The FBI announced Monday that aggravated assaults in Elk Grove rose 50 percent from 2007 to 2008, even as violent crime dropped throughout much of the region. This map, part of a series The Bee is producing on common crimes that affect ordinary people, shows assault rates by neighborhood in Sacramento's largest suburb. All told, Elk Grove saw more than one assault per day during the last year, with domestic violence accounting for many of the attacks.
--Also: Officer Christopher Trim talks about Elk Grove assaults
Source: Elk Grove Police Department; Parcel Data from Sacramento Area Council of Governments.
Notes: The Bee used buildings instead of people to calculate its crime rates because A) Population estimates at the neighborhood level in fast-growing suburbs like Elk Grove aren't reliable and B) a neighborhood can have lots of businesses, lots of crimes, but few residents. The main drawback to this approach is that it overestimates the crime rate in areas with an abundance of multi-family housing.
Areas marked with an * have few buildings, so their crime rates are unreliable.
Neighborhood names are based on names of subdivisions in each area.
All types of assault and battery included in this map.
Answers to questions about Elk Grove assaults from Elk Grove Police Officer Christopher Trim
What is an aggravated assault?
Aggravated Assault is defined as "An unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury." This type of assault usually is accompanied by the use of a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm.
Who falls victim to aggravated assaults?
A large percentage of the aggravated assaults in the Elk Grove area are related to domestic violence situations involving family members. Traditionally, domestic violence is a crime that occurs behind closed doors and is not out in the public.
Why has Elk Grove seen an increase in assaults?
In order to determine why there has been an increase in the number of assaults, we need at least two years worth of statistical data to review. A one-year blip does not make a pattern or trend. There are many different factors that shape crime in each city and at this point, it is too early to pinpoint the reason for the increase.
How concerned should Elk Grove residents be about the increase in aggravated assaults?A large percentage of the aggravated assaults in the Elk Grove area are related to domestic violence situations involving family members. If someone is in a violent situation, they must remove themselves from the dangerous environment and seek assistance from local law enforcement and/or public agencies that are available to lend assistance. The Elk Grove Police Department has a domestic violence advocate on staff that is available to assist victims of domestic violence.
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