running on them...and our dear, dear CongressNitWit, Sammy "I luv the UN" Farr blubbering that "it takes a village" to stop this carnage (he actually said that).
Personally, I think we should just send in the 1st Marine Division and retake the town for the United States.