Editing New Haven, Connecticut (section)

== Law and government ==
=== Political structure ===
{{see also|List of mayors of New Haven, Connecticut|Mayoral elections in New Haven, Connecticut}}
[[File:Newhavenstructure2-statue.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Statue of Roman orator [[Cicero]] at the New Haven County Courthouse]]
New Haven is governed via the [[mayor-council system]]. Connecticut municipalities (like those of neighboring states [[Massachusetts]] and [[Rhode Island]]) provide nearly all local services (such as fire and rescue, education, snow removal, etc.), as county government has been abolished since 1960.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1960/08/14/archives/connecticut-ends-county-rule-oct-1-state-to-take-over-historic.html |work=The New York Times |title=Connecticut Ends County Rule Oct. 1; State to Take Over Historic Government Units – Minor Court System Also to Go |date=August 14, 1960 |access-date=May 20, 2010 |archive-date=July 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704125722/https://www.nytimes.com/1960/08/14/archives/connecticut-ends-county-rule-oct-1-state-to-take-over-historic.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:New Haven City Hall, October 17, 2008.jpg|thumb|right|upright|New Haven City Hall]]

[[New Haven County]] merely refers to a grouping of towns and a judicial district, not a governmental entity. New Haven is a member of the South Central Connecticut Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG), a regional agency created to facilitate coordination between area municipal governments and state and federal agencies, in the absence of county government.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scrcog.org/ |title=South Central Connecticut Regional Council of Governments |publisher=SCRCOG |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-date=September 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929200649/http://www.scrcog.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Justin Elicker]] is the mayor of New Haven. He was sworn in as the 51st mayor of New Haven on January 1, 2020.

The city council, called the Board of Alders, consists of thirty members, each elected from single-member wards.<ref>[https://data.ct.gov/Government/City-of-New-Haven-Aldermanic-Wards/nki6-723a/data City of New Haven Aldermanic Wards] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928103013/https://data.ct.gov/Government/City-of-New-Haven-Aldermanic-Wards/nki6-723a/data |date=September 28, 2017 }}, GIS Data, Connecticut Open Data Portal.</ref> Each of the 30 wards consists of slightly over 4,300 residents; [[redistricting]] takes place every ten years.<ref>Alexandra Sanders, [http://www.nhregister.com/news/article/New-Haven-ward-map-finalized-new-lines-represent-11458216.php New Haven ward map finalized; new lines represent compromise (maps)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928060404/http://www.nhregister.com/news/article/New-Haven-ward-map-finalized-new-lines-represent-11458216.php |date=September 28, 2017 }}, ''New Haven Register'' (May 21, 2012).</ref>

The city is overwhelmingly [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]. In 2017, of the town's 83,694 voters, 66% were registered as Democrats (−4% since 2015), 4% were registered as Republicans (+1%), and 29% were unaffiliated (+3).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sots/ElectionServices/Registration_and_Enrollment_Stats/Nov17RPES.pdf?la=en |title=Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics |date=November 1, 2017 |website=portal.ct.gov |format=PDF |access-date=May 16, 2019 |archive-date=April 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423102003/http://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sots/ElectionServices/Registration_and_Enrollment_Stats/Nov17RPES.pdf?la=en |url-status=live }}</ref> The board of alders is dominated by Democrats; a Republican has not served as a New Haven alder since 2011.<ref name="2015Alders">[http://www.nhregister.com/connecticut/article/New-Haven-s-Board-of-Alders-races-feature-11343913.php New Haven's Board of Alders races feature challengers and upcoming primary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928055831/http://www.nhregister.com/connecticut/article/New-Haven-s-Board-of-Alders-races-feature-11343913.php |date=September 28, 2017 }}, ''New Haven Register'' (August 22, 2015).</ref><ref>Abbe Smith, [http://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Lone-New-Haven-Republican-Alderwoman-Arlene-11553657.php Lone New Haven Republican Alderwoman Arlene DePino withdraws from race] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928102938/http://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Lone-New-Haven-Republican-Alderwoman-Arlene-11553657.php |date=September 28, 2017 }}, ''New Haven Register'' (September 27, 2011).</ref>

New Haven is served by the [[New Haven Police Department]], which had 443 sworn officers in 2011.<ref>Veronica Rose, [https://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/rpt/2011-R-0194.htm Report 2011-R-0194: Connecticut Police Department Statistics] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170124152211/https://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/rpt/2011-R-0194.htm |date=January 24, 2017 }}, Office of Legislative Research, Connecticut General Assembly (April 25, 2011).</ref> The city is also served by the [[New Haven Fire Department]].

New Haven lies within [[Connecticut's 3rd congressional district]] and has been represented by [[Rosa DeLauro]] since 1991. [[Martin Looney]] and [[Gary Holder-Winfield]] represent New Haven in the [[Connecticut State Senate]], and the city lies within six districts (numbers 92 through 97) of the [[Connecticut House of Representatives]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cga.ct.gov/red/2001houseplan.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050205213333/http://cga.ct.gov/red/2001houseplan.htm |archive-date=February 5, 2005 |title=House District Map |date=February 5, 2005 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Connecticut_House_of_Representatives |title=Connecticut House of Representatives |publisher=Ballotpedia |access-date=March 12, 2017 |archive-date=February 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160214043607/https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Connecticut_House_of_Representatives |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Greater New Haven area is served by the New Haven Judicial District Court and the New Haven Superior Court, both headquartered at the New Haven County Courthouse.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jud.ct.gov/directory/directory/directions/30.htm |title=New Haven JD Directions |publisher=Jud.ct.gov |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-date=September 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929165453/http://www.jud.ct.gov/directory/directory/directions/30.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[United States District Court for the District of Connecticut|federal District Court for the District of Connecticut]] has a New Haven facility, the [[Richard C. Lee United States Courthouse]].

=== Political history ===
[[File:Roger Sherman 1721-1793 by Ralph Earl.jpeg|thumb|upright|[[Roger Sherman]], signer of [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]] and [[Constitution of the United States|Constitution]], author of [[Connecticut Compromise]], and first mayor of New Haven. Portrait by [[Ralph Earl]], {{Circa|1775}}.]]
{{see also|List of Yale University people#Law and politics| List of people from New Haven, Connecticut#Politicians}}

New Haven is the birthplace of former president [[George W. Bush]],<ref name="bushbio">{{cite web |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/president/biography.html |title=Biography of President George W. Bush |access-date=September 28, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205072744/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/president/biography.html |via=[[NARA|National Archives]] |work=[[whitehouse.gov]] |archive-date=February 5, 2009 }}</ref> who was born when his father, former president [[George H. W. Bush]], was living in New Haven while a student at Yale. In addition to being the site of the college educations of both Presidents Bush, as Yale students, New Haven was also the temporary home of former presidents [[William Howard Taft]], [[Gerald Ford]], and [[Bill Clinton]], as well as Secretary of State [[John Kerry]]. President Clinton met his wife, former U.S. Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]], while the two were students at [[Yale Law School]]. Former vice presidents [[John C. Calhoun]] and [[Dick Cheney]] also studied in New Haven (although the latter did not graduate from Yale). Before the 2008 election, the last time there was not a person with ties to New Haven and Yale on either major party's ticket was 1968. [[James Hillhouse]], a New Haven native, served as [[President pro tempore of the United States Senate]] in 1801.

New Haven voters overwhelmingly supported [[Al Gore]] in the [[2000 United States presidential election|2000 election]], Yale graduate [[John Kerry]] in [[2004 United States presidential election|2004]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/news/special/politics/2004_results/general_election/ct_us_president.htm |work=The Boston Globe |title=Connecticut presidential results by town |access-date=February 20, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303205345/http://www.boston.com/news/special/politics/2004_results/general_election/ct_us_president.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Barack Obama]] in [[2008 US presidential election|2008]] and 2012. In the 2008 election, [[New Haven County]] was third among all [[Connecticut counties]] in campaign contributions, after [[Fairfield County, Connecticut|Fairfield]] and [[Hartford County|Hartford]] counties. (Connecticut, in turn, was ranked 14th among all states in total campaign contributions.)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.opensecrets.org/states/geog.php?cycle=2010&state=CT |title=Connecticut: Geographic Totals |publisher=OpenSecrets |date=April 25, 2011 |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-date=January 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108225253/http://www.opensecrets.org/states/geog.php?cycle=2010&state=CT |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.opensecrets.org/bigpicture/statetotals.php?cycle=2008 |title=Contributions by State |publisher=OpenSecrets |date=July 13, 2009 |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-date=January 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106134759/http://www.opensecrets.org/bigpicture/statetotals.php?cycle=2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

New Haven was the subject of '' [[Who Governs?]] Democracy and Power in An American City'', a very influential book in [[political science]] by preeminent Yale professor [[Robert A. Dahl]], which includes an extensive history of the city and thorough description of its politics in the 1950s. New Haven's theocratic history is also mentioned several times by [[Alexis de Tocqueville]] in his classic volume on 19th-century American political life, ''[[Democracy in America]]''.<ref>Tocqueville, Alexis. 2004. ''Democracy in America''. Translated by [[Arthur Goldhammer]]. New York: The Library of America, pp. 39n, 41, 43.</ref> New Haven was the residence of conservative thinker [[William F. Buckley, Jr.]], in 1951, when he wrote his influential ''[[God and Man at Yale]]''. [[William Lee Miller]]'s ''The Fifteenth Ward and the Great Society'' (1966) similarly explores the relationship between local politics in New Haven and national political movements, focusing on [[Lyndon Johnson]]'s [[Great Society]] and [[urban renewal]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Miller |first=William Lee |title=The Fifteenth Ward and the Great Society: An Encounter With a Modern City |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |location=Boston |year=1966 }}</ref>

[[George Williamson Crawford]], a Yale Law School graduate, served as the city's first black [[corporation counsel]] from 1954 to 1962, under Mayor [[Richard C. Lee]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.georgecrawfordblackbar.org/about/ |title=George W. Crawford Black Bar Association |access-date=January 7, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204161601/http://www.georgecrawfordblackbar.org/about/ |archive-date=December 4, 2010 }}</ref>

In 1970, the [[New Haven Black Panther trials]] took place, the largest and longest trials in Connecticut history. [[Black Panther Party]] co-founder [[Bobby Seale]] and ten other party members were tried for murdering an alleged informant. Beginning on May Day, the city became a center of protest for 12,000 Panther supporters, college students, and [[New Left]] activists (including [[Jean Genet]], [[Benjamin Spock]], [[Abbie Hoffman]], [[Jerry Rubin]], and [[John Froines]]), who amassed on the [[New Haven Green]], across the street from where the trials were being held. Violent confrontations between the demonstrators and the [[New Haven Police Department|New Haven Police]] occurred, and several bombs were set off in the area by radicals. The event became a rallying point for the New Left and critics of the [[Richard Nixon|Nixon Administration]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/05/02/archives/new-haven-police-set-off-tear-gas-at-panther-rally-crowd-of-youths.html?sq=black%2520panther%2520trial%2520new%2520haven&scp=14&st=cse |work=The New York Times |title=NEW HAVEN POLICE SET OFF TEAR GAS AT PANTHER RALLY; Crowd of Youths Hurl Rocks After a Quiet Protest by 12,000 in Afternoon Streets Clear at 2 A.M. New Haven Police Fire Tear Gas at Panther Rally Some Outflank Marshals Barricade on Street. Less Than Predicted Brewster Supported |date=May 2, 1970 |access-date=May 20, 2010 |first=Homer |last=Bigart |archive-date=July 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723212445/https://www.nytimes.com/1970/05/02/archives/new-haven-police-set-off-tear-gas-at-panther-rally-crowd-of-youths.html?sq=black%2520panther%2520trial%2520new%2520haven&scp=14&st=cse |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,902777-1,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930035656/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,902777-1,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |magazine=Time |title=The Law: Justice in New Haven |date=September 14, 1970 |access-date=May 20, 2010 }}</ref>

During the summer of 2007, New Haven was the center of protests by [[anti-immigration]] groups who opposed the city's program of offering municipal ID cards, known as the [[Elm City Resident Card]], to [[illegal immigration to the United States|illegal immigrants]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/16peoplect.html?scp=119&sq=&st=nyt |work=The New York Times |title=This Summer's Surprise Hit: An Elm City ID |first=Jeff |last=Holtz |date=September 16, 2007 |access-date=May 20, 2010 |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512182618/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/16peoplect.html?scp=119&sq=&st=nyt |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Bass |first=Paul |url=http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2007/07/post_331.php |title=We Are At War |publisher=New Haven Independent |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-date=June 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628130558/http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2007/07/post_331.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Melissa |url=http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2007/07/immigrants_line.php |title=Immigrants, Supporters Pour in For ID |publisher=New Haven Independent |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-date=January 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113051923/http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2007/07/immigrants_line.php |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2008, the country of [[Ecuador]] opened a consulate in New Haven to serve the large Ecuadorean immigrant population in the area. It is the first foreign mission to open in New Haven since Italy opened a consulate (now closed) in the city in 1910.<ref>{{cite web |last=Appel |first=Allan |url=http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/09/ecuadorian_cons.php |title=Ecuadorian Consulate Opens |publisher=New Haven Independent |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-date=July 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090722083650/http://newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/09/ecuadorian_cons.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Ross |first=Colin |url=http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/city-news/2008/10/01/in-elm-city-an-ecuador-outpost/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209215826/http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/city-news/2008/10/01/in-elm-city-an-ecuador-outpost/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 9, 2013 |title=In Elm City, an Ecuador outpost |publisher=Yale Daily News |date=October 1, 2008 |access-date=September 28, 2011 }}</ref>

In April 2009, the [[United States Supreme Court]] agreed to [[Ricci v. DeStefano|hear a suit]] over [[reverse discrimination]] brought by 20 white and Hispanic firefighters against the city. The suit involved the 2003 promotion test for the [[New Haven Fire Department]]. After the tests were scored, no [[black people|blacks]] scored high enough to qualify for consideration for promotion, so the city announced that no one would be promoted. On June 29, 2009, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of the firefighters, agreeing that they were improperly denied promotion because of their race.<ref name="globe20090630">Williams, Joseph (June 30, 2009). Supreme Court rules in favor of Conn. firefighters. The Boston Globe. Retrieved on July 6, 2009 from [https://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2009/06/30/supreme_court_rules_in_favor_of_conn_firefighters/ Boston.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073053/http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2009/06/30/supreme_court_rules_in_favor_of_conn_firefighters/ |date=March 4, 2016 }}, "Supreme court rules in favor of conn firefighters"</ref> The case, ''Ricci v. DeStefano'', became highly publicized and brought national attention to New Haven politics due to the involvement of then-[[US Supreme Court|Supreme Court]] nominee (and Yale Law School graduate) [[Sonia Sotomayor]] in a lower court decision.<ref>[http://interact.stltoday.com/blogzone/political-fix/dc-download/2009/05/in-sotomayor-confirmation-ricci-v-destefano-looms-big/]{{dead link|date=September 2011 }}</ref>

[[Garry Trudeau]], creator of the political ''[[Doonesbury]]'' [[comic strip]], attended Yale University. There he met fellow student and later [[Green Party of the United States|Green Party]] candidate for [[United States Congress|Congress]] [[Charles Pillsbury (attorney)|Charles Pillsbury]], a long-time New Haven resident for whom Trudeau's comic strip is named. During his college years, Pillsbury was known by the nickname "The Doones". A [[International legal theory|theory of international law]], which argues for a sociological normative approach in regards to jurisprudence, is named the [[International legal theory#New Haven Approach|New Haven Approach]], after the city. Connecticut US senator [[Richard Blumenthal]] is a Yale graduate, as is former Connecticut US Senator [[Joe Lieberman]] who also was a New Haven resident for many years, before moving back to his hometown of [[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]].<ref>[http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/257647 Op-Ed: Joe Lieberman Supports McCain, Becomes an Enigma to Democrats] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013073126/http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/257647 |date=October 13, 2010 }}. Digitaljournal.com (July 20, 2008). Retrieved on July 15, 2013.</ref>

=== Crime ===
Crime increased in the 1990s, with New Haven having one of the ten highest violent crime rates per capita in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/01/nyregion/policing-new-haven-patrols-politics-special-report-chief-with-high-profile-uses.html |work=The New York Times |title=Policing New Haven: Patrols and Politics – A special report.; Chief With High Profile Uses Streets to Test New Theories |first1=Ralph |last1=Blumenthal |first2=M. A. |last2=Farber |date=November 1, 1991 |access-date=May 20, 2010 |archive-date=November 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120071850/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/01/nyregion/policing-new-haven-patrols-politics-special-report-chief-with-high-profile-uses.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In the late 1990s New Haven's crime began to stabilize. The city, adopting a policy of [[neighborhood watch|community policing]], saw crime rates drop during the 2000s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/university-news/2001/04/13/crime-down-mayor-seeks-credit/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210133607/http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/university-news/2001/04/13/crime-down-mayor-seeks-credit/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 10, 2013 |title=Crime down, mayor seeks credit |publisher=Yale Daily News |date=April 13, 2001 |access-date=September 28, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Ross |first=Colin |url=http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/city-news/2010/02/19/crime-hits-20-year-low/ |title=City crime hits 20-year low |publisher=Yale Daily News |date=February 19, 2010 |access-date=September 28, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100224234120/http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/city-news/2010/02/19/crime-hits-20-year-low/ |archive-date=February 24, 2010 }}</ref>

Violent crime levels vary dramatically among New Haven's neighborhoods, with some areas having crime rates in line with the state of Connecticut average, and others having extremely high rates of crime. A 2011 New Haven Health Department report identifies these issues in greater detail.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ctdatahaven.org/know/index.php/File:Creating_a_Healthy_and_Safe_City_2011_sml.pdf |title=File:Creating a Healthy and Safe City 2011 sml.pdf – Knowledge Center |publisher=Ctdatahaven.org |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-date=October 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008080733/http://www.ctdatahaven.org/know/index.php/File:Creating_a_Healthy_and_Safe_City_2011_sml.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2010, New Haven ranked as the 18th most dangerous city in the United States (albeit below the safety benchmark of 200.00 for the second consecutive year).<ref name="os.cqpress.com">{{cite web |url=http://os.cqpress.com/citycrime/2010/City_crime_rate_2010-2011_hightolow.pdf |title=2010 City Crime Rate Rankings |work=CQ Press using reported data from the F.B.I. "Crime in the United States 2009" |date=November 12, 2010 |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412010233/http://os.cqpress.com/citycrime/2010/City_crime_rate_2010-2011_hightolow.pdf |archive-date=April 12, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, according to a completely different analysis conducted by the "24/7 Wall Street Blog", in 2011 New Haven had risen to become the fourth most dangerous city in the United States, and was widely cited in the press as such.<ref>{{cite web |last=Connors |first=Bob |url=http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/New-Haven-4th-Most-Dangerous-City-Report-122619474.html |title=New Haven 4th Most Dangerous City: Report |publisher=NBC Connecticut |date=May 25, 2011 |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-date=March 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314033135/http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/New-Haven-4th-Most-Dangerous-City-Report-122619474.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://247wallst.com/2011/05/24/the-most-dangerous-cities-in-america/ |title=The Most Dangerous Cities In America – 24/7 Wall St |publisher=24/7 Wall St. |date=May 24, 2011 |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-date=October 9, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009133104/http://247wallst.com/2011/05/24/the-most-dangerous-cities-in-america/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

However, an analysis by the Regional Data Cooperative for Greater New Haven, Inc., has shown that due to issues of comparative denominators and other factors, such municipality-based rankings can be considered inaccurate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ctdatahaven.org/blog/2011/06/public_safety_new_haven/ |title=Connecticut Data Blog » Public safety concerns in our neighborhoods are legitimate, but 24/7 Wall Street's "Most Dangerous Cities" ranking is not |publisher=Ctdatahaven.org |date=June 4, 2011 |access-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-date=October 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008080741/http://www.ctdatahaven.org/blog/2011/06/public_safety_new_haven/ |url-status=live }}</ref> For example, two cities of identical population can cover widely differing land areas, making such analyses irrelevant. The research organization called for comparisons based on neighborhoods, blocks, or standard methodologies (similar to those used by Brookings, DiversityData, and other established institutions), not based on municipalities.