Crime Analysis - Current Conditions of Mission Arvada and Early College of Arvada
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After posting the Arvada crime update from Arvada Police Department for October 21-27 and ongoing discussions surrounding the relocation of homelessness services from Olde Town to the former Early College of Arvada Building, I decided to research additional crime statistics of current and past conditions in the immediate areas surrounding Mission Arvada and the ECA.
Methodology:
When discussing crime related to homelessness (Burton, Pollio, and Carol, 2018), researchers indicate the greatest impact is seen in the immediate surroundings of shelters and navigation centers. Scholars have seen most crime is concentrated in the first 100 meter (328 ft) radius of shelters, while direct impacts can be seen 400 meters (1,312 ft) away from shelters (Faraji, Ridgeway, and Wu, 2018). Based on this research, I used an approximate radius of 1,300 ft from each target location to analyze crime statistics.
Both locations are near a Light Rail stop along the G Line. Mission Arvada is surrounded by primarily businesses, with a residential neighborhood beginning 300 ft away. ECA is surrounded by a residential neighborhood, with the closest home being 50 ft away.
To access crime data, I utilized the Arvada Police LexisNexis Community Crime Map, which was created to provide timely, transparent information to the community. The City of Arvada website provides a link to this resource, and I will include it below.
Results:
From 11/05/2023 to 10/30/2024, the residential neighborhood* of Arlington Meadows has experienced 34 crimes. The most common offenses are as follows:
5 Non criminal
5 All other criminal
5 Motor vehicle theft
3 Burglary residential
2 Vandalism
*Residential neighborhood includes only crimes reported in housing, not businesses such as King Soopers or Climb Credit Union.
From 11/15/2023 to 10/30/2024, there were 55 crimes in an approximately 1,300 ft radius of the ECA. The most common offenses are as follows:
11 Theft
10 Traffic incident
10 All other criminal
5 Fraud/Forgery
From 3/11/2024 to 10/30/2024, there were 500 crimes in an approximately 1,300 ft radius of Mission Arvada. These crimes were primarily in the immediate vicinity of Mission Arvada, and extended north along Olde Wadsworth between Robinson Way and Grandview Ave. The most common offenses are as follows:
102 Disorderly conduct
91 Drugs/Narcotics violations
79 All other criminal
57 Traffic Incident
54 Theft
27 Vandalism
15 Simple Assaults
Based on the above information, it is clear that the number and types of crimes occurring near Mission Arvada are vastly different from those near ECA. Relocating services to the ECA will result in a drastic increase in crime in the residential neighborhood; if we assume the crime rate near Mission Arvada would be the same at ECA, this would mark an 809% crime increase (from 55 to 500 crimes).
The residents of Arlington Meadows need your help stopping this baseless burden on our neighborhood, police and fire services, and community. Please sign to show your support! https://www.change.org/StopTheNavigationCenter
Sources: https://communitycrimemap.com/map
Faraji, SL., Ridgeway, G. & Wu, Y. Effect of emergency winter homeless shelters on property crime. J Exp Criminol 14, 129–140 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-017-9320-4
Burton B, Pollio DE, North CS. A longitudinal study of housing status and crime in a homeless population. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 2018 Nov;30(4):280-288. PMID: 30372505. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30372505/
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One variable not mentioned here. Mission Arvada is located across the street from the library and a concrete square "park" open to the public. There are a number of homeless who use these places to rest--many more than just those who are clients of Mission Arvada. So the crime rate in the area cannot be said to be caused by the presence of Mission Arvada.
I am not arguing for the proposed "navagation center." In fact, an institute such as that proposed, serving large numbers of people, has a tendency to become impersonal and, therefore, not as effective in helping people get off the street and have a life. So I would argue that several small centers like Mission Arvada, located around the city, would be better than having hundreds located in one place.