What do crime statistics actually tell us? Learn how to interpret police activity data, understand crime categories, and make sense of the numbers you see in our daily reports.
Why Understanding Crime Data Matters
Crime statistics can be confusing. Headlines about "crime waves" or "safest cities" often lack context, leading to either unnecessary fear or false comfort. At BellinghamScan, we believe informed citizens make better decisions—so here's your guide to understanding the data.
Where Our Data Comes From
Our incident data comes from the Bellingham Police Department's public activity logs. These logs document calls for service and officer-initiated activity. Important things to know:
- Not all crime is reported - These are reported incidents, not total criminal activity
- Calls ≠ crimes - Many calls turn out to be unfounded or don't result in charges
- Data is updated daily - There may be a 24-48 hour lag in reporting
Crime Categories Explained
We categorize incidents to help you understand patterns. Here's what each category typically includes:
Violent Crimes
These involve force or threat of force against a person:
- Assault - Physical attacks or threats of violence
- Robbery - Taking property by force or threat
- Weapons offenses - Illegal possession or use of weapons
- Domestic violence - Violence between household members
Property Crimes
These involve taking or damaging property:
- Theft - Taking property without force (includes shoplifting)
- Burglary - Entering a building to commit a crime
- Vehicle prowl - Breaking into vehicles to steal items
- Vehicle theft - Stealing the vehicle itself
- Vandalism - Intentional property damage
Other Categories
- Trespass - Being on property without permission
- Disturbance - Noise complaints, public arguments, disorderly conduct
- Suspicious activity - Reported behavior that warranted police response
- Drug-related - Possession, sales, or related offenses
- Fraud - Financial crimes, scams, identity theft
How to Read Our Reports
Daily Reports
Our daily newsletters provide:
- Total incident count for the day
- Percentage of non-violent incidents
- Breakdown by category and neighborhood
- Notable or significant incidents
- Time-of-day patterns
Weekly Summaries
Our weekly reports add context:
- Week-over-week comparison (is activity up or down?)
- Most active days and neighborhoods
- Emerging patterns or trends
Monthly Analysis
Our monthly reports provide deeper analysis:
- Month-over-month trends
- Year-over-year comparisons (seasonal patterns)
- Neighborhood rankings
- Category-level analysis
What the Numbers Don't Tell You
Statistics have limitations. They don't capture:
- Unreported crimes - Many incidents are never reported to police
- Resolution rates - Whether cases were solved or prosecuted
- Context - The circumstances surrounding each incident
- Community factors - Economic conditions, population changes, etc.
Tips for Interpreting Data
Based on our data analysis, here are evidence-based recommendations:
- Look at trends, not single days - One high day doesn't mean a crime wave
- Consider population - More people generally means more incidents
- Compare similar areas - Commercial districts will always have more activity than residential
- Watch for seasonal patterns - Summer often sees different patterns than winter
- Focus on your area - Citywide stats may not reflect your neighborhood
Stay Informed, Stay Objective
Our goal at BellinghamScan is to provide clear, honest, data-driven information about police activity in our city. We encourage you to explore our neighborhood pages for area-specific data and subscribe to our daily newsletter to stay informed.
Questions about our data or methodology? Learn more about how we work.