Lingering Problems: Police: People: Problems and Issues:

Crime


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Orleans murder rate is (was) out of control. But it is not random violence. Superimposed on top of the 5-10 murders per 100,000 population you see across America are the drug crimes. They are overwhelmingly black on black killings fueled by the ruinous illegal, underground drug trade. If you come to New Orleans to visit you will be safe, but you will be entering a city on edge.

As 2005 unfolded the murder rate was ten times the national average and two to four times greater than the rates in even the most violent comparable cities. It was gang, poverty, and drug related and heavily black on black. Crime was wiped out by the evacuation after the storm but as people returned it came back in several old ways and a few new ones. In 2007 it was worse than ever, but exactly the same.

Other violent crime rates although higher than the national averages, were lower than the rates in comparable cities.Crime maps of Orleans showed a heavy concentration of murders around the public housing projects. Curiously property crime rates except auto theft were much lower than the rates in comparable cities although still higher than the national average (why? is this a reporting problem or actual phenomenon?).

Jefferson rates matched the national averages in all categories except murder where Jefferson's rate was nearly 50% above the national average. (Jefferson seem to be catching some spill-over from Orleans)  St. Tammany rates were1/2 of the national averages and totally consistent with its rural/suburban composition.

Louisiana as a whole (including Orleans) exceeds national averages slightly except in murders where it more than doubles the national average. Louisiana excluding Orleans still exceeds the national averages in murders, rapes, assaults, thefts and burglaries but by much slimmer margins.


  • Crime at 4 am : 4 am is the "witching hour" in New Orleans as far as crime is concerned. 


    It is too early to start the day and too late to be finishing. If you are up at 4 in the morning you are bound to be cranky.
    :: Continue reading...
  • Crime Maps : Here are the maps
    :: Continue reading...
  • Gangs and Drugs : This ties in well with a Times Picayune special report, Cycle of Death, on crime in New :: Continue reading...
  • Is transparency a solution? Quality? : The CJS does not invite public scrutiny. Lawyers are tight lipped about ongoing investigations. Summary statistics may show trends but don't answer the why question. How about adding two new components to the CJS? :: Continue reading...
  • Justice System : As Katrina approached the criminal justice system was already :: Continue reading...
  • Post Katrina Crime : Crime was wiped out by the storm but as people returned it came back in several old ways and a few new ones.
    :: Continue reading...
  • Why Crime : Investigators search for Means, Motive & Opportunity when :: Continue reading...

  • 2003
    National
    per 500,000
    Louisiana
    per 500,000
    La excl Orleans per 500,000
    Orleans
    485,000
    Jefferson
    455,000
    StTammany
    191,000
    Atlanta
    431,000
    Cleveland
    468,000
    Murder
    28
    65
    39
    274
    41
    5
    149
    73
    Rape
    161
    205
    204
    213
    131
    28
    281
    646
    Robbery
    683
    786
    625
    2,071
    692
    39
    3,701
    3,167
    Assault
    1,455
    2,175
    2,187
    2,038
    1,440
    300
    4,360
    2,314
    Burglary
    3,656
    4,990
    5,000
    4,897
    3,382
    765
    8,065
    8,048
    Theft
    11,830
    14,547
    14,625
    12,726
    11,470
    1,832
    22,931
    12,832
    Car Theft
    2,105
    2,211
    1,785
    6,872
    2,213
    266
    7,235
    5,198
    Population
    270,000,000
    4,496,334
    4,000,000
    485,000
    455,000
    191,000
    431,000
    468,000

    Some sociologist could probably explain these phenomena. However, there appears to be a lack of regard for human life in an impoverished, largely uneducated and growingly desperate segment of the New Orleans population.

    Drugs appear to be a significant factor both in their impact on users and even more so on their ability to create an underground alternative lifestyle outside normal morality.
    Crime reporting problems are also likely in the presence of the underground drug culture. Murders are hard to ignore, but many other crimes may not be reported if the individuals involved are outside normal society.

    ex-Chief Eddie Compass of NOPD had an interesting theory regarding murders in New Orleans. Often asked to explain the increase in murders in the city, he hypothesized that closing several public housing projects was causing a redistribution of the population. By moving into areas and schools that they hadn't lived in before, they disturbed the equilibrium.  The spike in crime took place as gangs fought for their turf.



    Corruption Danziger Bridge


    Created : 12/12/2005 9:40:59 AM Updated: 7/30/2010 8:44:12 AM

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