Pennsylvania is a state with beautiful scenery, a long past, and a lot of different cultures. The new crime numbers from the FBI show that it also has some of the most dangerous towns in the country. One city stands out as having the worst crime rate in the whole state: Chester.
What is Chester’s Crime Rate?
Chester is a small city in Delaware County that is home to about 33,000 people. About 15 miles south of Philadelphia, it is on the Delaware River. Chester used to be a thriving center for manufacturing and industry, but for decades it has been hit hard by poverty, economic decline, and social issues.
The 2020 Uniform Crime Report from the FBI says that there were 1,740 crimes reported in Chester, which is 52.73 crimes per 1,000 people. This is more than three times the national average of 15.8 per 1,000 people and more than twice the average for the state, which is 19.07 per 1,000 people.
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More than that, Chester has the highest crime rate of any city in Pennsylvania with more than 10,000 people. With 40.79 crimes per 1,000 people, Harrisburg, the state capital, has the second-highest crime rate in the state.
Chester has a high crime rate, mostly because of serious crimes like murder, rape, robbery, and severe assault. In 2020, 449 violent crimes were recorded in Chester. That’s 13.53 violent crimes per 1,000 people who lived there. This is more than three times the national average of 4.03 per 1,000 people and more than four times the average for the state, which is 3.38 per 1,000 people.
There was also a lot of property crime in Chester. This includes theft, burglary, and car theft. In 2020, 1,291 property crimes were recorded in Chester. That’s a rate of 39.2 property crimes per 1,000 people. This is more than twice the national average of 16.77 per 1,000 people and a little more than the state average of 15.69 per 1,000 residents.
What Are the Reasons and Effects of Chester’s Criminal Behavior?
Chester’s crime problem is complicated and has many causes. It can’t be fixed quickly or easily. The crime problem in Chester could have been caused by or led to the following:
Low-income People and People Without Jobs: 35.5% of people in Chester are poor, which is more than double the state average of 12.5%. More than twice as many people are out of work in Chester as in the rest of the state, at 9.9%. People who are poor or unemployed may feel lost, frustrated, and desperate, which can make them turn to crime as a way to survive or express themselves.
Opportunities and Education: Not many people in Chester have completed college. Only 69.9% of locals have a high school diploma or higher, and only 9.9% have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Chester also has a low median family income of $29,954, which is less than half of the average income in the state, which is $63,463. Residents can reach their goals and dreams if they have the skills, knowledge, and means to do so. This can cut down on crime that people do as a way to escape or protest.
Gangs and Drugs: Chester has a big problem with drugs and gangs. Heroin, coke, and fentanyl are the most common drugs. Gangs and drugs can make people more violent, addicted, and dishonest, which can lead to more crime as a way to make money or gain power.
Policing and Justice: There are claims of wrongdoing, violence, and corruption against the police in Chester, which makes ties between the community and the police tense. There are also a lot of people in prison or jail in Chester. There are 1,055 people in prison or jail, which is 31.8 per 1,000 persons. Law enforcement and justice can make it harder for people to trust, work with, and be accountable to the government. This can lead to more crime as a way of protesting or getting back at the government.
How Can the Crime Problem in Chester Be Fixed?
Criminal activity in Chester has been a problem for a long time and has deep roots. To solve it, many groups must work together, including the government, the police, the community, the schools, the companies, and the nonprofits. Here are some ideas for how to deal with Chester’s crime problem:
Prevention and intervention: Programs that do both can focus on the things that make people more likely to commit crimes, like poverty, unemployment, lack of opportunities, drugs, and gangs. Residents can get the help, services, and tools they need to improve their quality of life through prevention and intervention programs. These can include job training, mentoring, therapy, health care, housing, and entertainment.
Prevention and rehabilitation programs can also keep people who might or already do something wrong from doing it, like teens, users, and former prisoners.
Law enforcement and prosecution: Law enforcement and prosecution can go after dangerous criminals, drug dealers, and gang leaders, as well as people who help them commit crimes. Enforcement and punishment, like watching, arresting, researching, and sentencing, can give the people who live there the safety, justice, and security they deserve. Law enforcement and prosecution can also stop, disrupt, and break up illegal networks and activities, like gun violence, drug dealing, and organized crime.
Partnerships and involvement: Partnerships and participation can help different groups work together and talk to each other, like the government, the police, the community, the schools, the companies, and the charities.
People who live in the area can have their issues, concerns, and needs heard and met through partnership and involvement in things like advocacy, conversation, feedback, and decision-making. Partnership and involvement can also help people trust each other, work together, and be accountable to each other, which can lead to things like openness, responsibility, and control.
Conclusion
Chester, Pennsylvania, has a major crime issue, with high rates of violent and property offenses. Resolving this complicated issue, which is rooted in causes such as poverty, unemployment, a lack of education, gang involvement, and strained community-police relations, will need coordinated efforts.
Strategies include preventative and intervention programs, law enforcement targeting high-risk persons, and creating community collaborations. Addressing underlying social and economic concerns is critical for finding long-term solutions to Chester’s recurrent crime problem.