Gaston County Lockup: Unpacking the Last 30 Days

The Gaston County Lockup is a place of consequence, where residents of Gaston County, North Carolina, and surrounding areas are booked and processed after being taken into custody by law enforcement. The data on who ends up behind bars reveals trends, and some unsettling truths about the community's struggles with crime. Over the last 30 days, 473 people have been incarcerated in the Gaston County Lockup, according to publicly available information.

A review of the county's booking data shows that Gaston County's lockup has continued to hold people suspected of a variety of crimes, from driving with a revoked license to violent felonies. These arrests reveal insights into public safety concerns in the area.

Arrest Trends: Breaking Down the Numbers

For the past month, Gaston County Lockup has taken in 473 individuals, who were charged with 744 crimes. The data tells us that on average, 13 people are taken into custody daily, with an average of 54 bookings each week. Notably, the majority of those arrested have been men, accounting for 360 bookings (75% of the total), while 113 women made up the remaining 25% of the total. Further breakdown of charges reveals that of the 744 charges, 44% were due to felony charges and 56% were for misdemeanor charges.

Top Charges – Misdemeanor vs. Felony

1. Felony charges – Larceny (135), Assault on a Female (56), Assault on a Male (24), Driving while impaired (54), and Fugitive or failure to appear (44)
2. Misdemeanor charges – Traffic infractions such as driving with a revoked license or without insurance, property-related charges (e.g., larceny), and drug-related charges (35), Assault (37)

Male vs. Female Arrests and Charges

An examination of arrests by gender also provides insight into the types of crime associated with each sex. Men had a higher frequency of arrests (360) compared to women (113), but not as far as overall charges. Females accounted for 35% of the total charge, primarily charged for Felony Offenses (19%) and 20% of the total charges listed under driving charges such as driving after consuming alcohol (DUIs).

Statistics: Charge Demographics by Sex

• Male Arrests (N = 360):
• Felony Offenses 64%
• Driving-related offenses 15%
• Larceny and property-related charges (18% each)
• Female Arrests (N = 113):
• Felony Offenses 19%
• Driving-related offenses 30%
• Larceny and property-related charges (17 and 13%, respectively)

Age Distribution among Arrestees

Age has a significant correlation with the likelihood of being arrested for various offenses. As with other variables, the lockup data breaks down the demographics of those arrested further, illustrating patterns.

1. 75% of arrestees were between 20-50 years of age: This age bracket accounted for approximately 75% of the total people booked into Gaston County Lockup over the past 30 days. This may indicate that individuals, primarily males in their early to middle adulthood, continue to engage in higher rates of crime.
2. A younger group (people under 20 years old and between 50-60 years): Approximately 22% were under the age of 20, predominantly males, charged with property crimes.

Crime Frequency by Time and Day

Misconducts across days of the week reveal clear patterns in times of day and days of the week that more commonly bring bookings. Wednesday and Thursday often see higher incarceration rates, whereas Sundays tend to report lower bookings, echoing findings from Gaston County lockup's other trends.

Inmate Populations on Given Days:

Examples include:

Conclusion

Overall, data gathered during the last 30 days, from Gaston County Lockup, offers insight into community's engagement in high crime-activity. Specific trends show elevated felony charges in males, particularly middle-aged and in days surrounding midweek.