FBI Reports Huge Oakland Violence

Newly released data show that Oakland has two to three times the violent crime of many cities that are larger. Only four comparable cities have more assaults, robberies, and other violent crimes per 10,000 residents than Oakland.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released its annual uniform crime reports for 2007 on Sept. 15. Oakland has twice as much violent crime as San Francisco, two and a half times as much as Los Angeles, and three times as much as New York City.

The chart shows selected large cities, all with larger populations than Oakland except Flint and St. Louis, ranked by reported violent crimes per 10,000 residents. Among cities with 100,000 or more people, Oakland ranks fifth for violent crime.

Source: FBI Crime in the U.S., 2007, Table 8

How bad is violent crime in Oakland compared with these other cities? Consider this: if our city suffered violence at the same rate as all the other cities on the chart above together, there would have been 3,736 fewer assaults, robberies, etc. in Oakland last year. All we want is the relative safety of an average American city.

Oakland's poverty rate is typical of midsize cities, therefore not an explanation of the exceptional level of violence.

Homicides are typically little more than one percent of all violence. Robberies of various types and assaults comprise the majority of reported violent crime.

Oakland has only half a police force compared to most major cities. This shortfall is the single most important explanation for the extreme level of violence on Oakland streets. Without the deterrent presence of patrol, community, and walking officers and without enough investigators to find and apprehend criminals, they learn that there is no penalty in Oakland.

Mayor Dellums has made a phony offer to hire more police by putting Measure NN on the November ballot. The promise of 105 additional officers turns out to be as unreliable as the infamous swindle known as Measure Y. According to analysis by the city attorney, Measure NN allows the city council to collect a $276 per homeowner tax even while it cuts police positions at a later time.

Dellums also continues City Hall's official conciliation with the culture of disrespect that dominates our streets. City agencies routinely cooperate with drug rappers and give grants to agencies that welcome sideshow promoters as a positive influence on youth.