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  • Santa Rosa, CA 95404

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2015 Santa Rosa Crime Map

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Santa Rosa Crime Map

Not all of the Bay Area’s cities are created equal. In fact, when it comes to crime rates, Bay Area cities run the gamut. Los Altos has consistently ranked as one of the safest cities in the Bay Area while other cities have suffered from less than stellar crime records. Santa Rosa, which is two hours north of Los Altos, doesn’t share it’s low crime rate, but it’s certainly not the worst city for crime in the Bay Area.

From gang related activity, to frequent DUI incidences, the city of Santa Rosa does have its fair share of crime. Santa Rosa received a crime ranking of 25 on a scale of 100 by Neighborhood Scout. It’s not uncommon for cities to rank in the single digits. If you want a more in depth look at the safety of Santa Rosa, take a look at the following crime statistics.

Santa Rosa Crime Stats

After several years of seeing a mostly downward trend in crime, it seems the tables have begun to turn in the wrong direction. Several specific crimes saw a spike in 2015 versus 2014. The following crimes had spikes or were unchanged (Homicide):

  Violation 2014 2015
  Aggravated Assault 97 177
  Homicide 1 1
  Forced Sexual Assault 42 100
  Narcotics Violation 91 107
  Weapons Violation 21 68
  DUI 794 1003

Other crimes which are less violent, but have still brought concern to Santa Rosa are DUIs, drug offenses, and weapons violations. In 2015 DUIs jumped to 1003 in 2015 from 794 in 2014 and drug offenses were close to the same in both years.  In 2015 there were 67 weapons violations versus 28 the year before. While violence is not always present in crimes based on the misuse or excessive use of drugs or alcohol, weapons are often a component of violent crime.

A DUI Problem

While DUI’s are not a violent crime, in and of themselves, they can lead to other crimes, injuries and death. Santa Rosa DUI’s have been increasing steadily since at least 2012. In 2012 there were about 680 citations for DUI’s, 733 in 2013, 794 in 2014 and 1003 in 2015. This is an issue within the community. Lives are lost and families are ruined each day because individuals decide to get behind the wheel and drive while being intoxicated. Through the first 6 months of 2016, there are already over 500 DUI’s! This year could surpass last years already staggering number.

Many of the arrests in Sonoma County tend to come from locals rather than tourists. According to a 2012 report from NBC’s Bay Area Investigative Unit, Napa and Sonoma Counties have some of the highest rates of DUI arrests in California. The report details many of the DUI’s stem from people leaving the winery. People tend to forget that wine has more alcohol content than most beers. In addition, being in a sophisticated, elegant winery may give the feel of a false sense of sobriety and invisibility, for locals and tourists.

Unfortunately, the DUI problem in Sonoma County, specifically in Santa Rosa, is an increasing issue. Steps need to be taken in order to ensure more families don’t suffer heartbreak from a drunk driver.

Protecting Yourself Against Santa Rosa Crime

The Santa Rosa police department, and the community overall, have been working on ways to reduce crime in the area, but the police can only do so much. While a victim should never be blamed, there are ways a person can protect themselves by being aware of the potential for a crime to be committed and not escalating a difficult situation.

Some situations that may make a person more vulnerable to crime include;

  • Being out alone in the dark, such as jogging
  • Having items of value or cash that they carry displayed where other people can see it
  • Leaving car doors or doors to a home unlocked
  • Leaving a car engine running
  • Parking in a dark area
  • Failing to periodically check surroundings for suspicious or dangerous activity.
  • Downplaying violence in their lives because it is committed by a person they know or are in a relationship with
  • Trying to be “brave” during a robbery by defending property. Property is just stuff, handing it over willingly can save your life.

Whenever possible, people should travel with others or be in places where they can easily reach out for help if they need it. While looking over your shoulder may not stop all criminals, many will be slowed down or diverted away from you.

Protecting Yourself Against a Criminal Charge

While it is important for people to try and prevent becoming a victim of a crime, it is also important to avoid becoming a victim of misunderstanding. In the United States a person who is accused of a crime, whether it is a violent crime or something like a DUI, are supposed to be presumed innocent until their guilt is proven. Frequently, suspects do not receive this presumption. They are often quickly “convicted” in the “court of public opinion” as media reports circulate about the crime, and often the circumstances are far less simple than the media makes them seem.

Even when a person is involved in a particular offense, can have circumstances which make their actions somewhat justifiable. In other instances, criminal charges are made completely from a case of misunderstanding, and for the person to prove their innocence, they need to have a lawyer who is on their side and is ready to provide them with the level of criminal defense they deserve. Suspects have the right to have an attorney appointed to them, however when a person’s future hangs in the balance, it is far more beneficial if they choose their own defense attorney.

Stand Up Against Crime

What can we do to protect our communities and make them safer? Several high impact ideas come to mind:

  • Start a Neighborhood Watch
    • Plain and simple, Neighborhood Watch groups work. Law enforcement stats have shown a dramatic decrese in burglarly and other related offenses in communities with watch programs.
    • Watch programs bring back a sense of comunity and make the community more personal. The programs build a sense of pride and serve as a springboard for efforts which address other community concerns.
  • Organize block parties in association with your local police and firefighters
  • Ceasefire Santa Rosa
    • This is a relatively new concept based on the theory that most street violence is driven by small groups of high-rate offenders, such as gangs and drug crews.
    • It works by having violent street group members on parole or probation called in to meetings as a condition of their release.  The members meet with law enforcement officials, social service providers and individuals from within their own communities.
    • Statistics show the program is working in larger cities as the expression of community outrage against the violence begins to make a connection.

High Crime Areas

Area of the Homicide

Corby and Cottonwood

DUI Hot Spots

3rd and B Street

Morgan and 3rd

College and Mendocino

Law Office of Amy Chapman

Santa Rosa Criminal Defense Lawyer

703 2nd Street

Suite 407

Santa Rosa, CA 95404

Phone: (707) 636-3207

Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm

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