Crime Levels Up in Phoenix
Recent crimes statistics, focused on the first half of 2015, show that violent crimes in Phoenix are up while property crimes are down slightly. Sgt. Trent Crump of the Phoenix Police Department reported that two categories of violent crimes have been driving the numbers up and include robberies and aggravated assaults. He stated, “We’re doing very well in homicides, and our sexual assault numbers have remained consistent…The two areas that we have seen an increase in so far this year are the robberies and the aggravated assaults, which oftentimes go hand in hand.” He noted that the increase in violent crimes is attributed to a specific geographic area of the city. He stated, “The area seems to be predominantly focused around southwest Phoenix right now…We’re seeing a lot of crimes specifically around some of the multi-housing areas along Indian School Road from about 43rd Avenue out to about 67th Avenue.” The January-June crime numbers reveal that property crimes are down 2.5 percent compared with the same timeframe the previous year. Crump concludes that crime trends ebb and flow and are in constant fluctuation. However, efforts are being made to minimize high violent-crime areas with a joint effort between police, residents and the faith-based community.
Robbery and Aggravated Assault
As Crump stated, robberies and aggravated assault often go hand in hand. When someone holds another person up with a weapon or threatens violence against them, it is considered aggravated assault. If an individual hurts another, especially during the act of robbery, it is also aggravated assault. When facing a charge like robbery, there are typically other charges as well. One of the most common is aggravated assault. Both can be considered felonies and carry high prison terms, probation, high fines and other penalties. If you are facing a robbery and/or aggravated assault charge, the team at the Oswalt Law Group in Phoenix is here to offer sound legal advice and representation. In the U.S., everyone is entitled to a fair trial and legal counsel. We are here to provide you with help securing a fair plea deal or building a solid defense to set you up for the best chance of having the charges dismissed. When facing any type of criminal charge, it is important to take the situation seriously and secure the help of a skilled criminal defense attorney. Give the team at the Oswalt Law Group a call today for help.