As Mean Family Income Decreases, So Do Drug Offenses per Capita in Arkansas Cities
By: Katie Burkhart
Overall, Arkansas violent crime in 2015 has decreased since 2012. The following graphic visualizes the calculation subtracting the 2012 violent crime rate from the 2015 violent crime rate.
The good news is drug offenses specifically have decreased in some cities. However, the good news stops there. Mean family income has decreased as well in the same cities. This story looks at two cities where this is happening: Flippin and Parkin.
In 2012, Flippin’s drug offense per capita was 8.35% and mean family income was $45,713. While in Parkin, drug offense per capita was 3.08% and mean family income was $48,306. Both of these cities were represented in the top five cities by drug offenses per capita in 2012.
In 2015, Flippin’s drug offense per capita lowered to 3.26% and mean family income dropped to $33,188. While in Parkin, drug offense per capita dropped to 1.72% and mean family income came down to $28,500. Both of these cities dropped out of the top five cities by drug offenses per capita in 2015.
According to these comparisons from 2012 to 2015, drug offenses and mean family income are positively correlated. This is an interesting trend. It should also be noted how far these two cities dropped in both categories between 2012 and 2015. They went from being top five drug cities to being number eight for Flippin and number 23 for Parkin.
When people are making more money, they buy more drugs. But, when their incomes are decreased, so are their drug usages. It’s hard to decide which is better.
Higher incomes mean more people employed, more people able to provide for themselves and their families, and a stronger economy. Although, drug offenses are at a higher rate and more money is going in to the drug world.
In 2015, we see lower incomes and less money being made to provide for individuals and their dependents. This is obviously very unfortunate, but, as a result, their drug purchases seem to be subsiding.
For Arkansas as a whole, this trend causes some inner dissonance. State inhabitants want low crime and high family incomes across counties and cities. Apparently, that’s not possible though.
Flippin and Parkin are struggling with achieving this ideal scenario. Perhaps the reason for decrease in mean family income is due to people losing their jobs over their drug problems. In accordance, they make less money and can’t fulfill their drug use desires anymore. Both cities show evidence of this over the years.
Flippin and Parkin saw more drastic drops in mean family income than drug offenses per capita. This is concerning that drugs may be becoming more important than work and meeting basic needs.
Areas with higher household incomes are supposed to be more desirable to live, right? Well, not if their drug offenses are topping the list for the state of Arkansas. These seemingly nice, quiet, safe streets are actually filled with drug users, abusers and criminals.
Making this comparison between census data and FBI crime data is important to cross-check what places are actually safe and successful. In 2012, some may have thought Flippin and Parkin were thriving places to be based off of income, but, after delving into drug offenses and making those relations to income, the opposite is found.
In 2015, it may be better to showcase decreased drug offense rates per capita as opposed to the mean family income. When it comes to this, it’s all about perspective and what matters most to the individual.
Be sure to always look into all the facts and view things across the spectrum. This is the most educated away to decipher between good and bad.
Recent Comments