The impact of recent crime increases on residents’ feelings of safety in Alltwen, Neath Port Talbot, is a valid concern, although the overall picture is nuanced. While the area benefits from a relatively lower crime rate than the national average, any uptick can understandably cause anxiety.
Currently, Alltwen's crime rate stands at 67.0 incidents per 1,000 residents. This is notably lower than the UK average of 91.6 per 1,000. However, it’s important to consider the specific types of crime. Alltwen experiences a violent crime rate of 19.9 per 1,000 residents. While this figure also remains below the UK average, it’s understandable that even a small increase in violent crime can be particularly unsettling for residents.
Interestingly, despite the crime rate, Alltwen boasts a safety score of 86/100. This is considerably higher than the UK average of 79, suggesting that residents, on the whole, perceive the area as relatively safe. This higher safety score likely reflects a combination of factors, including the lower overall crime rate and potentially strong community ties.
It’s crucial to understand that crime statistics only provide a partial picture. Residents’ feelings of safety are influenced by a variety of factors beyond raw numbers, including media coverage, personal experiences, and perceptions of community cohesion. Even a small rise in reported incidents can disproportionately affect the perceived level of safety, particularly if those incidents involve violent crime or occur in areas residents frequent. Further investigation would be required to understand the nature of the recent increase and its specific impact on Alltwen’s population of 2718. It is vital to differentiate between perceived and actual risk.