According to the authorities, West Virginia crime rates have been inching up the last few years. SafeWise is an organization that keeps track of crime statistics in each state, and presents them in a “best” or “worst” sorting. The group recently released its 20 Safest Cities in West Virginia listing, which you can view in full by clicking here.
According to SafeWise, the five safest cities in West Virginia are:
- Weston: Population of 4,078; violent crime rate at 0.49 per 1,000 people; property crime rate at 1.96 per 1,000 people; violent-property crime percentage split 25-75
- Lewisburg: Population of 3,971; violent crime rate at 0.50 per 1,000 people; property crime rate at 26.95 per 1,000 people; violent-property crime percentage split 2-98
- Grafton: Population of 5,145; violent crime rate at 0.58 per 1,000 people; property crime rate at 0.97 per 1,000 people; violent-property crime percentage split 60-40
- Barboursville: Population of 4,091; violent crime rate at 0.73 per 1,000 people; property crime rate at 76.51 per 1,000 people; violent-property crime percentage split 1-99
- Ravenwood: Population of 3,837; violent crime rate at 0.78 per 1,000 people; property crime rate at 2.35 per 1,000 people; violent-property crime percentage split 33-67
Our legal team at Cranston & Edwards, PLLC is pleased to announce that Morgantown also made the list at #16:
- Morgantown: Population of 31,109; violent crime rate at 2.86 per 1,000 people; property crime rate at 21.67 per 1,000 people; violent-property crime percentage split 13-87
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO FEEL SAFER IN YOUR HOMETOWN
Did your hometown in West Virginia not make SafeWise’s list of the 20 Safest Cities? Is your hometown there but you are not satisfied with its ranking? You can use this dataset to improve your own safety measures and security. As it can be seen from the data, property crimes — like burglary and other theft crimes — account for the vast majority of all crimes in most cities, so you can act on that information.
Quick tips to improve your home’s security:
- Always lock your front door after entering and exiting your home for an extended amount of time.
- For any windows that may be accessible by an agile thief, lock them whenever you are away as well.
- Install light timers for lamps around your home, which will switch them on for integrals when you are not home.
- Keep a light on at your front door on during the night, shining light in the doorway.
- Store valuables out of plain sight, like in a safe in your closet.
MORGANTOWN’S TRUSTED PERSONAL INJURY TEAM
Property crimes are usually just a matter for the police. However, violent crimes may require the assistance of both law enforcement and a personal injury attorney. If you have been attacked and harmed by a criminal in any manner, you have the right to file a lawsuit against them for the payment of your damages. You can cite medical bills and lost wages like most any injury claim, but you can also seek noneconomic damages for your pain and suffering. It may even be approved for you to be rewarded punitive damages, which are used to punish the offender for their criminal actions.
Discover your rights and uphold them by contacting Cranston & Edwards, PLLC and our personal injury lawyers in Morgantown. You can even request a free case evaluation to begin by dialing (304) 296-3500!