Allentown, Pa
Crime Data Report
Kevin Gianoni
CJCR: Crime Prevention and Policy
Lycoming College
25 September 2023
OVERVIEW
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Demographics of Allentown
Trends in Violent Crime and Property Crime
Trends in Specific Crime Types
Possible Explanations
Significant Crime Issue
Data Limitations
Demographics of Allentown, PA
Third largest city in PA
Population: 125,094
Race:
White: 53%
Black: 14.1%
Home ownership: 41.5%
Median home value: $145,700
High school degree: 80.6%
Bachelor’s degree: 17.3%
Median household income: $47,703
Poverty rate: 23.3%
Unemployment Rate: 5.2 %
Source: US Census Bureau, 2021
Allentown, PA Unemployment Rate (ycharts.com)
Data for Allentown, PA
Accessed statistics from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report (UCR) for years 2011- 2021
Accessed statistics from ycharts for unemployment rate
Accessed US Census data for demographic information
Specific Limitations:
Does not include arrest rates
No data from 2020-2021 due to transition to NIBRS
Supplemented by Using Allentown Police Department data from AllentownPA.gov
All Violent Crimes
600
500
Violent Crime Trends in
Allentown, Pa
Rate Per 100,000
400
300
200
100
0
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Year
Source: FBI Uniform Crime Report
Homicide Rate
14
12
Rate Per 100,000
10
8
6
4
2
0
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Year
Source: FBI Uniform Crime Report
Rape Rate
70,00
60,00
Rate Per 100,000
50,00
40,00
30,00
20,00
10,00
0,00
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Year
Source: FBI Uniform Crime Report
Assault and Robbery Rates in Allentown, PA
Assault Rate
Robbery Rate
250
350
300
200
Rate Per 100,000
Rate Per 100,000
250
150
100
200
150
100
50
50
0
0
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Year
2017
2018
2019
2020
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Year
Source: FBI Uniform Crime Report
All Property Crimes
5000
4500
4000
Property Crime Trends
in Allentown, PA
Rate per 100,000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Year
Source: FBI Uniform Crime Report
Property Crime Comparison
Larceny-Theft Rate
3000
1000
2500
Rate Per 100,000
1200
800
600
400
2000
1500
1000
200
500
0
0
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2011
2020
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Year
Year
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate
400
350
Rate Per 100,000
Rate Per 100,00
Burglary Rate
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Year
2017
2018
2019
2020
Source: FBI Uniform Crime Report
2020
Arson Rates
Arson Rate
18
16
14
Rate Per 100,00
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Year
Source: FBI Uniform Crime Report
2020
Overall
Trends in
Crime in
Allentown
Trends in Violent Crime:
• Allentown has experienced a 74.50% decrease over
the past 10 years
• 70.11% decrease in the past 5 years
• 64.97% decrease since last year
• 90% decrease in Homicides as well as a 78.47%
decrease in robbery in the past 10 years; 85.71%
and 57.06% respectively, in past year
Trends in Property Crime:
• Allentown has experienced a 80.92% decrease over
the past 10 years
• 73.84% decrease in the past 5 years
• 68.62 decrease since the year prior
• 94.74% and 89.28% decrease in arson and burglary
in the past 10 years; 80% and 73.35% respectively, in
the past year
Summary and Explanation of Crime Trends
Both violent and property crimes are on a decreasing trend
Police officials note that crime has fallen to 20 year lows
Potential cause of larceny-theft:
- most common property crime in United States
- easy to commit
- large city causes blind spots in policing zones
- fourth highest child homelessness rate for PA
Getting Ahead
(What is Being Done)
• Police Chief Granitz placed focus on violent crimes
• Use of proactive policing
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( increased crisis intervention and de-escalation training)
• Use of Intelligence-based policing to track crime
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Increased community education from the CPU (crime prevention unit)
Increase in community engagement in reporting crimes/tips
Limitations to Data
• Lack of information for locations of crime
• Lack of demographics of victims and violators of crime
• Only part I offenses
• No arrest rates
• Transition from UCR to NIBRS
Allentown, Pa
Crime Data Report
Kevin Gianoni
CJCR: Crime Prevention and Policy
Lycoming College
25 September 2023