Violent Crime On the Rise
Despite murders last year hitting lows not seen since the 1960s in our nation’s three largest cities—New York, Los Angeles and Chicago—the number of murders is rising in much of the United States. “The homicide rate is going up, and gun violence is spiking,” says Ron Ruecker, head of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The increase primarily is occurring in some large cities, including Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, Cleveland and Baltimore.
So what are our biggest cities doing right? There are some strategies that seem to be working, explains Chuck Wexler, head of the Police Executive Research Forum. “Cops matter,” he says. “Cities that are able to quickly deploy officers to hot spots can cut back on crime.”
Prevention efforts and community involvement also are key components, as is improved communication. “In the past, departments wouldn’t get crime reports for six months. Now commanders can get the info in under 24 hours,” says Wexler. Thanks to faster reporting, police can identify patterns in crime and act against them.
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