For several years in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Amherst received a designation as the safest city in America. Now, a noted criminologist has written a book on how the town was able to create and maintain its reputation as a safe place to live.
Simon Singer is a professor of criminal justice at Northeastern University who spent several years teaching at the University at Buffalo. In his new book, "America's Safest City," Singer uses Amherst as a case study to find out why that is.
By no means, he says, is Amherst without crime. In fact, many of the young people in the town he and fellow researchers interviewed did admit they engaged in acts of delinquency.
"Theft offenses like shoplifting are more common than violence," Singer said.
What makes Amherst different from high crime urban centers, says Singer, is that there is a response system in place to divert delinquent youth from a life of crime.
"There's a juvenile justice system that is more likely to divert its kids than label them as criminals," Singer explained. "There are more in the way of youth services and there are more parents who are willing to say let's do some family therapy and see what's going on here."
In his book, Singer shares stories of how President Obama and Bill Gates were able to overcome their own difficult adolescent years.