San Antonio’s Crime Is In Decline, Resident’s Fears Are Up Due to Rabble-Rousing Reporting
Journalism’s essential value is to provide citizens with accurate and reliable information they need to function in society. Journalism is a source for the community to instill confidence in our media outlets so they may prosper.
Journalists in all media outlets should strive to keep the public’s trust, because the public must trust their local news outlets to provide accurate and valuable information, or the journalists’ works will be neither sought out nor believed. Journalists are society’s resources to really get the truth without the red tape, but now it seems we must fact check our mainstream news outlets. In the recent era of misinformation we now have to question our journalists and media outlets as they rather grow their — networks & journalists themselves— profits over public trust.
In San Antonio, there has been a narrative that our local news media continues to push: High crime rates. We all have access to the statistics that the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) utilizes. The FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) which became the national standard for law enforcement crime data reporting in the United States on January 1, 2021. According to NIBRS, from January 2023 through August 2023, San Antonio has seen a decline in criminal activity against persons which is not limited to homicide, rape, and domestic violence while societal crimes that include prostitution, drugs, and gambling have also steadily declined. There was a slight rise in crimes of property that may consist of burglary, theft, or arson for example.
According to current SAPD reporting:
NIBRS Year-to-Date Comparison: 2022 vs 2023
Crime Statistics Jan. – August
Total Crimes Against Persons 2022: 25,382
Total Crimes Against Persons 2023: 22,528
Total Crimes Against Society 2022: 8,585
Total Crimes Against Society 2023: 8,493
Total Crimes Against Property 2022: 69,543
Total Crimes Against Property 2023: 74,405
San Antonio is the seventh largest city, of course, there will be big city crimes that worry most citizens. However, we also need to highlight our local government —Police agencies & the courts— and their strides to make our city a safer place. There have been great accomplishments that our local news will not highlight because stories of violent crimes and “investigative journaling” bring in more clicks (aka profit) to their pockets. Haven’t we had enough negativity in our society?
Crime will never subside, human conflict is inevitable. We must read between the lines. As some of these media outlets are awarded for their efforts it is concerning that such are praised for very inaccurate & demagogic work. We must be stronger and see through the click-bait, inaccuracy, and rabble-rousing reporting.
