Pubdate: Mon, 01 Oct 2007
Source: Oshkosh Northwestern (WI)
Copyright: 2007 Gannett Co., Inc.
Contact:  http://www.thenorthwestern.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2640
Author: Jennifer K. Woldt

ASSAULTS TOP OSHKOSH'S VIOLENT CRIME

Violent crimes are on the rise in Oshkosh, new statistics compiled by 
the FBI show.

Although four people were murdered in 2006, murder remains rare in 
the city, forcible rape numbers have not risen in recent years and 
robberies dropped in 2006. What's driving the increase in violent 
crimes is aggravated assaults, which in Oshkosh accounted for 87 
percent of the violent crimes documented in the FBI's annual Unified 
Crime Reports.

According to the Unified Crime Reports, there were 197 violent crimes 
committed in Oshkosh in 2006. Of those crimes, four were homicides, 
but an overwhelming number of the crimes were aggravated assaults, 
attacks on individuals that may involve weapons and result in severe 
injury or great bodily harm.

The Oshkosh Police Department reported to the FBI that 171 aggravated 
assaults took place in the city in 2006, a total making up 87 percent 
of the city's violent crimes. That ranks Oshkosh second among the 
state's largest 30 cities, behind Manitowoc, for the largest 
percentage of violent crimes that are aggravated assaults.

It's not an unfamiliar spot for Oshkosh. Since 2000, Oshkosh has 
consistently ranked among the top five in the state for the 
percentage of violent crimes that were aggravated assaults, claiming 
the top spot in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

"Our other assaults are going to be high compared to other violent 
crimes because we don't have a lot of violent crime," Oshkosh Police 
Chief Scott Greuel said.  "And I don't think it's unusual to see that 
in a town our size with the dynamics of drug and alcohol culture 
Wisconsin has right now."

Oshkosh police reported 142 violent crimes were committed in 2000, a 
number that dropped to 122 in 2003 before beginning a seven-year 
climb to 197 in 2006. At that the same time, 116 aggravated assaults 
took place in 2000, reaching a low of 91 in 2003 before reaching a 
high of 171 in 2006, according to the Uniform Crime Reports.

Some law enforcement officials attribute that increase, in both 
violent crime and aggravated assaults, to a growing drug culture.

Winnebago County District Attorney Christian Gossett said there has 
been an increase in people coming from urban areas like Milwaukee and 
Chicago to sell drugs.

"It's getting more violent. And somehow or other, I think it's tied 
to drugs," Gossett said. "We may just be seeing the natural 
progression of the drug trade."

Violence associated with drugs can erupt in various ways, Gossett said.

Dealers can fight with other dealers over territory, violence can 
result in during a bad drug deal and individuals can resort to 
self-enforcement rather than taking a problem to the police. Greuel 
also noted that when individuals are under the influence of drugs or 
alcohol, there is an increased likelihood they will partake in high 
risk or assaultive behaviors.

While Greuel said police can increase education efforts and attempt 
to increase the public's awareness about certain crimes, he said it's 
difficult to try to curb some of the assaultive behavior that is 
occurring in the city.

"A lot of these alcohol and drug related crimes are so spontaneous as 
a result of high risk behavior," Greuel said. "Unless you reduce the 
high risk behavior, you're not going to be able to stop those crimes 
from happening." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake