it doesn't take up half the page.

“America passes the critical gate test. Open the gate and see where people go – in or out. This is still the country people flock to.” George Will

Can you clarify that for me, JT?

Unfounded means it didn’t happen, a false allegation.  80% seems to be pretty close to the annual average for Olympia, at least for the 22 years I have been here.  This covers various situations.  One example is where the reporting party claims they were raped after returning home late to a boyfriend or husband.  The rape report is made to cover their tracks, and isn’t made about a real person (this is the most common type unfounded rape complaint).  Another example of an unfounded rape report is when allegations are made after consensual sex, but the reporting party gets angry with the other half, and uses the rape allegation for a vendetta.  And there are even those cases where no contact occurred and the whole event is a fabrication meant to harm the person the report is about.  There is also the possibility that the crime was reported as a rape, but during further investigation it really was a different crime.  The case could be closed unfounded and reopen a case under another category.  But generally when a case is changed that way it isn’t closed and reopened, it’s just retitled.

Unfounded doesn’t cover the cases where the reporting party decides they don’t want to prosecute, or become uncooperative with the investigation, etc.  It only covers those cases where the allegation is false.

Unfounded is one of many dispositions.  Some others are, leads exhausted, referred to other agency, referred to the prosecutor, refused to prosecute, arrest, unable to locate, gone on arrival, etc.

It’s pretty sad these kinds of cases occur and at such a high frequency.  It’s obviously bad for the falsely accused and potentially their family.  And it is equally bad for real victims of rape when the false reports can cast a bad light on the whole event.  Rape victims have a tough enough time without having a shadow of suspicion cast upon their situation, created by individuals and their selfish motivations.

I would like to know how many of the rapes listed were stranger rapes versus the cases where the victim knows the suspect.  My guess is we only had a couple of those this year.  Also, I’m not sure if that number includes children or if it is only for adult victims.

“America passes the critical gate test. Open the gate and see where people go – in or out. This is still the country people flock to.” George Will

opinion that Olympia is a relatively safe city, although not a sleepy little town anymore.

We do have data about crime trends in areas of the city, etc. I don't know if that is to be available to the public or not.

“America passes the critical gate test. Open the gate and see where people go – in or out. This is still the country people flock to.” George Will

It's a real shame that such a high percentage of people would use a rape claim as a weapon.  That makes things very difficult for victims of the crime.

plus when I did my 4 year stint in detectives I investigated around 10 rapes in that 4 years. I can tell you that of those {approx 10 rapes} only 6 were founded(with a 100% conviction rate), and only one was a stranger rape. Now granted my primary duties were domestic violence cases. But I got a number of non-DV related crimes against persons, to include rapes.

“America passes the critical gate test. Open the gate and see where people go – in or out. This is still the country people flock to.” George Will

It would just seem to me, that 118 crimes where there is definite threat of bodily harm versus the total population base, provides even less evidence that a weapon is warranted as protection.  It would seem that your chances of other harm would be much higher. I can't endorse a weapon as a solution to arson, burglary, auto theft or auto prowl.  On this issue of "arson", I'm suggesting that no one would be there to stop the arsonist, anyway.

I bring this up only as a point of reference to other discussions on Olyblog.

I think back to the Pedestrian Interference Ordinance and the characterization of Olympia as some kind of crime ridden cesspool where it's unsafe to go downtown anywhere at any time.

I understand that the city council made the PIO permanent after the sunset. I wonder if statistics like these will be used as evidence of victory over the paper tiger.

Thanks for the local info. Good stuff. I'm curious about the white collar crime stats. Any stats on that?

I don't have those for ya, sorry.

“America passes the critical gate test. Open the gate and see where people go – in or out. This is still the country people flock to.” George Will

our stat guy, and he says the meeting notes are in error on the unfounded rate for rapes for 2007. He said he will get back to me with the correct amount, and I asked for a few additional years to see if the stats are stable year to year.

When Mike did the math and came up with over 100 rapes total for the year, I figured that something was wrong with the data. When I get the corrected figure, I will post.

At this point, I'm guessing all the numbers could be incorrect as the same person took the meeting notes.

“America passes the critical gate test. Open the gate and see where people go – in or out. This is still the country people flock to.” George Will

straight from our data guy, not filtered through the note takers hands like in the earlier document.

2007, 35 reported rapes, 9 unfounded, 26 founded, about 25% unfounded rate.

Unfounded rates a for few years back.

2006: 32%

2005: 29%

2004: 10%

2003: 0%

The rest of the numbers are correct, i.e. murder, vehicle prowl, etc.

“America passes the critical gate test. Open the gate and see where people go – in or out. This is still the country people flock to.” George Will

the purpose of my post was to discuss the relative safety of life in Olympia. Unfortunately the discussion has gone off on a tanget. Although, this tanget could even branch off there on to other forms of crime, bias in the application of law, etc.

“America passes the critical gate test. Open the gate and see where people go – in or out. This is still the country people flock to.” George Will