Crime fluctuations due to population, weather

by Natalie Myers
Staff Writer

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In Athens, arrest rate fluctuations can be connected to more than just population changes.

Local law enforcement officials agree there is a relationship between weather and crime. When temperatures decrease, the crime rate tends to fall as well.

Cold weather accounts for lower levels of criminal activity during fall and winter months, Athens Police Department Chief Richard Mayer said.

"I think you'd have to say (weather affects unlawful activity)," he said.

One cause for the winter crime decrease is student population. Many students leave during winter, which attributes to the city's arrest rate decrease.

Lt. Darrell Cogar, of the Athens County Sheriff's Office, said weather tends to have more of an affect on the types of crimes.

"During the winter months we have more domestic violence," he said. "But we have more thefts and burglaries during warmer months."

Vandalism also occurs more frequently in warmer months. One possible reason is that there is an increase in alcohol consumption as temperatures rise, which can cause people to vandalize property, Mayer said.

"But in the fall, the days are getting shorter," he said. "There is an hour less of light in the evening - one less hour to drink."

According to APD records, months when Ohio University is not in session, including winter break, are months when there is a lower amount of arrests.

The student population and special area events also affect crime rates in Athens. But many of these events tend to happen during warmer weather.

"(Special events) bring a lot of people into town," Mayer said.

Larger events, such as Halloween and Palmerfest, help contribute to higher arrest and citation rates in fall and spring months, Mayer said.

"There are a lot of parties in May," he said. "And there are a lot of events in October."