Photo: Moment RF
Despite the efforts of Mayor John Whitmire to reduce crime, a new study says 77% of Houstonians are still staying at home at night, or even looking for a new neighborhood, in an effort to avoid violent crime in the city.
Statistically, the efforts of Mayor Whitmire and HPD are actually paying off, and violent crime is starting to come down. Former HPD Captain Greg Fremin says this likely has more to do with the perception of crime than the crime itself.
He pointed out that crime stories are often major news stories, and that creates more fear. He said, "People get very scared. Fear is a very compelling factor in what motivates people to stay indoors or change locations of their residences."
He also pointed out that even one crime, like a single instance of burglary or car theft in a traditionally safer neighborhood, can send shockwaves through a community.
Fremin says the solution here is for Mayor Whitmire and other city officials to make sure they're doing a good job of communicating the fact that crime is starting to fall in Houston. He said, "The administration has to collectively keep pushing out that by and large, we do live in a safe city. We've got a very professional police department."
He also said that Houstonians should be careful of known high crime areas around the city and be sure to use their situational awareness to keep themselves safe.