There has been a steady upward trend in violent crimes in D.C. this year. In September the number of reported homicides exceeded 200 which is the highest it has been since the late 1990s. This news came while reportedly homicides are dropping in dozens of other major cities, including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. This trend has been disconcerting as there has not only been an increase in overall crimes but also there has been an increase in the number of violent crime occurrences per day. In early October for example police responded to five shootings in a single night spread out in various neighborhoods.
Overall, according to data from the Metropolitan Police Department, there has been a forty-one percent increase in violent crimes in D.C. this year. Violent crimes which are categorized as homicide, robbery, sex abuse, and assault with a dangerous weapon had dropped by seven percent at the end of last year which leads officials, criminologists, and community members to ask why.
D.C. officials have said that it is difficult to pinpoint one apparent reason for this increase as the violence has been ranging from crew violence to random robbery and people settling petty disputes with guns.
One reason seems to be the economy in the city. Nearly two-thirds of the homicides this year were mostly committed in communities situated east of the Anacostia River as well as some of the city’s poorestneighborhoods. But there also have been spikes in popular areas such as Adams Morgan and the U-Street Corridor. With the rollback of pandemic relief funds and the slow comeback of individuals to offices, the city has been struggling economically.
Other factors seem to be related to the new criminal defense laws which allow more defendants to go free as well as the difficulty recruiting and retaining police officers. Leaders in other big cities seem to be struggling with the same problems.
Gentrification which has forced impoverished families to have to move to more affordable neighborhoods may be another factor that is impacting the increase in violence. Research has shown that stresses of poverty such as overcrowded or substandard housing, poor nutrition, lack of access to health care, and child neglect have adverse effects on children and teens leading to a higher tendency for crime and violence.
One thing is for sure: D.C. needs to have a more comprehensive program to help deal with this issue. In Baltimore, for example, despite their shortage of officers, homicides have been declining. This decline seems to be thanks to the city’s violence reduction strategy and prevention measures. This measure includes identifying people who are most likely to commit or be victimized by violence, meeting with them, and then offering them services that can help them get out of the cycle of crime.
Mayor Muriel Bowser recently introduced new legislation to help combat the increase in crime in D.C. Some of the measures include increasing the penalties for crimes such as carjackings and making it easier to keep violent suspects in custody. Other measures include increasing overall police presence and recruiting, imposing a juvenile curfew as well, and increasing the CCTVs in D.C.
Time will tell if and when these measures will help, meanwhile nonprofits and community leaders need to become part of the solution helping develop more holistic crime prevention programs.
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