An irresponsible O.C. blogger, who regrettably has joined the Amezcua cult, has been advancing the notion that violent crime has not gone down in Santa Ana.
In 2009, according to the FBI, there were 1,726 violent crimes in Santa Ana. The same amount of violent crimes happened in 2008, again according to the FBI.
A few differences should be noted. There were 30 murders in Santa Ana in 2008 – and only 25 murders in 2009. Statistically that is quite a drop.
And there were 788 aggravated assaults in Santa Ana, in 2008, but only 755 such assaults in 2009. Again, that is a substantial drop in number. And it dropped even more when you consider that in 2007, there were 1,080 such assaults in Santa Ana, according to the FBI. That is a thirty percent drop compared to 2009!
In 2006, there were 1,998 acts of violent crime in Santa Ana, according to the FBI. That same year there were 126 acts of violent crime in Irvine. Guess what? In 2009 there were 153 violent crimes in Irvine. That’s right. Violent crime is going UP in Irvine while Santa Ana has seen a drop in violent crime in the same timespan!
Our local newspapers focus primarily on reporting crime. They fail utterly to report all the good things happening in Santa Ana. We try, very hard, to make up for that. The truth is that we are improving as a city, not going backwards.
Racists often attack our residents and blame them for things they have not done. This is due in part to the newspapers and to the actions of a few irresponsible bloggers who rather focus on what is bad while ignoring the ongoing improvements in Santa Ana.
The same blogger I have referenced here also attacked our Mayor, Miguel Pulido, because of the problems with education in our city. That is just beyond ridiculous. Pulido is not in charge of our schools. And the fact is that we have a lot of great non-profits in town, such as the Santa Ana Police Officers Athletic League and Think Together, who are making a real difference with regard to education.
We are all working together to try to fix this mess, and in the meantime local Democratic leaders keep backing the SAUSD Trustees who have created this mess. Both Jose Solorio and Lou Correa endorsed SAUSD Trustee Audrey Yamagata Noji this year. Blame them when she inevitably makes things worse in the next four years.
I intend to continue to focus on the good things happening in town. If other bloggers want to twist statistics and focus on being negative, good for them – but that won’t happen here on this blog.
“I intend to continue to focus on the good things happening in town.”
Actually, it looks like you’re focused on being the political mouthpiece for the Mayor and select Councilmembers.
Please don’t pretend that you’re engaged in some sort of noble activity. You ain’t.
Really? You are not paying attention. Since the election I have made three major civic proposals on this blog: to open the libraries on Sundays, make the Zoo free on every Sunday and start a city Artist Village commission.
What about you, or Amezcua? What suggestions have you two come up with?
“Artist Village commission”……. what for?
So you can stick your nose into only upscale, prosperous and mostly white business in Santa Ana?
Art, time to time you are rely surprising me.
Fiala,
Thanks for visiting us. Not trying to stick my nose in anything – just trying to help a few good people.
Thanks for the info Art. I had noticed that crime has been going down in Santa Ana and was not happy to see that it might be going up again. I grew up on Civic CenterDr./eighth Street and remember when people were getting shot and killed across the street, and down the block and around the neighborhood. Not really wanting to see us go there.
ART PEDROZA:
This is what I posted as reply at the OJ blog:
START QUOTE:
Vern,
This is my first comment since Art Pedroza deleted and censored the post above back a day or so before the Nov 2nd Elections – because it challenged the claims made by Mayor Pulido’s supporters and because I think Art became more than just a strong supporter of Mayor Pulido, while ignoring the facts.
It is unfortunate, and somehow expected that Art would refer to me as “irresponsible blogger”, and part of a “rabid cult”.
Art Pedroza ignores the fact that everything I posted is factual.
1) I stated that Violent CRIME has REMAINED UNCHANGED from 2008 to 2009. This is still as true today as it was the day I posted it, and is the overall category used by the FBI.
I did note originally that SUB-elements of the VIOLENT CRIME Category had SOME UPs & Some DOWNS. Art is basically putting blinders and looking at the sub-elements that went down but ignoring the sub-elements that went up.
For example, Forcible Rape Rape WENT UP by 17% (which Art ignores), while Murders went Down by 17% –
It is almost as if there is this notion that the FORCIBLE Rapes Victims should consider themselves Lucky that they were “only” raped and not murdered – and that citizens should accept this ONE-sided partial view of Violent Crime statistics – to fit a distorted view of a political campaign.
Art’sTitle for his post is, “Don’t believe the naysayers, [VIOLENT CRIME HAS GONE DOWN] in Santa Ana” – This is MISLEADING BY ART…VIOLENT CRIME HAS REMAINED UNCHANGED.
2) Again, as I said above, “Art Pedroza has an article from a year ago entitled “FBI says Santa Ana is still #1 in Violent Crimes in the OC”. And Art P. ends the article with the very prescient comment as to election year claims:
“Don’t forget that Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido told us last year while campaigning that Santa Ana was the ‘safest city in Orange County.’ I don’t think so Miguel!” (per Art Pedroza).
3) The Mayor’s race in Santa Ana happens EVERY TWO YEARS – and during these two years, VIOLENT CRIME was UNCHANGED From 2008-2009.
But even though this two-year time-frame is the most relevant in evaluating the incumbent or candidate, I also provided the statistics for 2007, and noted that Violent Crime has gone down from 2007, although it had also gone done across the nation.
(NOTE A: Art selectively goes back and selects the SUB-elements of crime that went down, but NEGLECTS to mention that MURDERS WENT UP FIRST from 23 murders in 2007 to 30 murders in 2008, BEFORE they went down 25 in 2009, but still higher than 23.
This is what Art said, “A few differences should be noted. There were 30 murders in Santa Ana in 2008 – and only 25 murders in 2009. Statistically that is quite a drop.”
GUESS WHAT? The INCREASE (30.4%) IN MURDERS is HIGHER than the DROP (8%) in murders.
(NOTE B: Here is the original FBI statistics that I had provided.
http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/FBI-Stats-for-2009-and-2008.pdf
4) EDUCATION.
Art goes on to say, in reference to me, “The same blogger I have referenced here also attacked our Mayor, Miguel Pulido, because of the problems with education in our city. That is just beyond ridiculous. Pulido is not in charge of our schools.”
Art is doing what the people who are not supported by the facts, do – change the argument or mis-characterize the argument. I NEVER said that Pulido is in charge of our schools.
This what I said, ”
“Mayors can play a significant leadership role in motivating and inspiring the youth if they are properly and continuously engaged with the educators, parents, students and community professionals who volunteer. I have volunteered with several programs to help students (Jr. Achievement of Orange County; Youth Motivation Task Force; and High School Inc. ) I hope to be able to see the Mayor closely engaged with this and other programs, as our youth represent our future.”
I guess that if you accept Art’s implied definition, an “irresponsible blogger”, and part of a “Rabid Cult” is one who posts facts (like I did); and a Responsible blogger is one who ignores his own statements or misconstrues other people’s statements and offers only a ONE-Sided and distorted view of the facts (as Art did).
I now call this the A r T I V O effect:
Rewind to discredited or distorted propaganda and innuendo and repeat often, and Fastforward and/or gloss over the facts.
Francisco J. Barragan
My opinions only and not those of any group.
END QUOTE
Francisco,
No need to write a book. It boils down to this – what did your post contribute to our community? It was just another black eye on Santa Ana. Racist people like articles like yours. They use that as evidence that Latinos suck. Is that your objective? To feed that sentiment?
I allowed your post to go up through the election then I made the decision to remove it as it was just pointless – and as such it reflected Amezcua.
Let me ask you this, it is easy to say we need more cops, which is Amezcua’s mantra. I would argue that he is part of the problem as he regularly defends drug dealers and gang-bangers, but that aside – we cannot afford more cops, so what then is the solution?
As for education, I agree that Pulido can be part of the solution. The truth is that the City of Santa Ana has a lot of great programs that target this area – and there are many non profits that partner with the City. If you want change at the SAUSD I would urge you to do what I did and run for the School Board. Whining on the sidelines accomplishes nothing.