By Ezra Salkin
In hard economic times there is often an increase in the rate of crime. Statistics show that nationally this is true, but in Savannah, however, crime seems little affected by the recession.
According to the Savannah Office of Public Affairs spokesperson, Gene Harley, there has only been a slight increase in property related crimes, like breaking into locked vehicles to snatch personal possessions. There has also been an increase in the amount of items being pawned, but not all them have been stolen.
“There’s a big misconception that there’s a big crime problem in Savannah. That’s a myth,” said Harley. “ The real problem is perpetually with the same group of persons, or those with histories. These individuals that are sometimes supposed to be serving 10 to 20 years often get out of jail very prematurely. This class of felon gets out after an average of two years. When they’re out on either probation or bond, they start stealing again.”
He says that Savannah city manager Michael Brown and commissioner are pushing for the parole boards to be stricter so it’s more difficult for felons to get probation or bond.
Demery Bishop, of CrimeStoppers of Savannah-Chatham County, corroborates that Savannah hasn’t seen a dramatic upturn in crime, and that most local crime is property theft. “The criminals want things that they can sell later,” said Bishop.
He explains the history and bare bones structure of CrimeStoppers. The program was started in 1983, and was called Silent Witness. It wasn’t until 1999 that they became known as CrimeStoppers.
CrimeStoppers is an anonymous information broker.
They receive tips to crimes that have already taken place, and disseminate those tips to local law enforcement. The tips they typically receive usually relate to crimes involving drugs, unpaid child support, breaking probation, or offenders with outstanding warrants.
Bishop gives incentive to call in if you have relevant information to specific crimes, “Each crime is given a code, and if it is a successful tip that results in the apprehension of a suspect there is a cash reward. Cash rewards can be as high as $2,500.”
CrimeStoppers do a tremendous amount of advertising, usually with the Savannah Morning News. Often these advertisements come in the form of exhibiting the faces of wanted offenders, alongside their information.
The CrimeStoppers Azalea Run, a fundraising 5K and 10K run, will be held at 8 a.m. April 4 at Forsyth Park. Last year the SCAD cross country team participated in the event. Register for the run at Active.com.
CrimeStoppers has a long-standing relationship with SCAD, and they have lectured on security tips and how best to avoid crime during orientation week. They have also worked alongside students for some time on public relations. Student artwork has appeared on Chatham buses, billboards, and other brandings furnished by SCAD. “We value our partnership with SCAD. It’s important for student safety, student abilities, and public safety,” said Bishop.
