WESTFIELD – For the month of August, statistically-speaking, again men committed far more crimes than women, and while crimes committed decrease by age, those age 50 or older were charged with some pretty violent crimes.
Disclaimer: the analysis included here is for court cases that were available and included in the Westfield News during August 2015. This is not a complete list of all cases that have gone before the judge in the past month. Additionally, this includes arraignments, people who have been charged but not yet tried, along with cases that have reached disposition, meaning the defendants may have received sentences, probation, fines or had charges dismissed.
Of 117 cases examined, 85 percent of the offenders were men, up from 82 percent in July.
The average age of offenders were quite similar between July and August.
For those aged 18-20, both months saw 8 percent of offenders fall within this age range.
Again, the majority of charges were for people in their 20s, but this month with 42 percent as compared to 32 percent in July.
The second highest number of crimes were committed (or allegedly committed) by offenders in their 30s, 22 percent.
The number of offenses decreases as age increases: offenders in their 40s, 17 percent (down from 23 percent in July), 50s, 8 percent and 60s or older, 3 percent.
Most offenders are charged with more than one crime. For this analysis the first offense was counted, which may or may not be related to other offenses with which the suspect was charged.
For the sake of analysis here, the charges have been grouped into seven categories, and are listed by frequency:
Motor vehicle (including any offense while operating a motor vehicle, excluding operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol): 38 percent.
Assault and battery (including violations of abuse prevention orders): 25 percent of offenses, up from 18 percent in July.
Larceny, theft and breaking and entering: 10 percent of August’s offenses.
Disorderly conduct, destruction of property, trespass and related offenses: 9 percent, down from 14 percent in July.
Operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol (OUI): 8 percent.
Drug-related offenses were 7 percent, up from 5 percent in July.
Sex crimes, which included two defendants charged with open and gross lewdness and one charged with rape: less than 3 percent.
So in sum, types of offense, in order of frequency:
motor vehicle (without OUIs), 38 percent; assault and battery, 25 percent; larceny, 10 percent; destruction of property, 9 percent; OUIs, 8 percent; drugs 7 percent; and sex crimes, less than 3 percent.
As people get older, it seems they are much less likely to commit a crime. In August, nine offenders were in their 50s and four were 60 years old or older, with the oldest offender being 72.
All of the offenders in this age group were male with the exception of one female, who was charged with larceny.
The types of crimes committed by this age group include some violent crimes: one charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, one charge of assault and battery, along with three who were charged with violating abuse prevention orders.
Other crimes committed by those age 50 or older include distributing drugs, four motor vehicle offenses (without OUI), including leaving the scene of property damage for the 72-year-old defendant, and one charge of OUI.
Lastly, a man in his 50s was charged with open and gross lewdness.
Overall, Westfield seems to be a pretty safe place to live.
The website areavibes.com gives Westfield a grade of B for crime.
The chance of being a victim of violent crime in Westfield is 1 in 403, according to the site.
The webiste homefacts.com gives Westfield an A- using 2013 crime statistics, stating that the overall crime rate is 54 percent lower than the national average.
For violent crime, the site also gives Westfield an A-, stating the rate is 62 percent lower than the national average.
Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at [email protected]
