Crime Grows in Bangor, Declines in Other Maine Cities

PORTLAND - Oct. 21, 2009 - For the third straight year, the crime rate in Bangor increased last year while crimes in Maine's other large cities show a sharp decline, according to newly released data by the Maine Department of Public Safety.

According to an analysis of data recently posted on the Maine Department of Public Safety's website, Bangor's crime rate went from 63.15 offenses per 1,000 residents in 2007 to 65.07 offenses in 2008, an increase of 3%. By comparison, the crime rate in Portland fell by nearly 8% in the same time period, and declined 3% in Lewiston.

Since 2005 - the year that the state's only gambling casino opened in Bangor - crime in that city has increased 26%, while it has fallen in MaineÕs other two large cities - down 4% in Portland and 11.5% in Lewiston.

"What's different about Bangor," asked Dennis Bailey, executive director of CasinosNO!, the grassroots organization opposed to the expansion of gambling casinos in Maine. "Why is the crime rate continuing to grow while other large cities in Maine are seeing their crime rates fall?

"Once again, we are not suggesting a direct link between the operation of Hollywood Slots and Bangor's growing crime rate," Bailey continued. "All we are suggesting is that before the state considers more gambling casinos, it should conduct some in-depth analysis to find out why Bangor's crime rate is increasing. The increase is troubling. It's larger than in any other city in Maine and should certainly raise some questions about what's going on in Bangor."

At the same time, Bailey said, the state's latest crime data should once and for all refute claims made by casino proponents that Bangor's crime and unemployment rates would fall with the introduction of slot machines. Neither has occurred.

Bangor is the only city in Maine with a licensed slot machine parlor. Hollywood Slots opened its doors in November 2005 and expanded to a new facility with 1,000 slot machines last year.

Once again, the crime that increased the most in Bangor last year was larceny, which grew from 1,655 in 2007 to 1,715 in 2008. Other crimes such as robbery and burglary showed a decline.

Overall, the state's crime rate increased only slightly in 2008, 0.6%.

"We're fortunate to live in a state that has one of the lowest overall crime rates in the country," Bailey said, "and even Bangor's crime rate in the big scheme of things is pretty low.

"Nevertheless, the data tells us that we need better information and more study to find out why Bangor's crime rate is increasing while other cities are seeing a decline. There's often no way to tell when someone commits a crime to feed a gambling habit. Police and court records don't always show that when someone is charged with stealing from his employer or breaking into a camp to rob something, he's doing it to get money to play the slot machines. The same is true of bankruptcies, domestic violence and even suicides, which don't show up in the crime data but are often related to gambling debts and addiction.

"Before we begin adding more slot machines and casinos in Maine we should take some time to determine their full impact," Bailey said.

Backers of another casino in Oxford County are circulating petitions hoping to get the proposal on the November 2010 ballot. And the Legislature's Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee is developing an overall state policy for the expansion of casinos and slot machines in Maine. The state's crime data can be found at: http://www.maine.gov/dps/cim/crime_in_maine/cim.htm