I know, I know... but I can’t say. It wouldn’t be PC.
So poverty being around 25 percent higher translates to a seven-fold increase in arrests? Funny math.
According to the 2011 FBI offenses known to law enforcement, Wolf Point had 140 property crimes. That meant Wolf Point had approximately 53 property crimes committed per 1,000 residents, compared to Montana’s approximate 23 per 1,000. The national rate in 2011 was 29 per 1,000. Property crime has been linked to poverty and addiction, but there is no singular or universal cause of high crime rates. It varies by each location and all of its nuances.
Keep in mind, this is a crime rate not total number of crimes. If you had a town with a population of three and someone stole a mailbox, the rate would be 333/1000 people.
Wolf Point Police Department Lieutenant Brian Erwin said he believed the rate of crimes against property was directly related to the poverty level and that addiction was a contributing factor. Erwin said of all the suspects involved in a criminal incident that the WPPD handled about 80 percent were under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He said the most common crime was theft from a vehicle, but his department has seen it all. “They’re siphoning gas, they’re stealing bikes and they’re kicking in doors to steal large screen televisions,” Erwin said.
snip
Besides poverty and addiction, Erwin said a lack of truth in sentencing contributed to the high rates of property crime, meaning that people who commit these crimes often see very little jail time, if any at all. Erwin said this was due to many factors, but specifically noted the over-population of jails.
My Comment: Wolf Point has a demographic which is different from Billings, too.
There have always been poor people. There always will be. They have not always used either being poor, drunk, or doing drugs as an excuse to steal from others.
Many still do not turn to crime despite being poor and living in such a way that ensures that.
However, the other aspect of this is that with a small jail which is full, those who do get caught know they aren't going to be punished.
Sounds to me like The Towne Pump is an attractive nuisance.
Shut down all the gas stations and the community will self police.