For the third time in four years, Kansas-based Morgan Quitno Press has dubbed Amherst, N.Y. the safest city in America. Detroit, Mich. brought up the rear, earning the title of "most dangerous."
The survey included 327 cities with populations greater than 75,000 and compared each city's reported rates of murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and car theft in 2000.
The results are published in the form of a "reference book for academic use," primarily by state governments and "development people," said Scott Morgan, editor of the book City Crime Rankings, and president of Morgan Quitno.
The ratings began as a "poll to ask which crimes worried people the most" in Money Magazine, said Morgan. The result? "Crimes like burglary and car theft worried people most."
Property crime and theft were the crimes most frequently reported in Amherst, while there were only a handful of rapes and not a single murder in 2000.
In rates per 100,000 people, Amherst tallied 2,561 incidents of crime, including 91.3 incidents of violent crime, 2,469.90 incidents of property crime, 6.5 incidents of rape, 55 incidents of robbery, 246.9 incidents of burglary, 2,060 incidents of theft, 163 incidents of car theft and 0 incidents of murder in 2000.
Director of University Police John Grela pointed out that UB's crime rates are even lower than those of Amherst, a fact he attributed to a variety of factors: community policing, the posting of crime reports, the cooperation of different groups and staff to educate the student body, and partnership with the residence halls and the athletics department, among others.
For prospective students and parents, the "safest city" distinction can be a reassuring one.
"We're aware that for students [and parents] safety on campus is an issue," said Regina Toomey, UB's director of undergraduate admissions. "The campus is even safer than the city."
The title of "safest city in America" is used in presentations to those students and parents, although not many students inquire specifically about crime rates on campus, according to Toomey.
UB's rates for 2000 were: 0 incidents of murder, 0 incidents of manslaughter, 0 incidents of forcible sex offenses, 10 incidents of non-forcible sex offenses, 8 incidents of robbery, 16 incidents of aggravated assault, 118 incidents of burglary, 3 incidents of arson, 10 incidents of motor vehicle theft, 15 incidents of liquor law violations, 10 incidents of drug-related violations and 1 incident of weapons possession.
