SIKESTON -- The way some folk will use statistics to twist the truth is almost criminal.
There are many reasonable explanations for how Sikeston ended up being at the top of this list of the state's most dangerous cities with the most obvious being to consider the source.
"I think it's an example of a company using the media to give them free advertising," Juden said. "They are taking a small snapshot of our crime situation and manipulating the numbers to use fear tactics to sell burglar alarms. I would certainly hope our residents are smarter than that and wouldn't fall for such a sham from an unscrupulous business."
While some residents have become alarmed, most know better and instead of running out to buy surveillance cameras have reacted with comments ranging from "No way" and "I don't believe it" to "Are you kidding me?"
Other residents have noted that violent crimes tend to be concentrated in specific areas.
While the company used FBI Uniform Crime Report data, its website discloses they "chose" to include property crimes along with violent crimes to compile the list while ranking those on the list by violent crime rates.
This is only one of 15 similar stories listed on the company's website listing a number of the most dangerous cities in various states -- excluding communities that have populations under 10,000.
"I can't see where anybody who has any common sense at all would say Sikeston is more dangerous than a large metropolitan area like St. Louis," Juden said. "This is just a marketing company doing targeted sales."
For the complete story, see the Sunday edition of the Standard Democrat.