Violent Crime in Cities Shows Sharp Surge

by Actual News Geezer | March 9, 2007 at 08:22 am

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A new report by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) reveals a bizarre paradox: while violent crime is down in the US as a whole, the situation in cities is worsening.

Of course the question is: why?

I came across a press release from The United States Conference of Mayors. Here's their answer:

Mayors and police chiefs have identified a number of factors contributing to this rise in crime, including a growing culture of violence among youth, gangs, a proliferation of illegal guns, drug activity, the re-entry of ex-offenders, and social problems related to school truancy and a lack of jobs. "Mayors and police chiefs are working together to address these issues at the local level, but while violent crime is steadily increasing, funding for federal law enforcement programs has been slashed in past years. The COPS hiring program (once funded at almost $1.3 billion), and the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant program (once funded at approximately $523 million) have both been eliminated. "We commend the 110th Congress, which has already begun to restore the federal-local partnership on crime by increasing funding for the COPS program and block grants.

Local police departments blame several factors: the spread of methamphetamine use in some Midwestern and Western cities, gangs, high poverty and a record number of people being released from prison. But the biggest theme, they say, is easy access to guns and a willingness, even an eagerness, to settle disputes with them, particularly among young people.

“There’s a mentality among some people that they’re living some really violent video game,” said Chris Magnus, the police chief in Richmond, Calif., north of San Francisco, where homicides rose 20 percent and gun assaults 65 percent from 2004 to 2006. “What’s disturbing is that you see that the blood’s real, the death’s real.”

About the Police Executive Research Forum

Mission

The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) is a national membership organization of progressive police executives from the largest city, county and state law enforcement agencies. PERF is dedicated to improving policing and advancing professionalism through research and involvement in public policy debate. Incorporated in 1977, PERF's primary sources of operating revenues are government grants and contracts, and partnerships with private foundations and other organizations.