Maine’s homicide rate highest since 1989
5/19/09 | 20 comments
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Maine’s homicide rate highest since 1989


By Kevin Miller
BDN Staff
AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine’s homicide rate jumped to nearly a 20-year high in 2008, driven in part by several killings involving multiple victims and an unusual increase in the number of young children killed by their parents.

But while the number of assaults and thefts also were up for the year, crime was down in all of the other categories — including burglaries and domestic violence — tracked by the Maine Department of Public Safety.

“Despite a recent rash in armed robberies and a number of suspicious deaths this year, Maine continues to be one of the safest states in the country,” public safety Commissioner Anne Jordan said in a statement.Overall, crime increased by 0.6 percent from 2007 to 2008. A total of 34,008 crimes were committed in 2008, according to the department’s Uniform Crime Reporting Division. That gives Maine a crime rate of 25.8 offenses per 1,000 people.

The national rate is 37.5 offenses per 1,000 people, according to the department.

Aggravated and simple assaults increased by 2.5 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively, while the largest change in sheer numbers came in the category of thefts. There were 24,582 thefts in 2008, compared to 24,060 the year before.

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The most alarming increase was in the homicide rate, which leaped from 21 deaths in 2007 to 31 last year. That is the highest number of homicides in Maine since 1989, when 40 people were killed. It’s also significantly higher than the 10-year average of 19.5 homicides annually.

Three of the 2008 homicides involved multiple victims. In January, 25-year-old Richard Widdecomb killed his ex-girlfriend and another man in Marshfield. He was later sentenced to life in prison.

Roughly a month later, a 22-year-old former University of Maine student, Matthew Cushing, stabbed his mother, stepfather and teenage stepbrother to death at their home in Old Orchard Beach. He was later sentenced to three life terms.

Then in July, two men were found dead in the community of West Paris. A mutual friend of the men, Duane Waterman, was charged with the murders. Waterman has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial in June. Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the department, pointed out that family or other acquaintances of the victims committed 65 percent of the homicides.

Typically, about half of Maine’s homicides are acts of domestic violence. Three of the deaths this year were murder-suicides. That is less than average, McCausland said.

But five of the victims were infants and toddlers, often beaten to death by a parent or guardian. Three of those deaths — one each in East Machias, Skowhegan and Harrison — occurred in March within less than a week of each other.

“The young children being murdered at the hands of typically their parents was a disturbing trend,” McCausland said.

Domestic violence in general and several other types of violent crime were down for the year, however. Maine’s domestic violence rate dropped by 8 percent, from 5,771 incidents in 2007 to 5,311 last year. The number of reported rapes and-or sexual assaults also dropped from 393 to 373, a decline of 5.1 percent. And the number of robberies declined by nearly 5 percent year to year.

The statistics show an interesting divide between rural and urban areas.

While urban areas accounted for more than three-quarters of all crime tracked by the department, the number of crimes in rural areas actually increased by 6.4 percent last year. Urban crime, on the other hand, decreased by 0.7 percent.

The number of burglaries, larcenies-thefts, aggravated assaults and car thefts all rose in rural areas last year, with burglaries and car thefts climbing 8.1 percent and 10.4 percent, respectively.

In Bangor, which is considered an urban area, the city bucked the statewide trend and saw a decrease in simple assaults. But the number of simple thefts reported to police in Bangor increased by 8 percent, which was higher than the statewide average. The city had one murder last year.

Sgt. Paul Edwards with the Bangor Police Department said the upward trend on thefts appears to have carried over into 2009.

“Stealing, breaking into cars, shoplifting, breaking into homes all seem to be more prevalent this year,” Edwards said.

The Maine Crime and Justice Data Book, a publication of the Maine Statistical Analysis Center at the Muskie School of Public Service, provides additional perspective on longer-term crime trends in the state.

Last year’s 34,008 “index crimes” tracked by the Department of Public Safety and the center is lower than the 10-year average of 34,479 crimes between 1998 and 2007. The number of offenses per 1,000 people has also dropped over that time.

But while domestic violence incidences dropped in 2008, the overall trend during the previous 10 years is much different. Reports of domestic violence assaults increased by 49.7 percent in Maine between 1998 and 2007, according to the center’s publication. Domestic violence accounted for 51 percent of all assaults during that 10-year period. Additionally, drug-related arrests increased by 23 percent during that time.

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Comments
20 comments on this item
On 5/18/09 at 11:40 PM, hansocorporation wrote: Click here to view hidden comment         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
On 5/19/09 at 12:47 AM, Kevin_of_Bangor wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

31 homicides happen in a lot of other states in less then 3 months. Maine is a very safe place to live and most homicides in Maine are not random acts of violence. The victims a lot of time know each other. The crime in Maine makes me laugh for the most part even with the recent bank robberies. Move to Washington, DC for a year and see how safe you feel. Move to Atlanta or New Orleans for the same period and you will move back to Maine as fast as you can. Crime is not prevalent in Maine so when something as a homicide or bank robbery occurs it becomes big news because it does not happen that often.

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On 5/19/09 at 1:50 AM, hansocorporation wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

31 homicides probably in South Central LA today prolly

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On 5/19/09 at 6:55 AM, greens04952 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

U know why alot of these are happening because of drug issues. I have someone i'm worried to DEATH about she can't get insurance , can't afford it and need to be in a methadone clinic, but can't afford it. Not from needles either. Her wrist is mangled almost died. But I dont' know what to do I'm so scared. This is my own daughter she finally looked me up after 2 years. 1 years ago on mothers day I said wow odd feeling my last mothers day cause where I'm sick. Come to find out could of been my last mothers day without my daughter she was in the hospital. I'm praying that something happens so she can get help from somewhere.

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On 5/19/09 at 7:20 AM, drc480 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Mainelyme told me that there was no crime in Maine?? Boy you was wrong on that one my friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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On 5/19/09 at 8:40 AM, tcollins wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Seems to me one of the most disturbing issues is Kids having Kids....then they don't know what to do when issues arise.....maturity takes a long time in coming to many of us.........in this "I want it now" society....a screaming baby is something a teenager simply cannot handle.....what is the answer to this....very sad this child death thing keeps happening over and over....?????

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On 5/19/09 at 9:24 AM, basdfs wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I know all to well about the homicide number in Maine in 2008 - my husband is one of those numbers and I feel strongly that the number one thing

pushing that number up is drug related. These people will stop at nothing to be able to get that next fix. The break ins and thefts for money is very

high. I pray daily that his murderer will be caught and punished so that our family can have some closure.

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On 5/19/09 at 10:10 AM, OomniME wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

As of April, the city of Cincinnati had recorded 17 homicides in 2009, three more than during the same period in 2008, or an increase of 21 percent. At this rate there will be over 100 homicides within the city this year, a rate that is quickly becoming the norm! The population of the State of Maine and the Cincinnati Metro area are about equal, though Maine has much more area, but the homicide rate is far greater here... so, yes, Maine is still safe!

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On 5/19/09 at 10:32 AM, vchapes wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I think it's a breeding issue.

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On 5/19/09 at 11:31 AM, CeeBlue wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

The highest # of law enforcement personal per capita in the U.S.A. and this --------- ?

Not doing the job much--!

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On 5/19/09 at 1:46 PM, whattayaknow wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Crime is prevalent in Maine; however, most of it goes unreported. The number of people fraudulently collecting SSI and food stamps is staggering. If the State would do something to combat this, maybe we could reduce taxes and attract hard working people to Maine instead of welfare recipients moving here to take advantage of our massively flawed welfare program. Take back the food stamp debit card and make them wait in line behind a truck to receive their government provided food staples instead of ordering steak, lobster, and scallops from the Schwann's man. BRING BACK THE GOVERNMENT CHEESE....I bet they find jobs real quick.

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On 5/19/09 at 1:49 PM, whattayaknow wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

METHADONE IS NOT A CURE..... methadone simply gets drug addicts through the end of the month after their money runs out. On the third of each month they are back on the heroin, or whatever their drug of choice is.

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On 5/19/09 at 1:52 PM, whattayaknow wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

OomniME in 2008 the population for the city of Cincinnati was 2.1 million people. The 2008 population for the entire State of Maine was only 1.3 million. How does the math look now?

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On 5/19/09 at 2:05 PM, vchapes wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

RIGHT whattayaknow!!! METHADONE contributes to the problem!!!

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On 5/19/09 at 7:31 PM, Scollins327 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

1. open more methadone clinics

2. elect another democrat in maine and washinton!

3. open more gambling places

4. close gitmo

5. cut funding for children programs

and we wonder why this country is spiraling out of control?

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On 5/19/09 at 8:26 PM, Raysgirl wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

greens04952, Why don't you give Bucksport Regional Health Center a call. The number listed on the Internet is 207-469-7371. Explain the lack of insurance and they should be able to help your daughter start getting the services she needs. Good Luck!

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On 5/19/09 at 8:30 PM, Raysgirl wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

whattyaknow, I wish they would bring that back too. My mother in law was eligible for that in Mass. One day I took her and we were the last ones for the day. They gave me as much peanut butter as I could carry. Sadly, I am not eligible, but they had the best peanut butter ever. Their butter and cheese wasn't bad either. I would stand behind a truck all day for some of that peanut butter!!

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On 5/20/09 at 8:11 AM, vchapes wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

GREENS04952-- You are from Morrill... i may know your daughter. My husband is from there. Does your daughter need pain management or drug rehabilitation?? If she needs rehabilitation you should look into Suboxone. I was a nurse at Seaport Family Practice in Belfast and they treat with Suboxone there. My husband has been on it for four years, its amazing, but expensive. $300 to start the program, about $70 per visit, plus drug testing, and his prescription is over $300 a month. But its better than herion. That's roughly the price if you dont have insurance. But Methadone is a horrible horrible option because all it does is create more addicts. It has a LOW sucess rate.

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On 5/20/09 at 12:48 PM, baltimorean wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Cincinnati Greater Metropolitan Area has a population of 2.2 million. That includes the suburbs too which are usually statistically much safer. Cincinnati itself had a population estimated at a little over 330,000 according to the Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places Over 100,000, Ranked by July 1, 2007 by the U.S. census Bureau. I'm sure the 17 homicides were within the city limits and didn't include the greater metro area-no city is going to claim more murders than it absolutely has to. Baltimore has about 637,000 people and is up to 81 murders for the year with half the population of Maine.

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On 5/20/09 at 5:55 PM, silentarrow wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I think back to the days when families could keep their doors unlocked except when they were gone on vacation or the weekend. Then they were still protected by neighbors that would watch from their windows when they heard noises. Maine had so much as 3 murders at the most, some years none. People moved here from Canada to work the mills. When people started moving here from Massacheezits, New Yack, Knew Doosie, everthing went to hell. Those were the days in the 60's and early 70's. I'm glad I lived in Maine when it was the best.

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