Article 34 May 12, 2006

Dear SOS Members & Friends:

After reviewing a May 10th Savannah Morning News article claiming a 6.9% reduction in crime, SOS member Mike Horner composed the following response (see below). Researched rebuttal such as this reminds us that we must always use careful judgment when faced with statistics. It is up to us as a community to filter media-relayed information, to remember that anything can be viewed favorably in a certain light, and to analyze facts and figures in the appropriate context.

We have to keep our eyes on the big picture, our thoughts on the real issues, and our minds on true progress. We have an amazing capacity as a community to make drastic changes and improvements in our current situation, and we must be wary of statistics that lack viability.

Please take time to review both sides and send any ideas / comments to martinsullivan@saveoursavannah.com.

Becky rebecca@saveoursavannah.com

Original Message Wednesday, May 10, 2006

It is heartening to note a reduction in crime in any category, but your banner headlines in this morning’s paper would have everyone believe that great strides in crime reduction are being made overall. A brief perusal of the statistics provided would show that Residential Robberies are up 145%, Commercial Robberies are up 100%, Rape is up 26%, Other Larcenies are up 15%, Auto Theft is up 6% and Assaults are up 5%.

In other words, seven of the 15 categories listed (47%) reflected an increase in crime. Further, almost everyone I talk to mentions the unabated drug dealing going on in plain sight all over the City.

My sources tell me that almost none of the recommendations made in last year’s Public Safety Report to improve the SCMPD have been implemented.

I am all for accentuating the positive, but as long as we have such tremendous increases in many of the “Part One” crime categories, it is highly disingenuous to claim success!

Mike Horner