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A Different Way To Report Crime

Statistics show violent crime and homicides dropped in Memphis last year. That's what the numbers say. But Memphis Police Association President Mike William...

By now I’m sure you’ve heard about homicides, the number of homicides in Memphis. 
You probably don’t know homicide is different than murder.

All murders are murder.
All homicides aren’t murder.

I’m sure I didn’t clear that up at all, so here is Memphis Police Association President Mike Williams.

“Homicides,” he says, “… are the total number of individuals that have been killed that year through some form of violence… but when you want to talk about murder, those are individuals with the intent to actually do bodily harm to somebody through violence.”

Williams says he is not trying to be nit-picky.
He brings these figures up, because he doesn’t think many of you understand that the city isn’t as safe as some say it is.

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland discussed crime in his state of the city speech, and realizes some of you don’t believe statistics.
“Gun crime and violent crime are down,” he said. “Now I know it doesn’t feel that way, I know.”

Figures show there has been a decrease in violent crime.
Mike Williams says, once again, take a look at how police reports are filled out.

“You can have 25 individuals that were robbed at one place,” Williams says. “As opposed to making it 25 different reports, you can make it one report. Just list everybody on that report. What does that do? That says crime is down.”

Memphis Police changed the way crimes were reported last year.
The current policy follows guidelines set by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Memphis still remains one of the 10 most dangerous, most violent cities in the country, according to the most recent FBI statistics.

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