NCJ Number
64793
Date Published
1979
Length
69 pages
Annotation
THIS 1979 ANNUAL REPORT CONTAINS UPDATED TRANSIT CRIME DATA AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENSURING OPTIMUM PASSENGER SAFETY IN THE TRI-COUNTY AREA OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN.
Abstract
THE REPORT IS INTENDED TO ASSIST BOTH THE DETROIT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (D-DOT) AND THE SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (SEMTA) IN PROVIDING A UNIFIED RIDERSHIP SECURITY PROGRAM. THE STUDY FOCUSES ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL REGION COMPRISED OF THE GREATER PORTION OF WAYNE, OAKLAND, AND MACOMB COUNTIES. D-DOT, THE MAJOR CITY CARRIER, OPERATED SOME 830 BUSES ON 54 SEPARATE LINES AND SERVED AN ESTIMATED 82,350,000 PASSENGERS IN 1977-78. BY COMPARISON, SEMTA, THE SUBURBAN-ORIENTED SYSTEM, OPERATED 287 BUSES AND TRANSPORTED ABOUT 8,374,961 PATRONS IN THE SAME YEAR. DATA SHOW THAT ANNUAL PASSENGER VOLUMES REPORTED FOR D-DOT HAVE STEADILY DECREASED SINCE 1967, BUT SEMTA'S VOLUME HAS FLUCTUATED VERY LITTLE SINCE 1975. CONCERNING TRANSIT CRIME, DATA SHOW THAT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF SERIOUS CRIMES OCCUR AT D-DOT COACH STOPS. SIMILARLY, A HIGH NUMBER OF VANDALISM AND DISORDERLY CONDUCT OFFENSES HAVE OCCURRED AND MINOR OFFENSES SUCH AS FARE DISPUTES SHOW A SHARP RISE OVER 1977. THE REPORT CONCLUDES WITH RECOMMENDATIONS DIRECTED TOWARD ENCOURAGING CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGIES AND OPTIMUM PASSENGER SAFETY. BREAKDOWNS OF CRIME DATA ARE FURNISHED IN TABLES ILLUSTRATING TOTAL TRANSIT CRIME; CRIME BY OFFENSE TYPE; CRIME BY DAY OF WEEK, SEASON, TIME OF DAY; CRIME BY COACH LINE AND POLICE PRECINCT; CRIME BY AGE, RACE, SEX OF VICTIM/OFFENDER AND BY SEX OF OPERATOR; AND CRIME BY TYPE OF WEAPON USED. UNIFORM CRIME CATEGORIES AND DATA PROGRAM PROCEDURES ARE APPENDED. (PRG)