Indianapolis Trends in Crime: Does Perception Match Reality?

This report explores the trends in crime rates in the 94 neighborhoods and 201 census tracts within the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department service area from 2007 to 2014. It looks at variations by place, type of crime, and socio-economic context. The findings show disparities in socio-economic status between high crimes areas and low crime areas. For example, the poverty rate is four times higher in the high-crime areas than in low-crime areas, and unemployment is three times higher.  Overall, crime rates in Marion County are at the lowest level since 2007, however, violent crimes have shown a troubling upward trend with an eight percent growth from 2007 to 2014.  The report looks in more detail at six focus areas in which Indianapolis Department of Public Safety hopes to reduce crime and improve quality of life.