Written by Stacey M. BrownNNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced a multi-pronged strategy to strengthen law enforcement and community-based efforts to combat violent crime in the United States. Speaking at a conference for federal grant recipients in Chicago, Garland emphasized the need to build on recent progress and stem the tide of violence sweeping many American cities.
Garland pointed to the recent significant drop in homicides, which he hailed as the largest annual decline in half a century. He cited Chicago's 13% drop in violent crime as a concrete example of the positive impact of targeted interventions. The attorney general said much of the progress is due to the bipartisan Safe Communities Act, which gives federal prosecutors the power to crack down on gun trafficking and straw purchases while also providing $250 million to community-based violence prevention initiatives. Allocated a grant of $1 million.
Mr. Garland announced that $78 million of the funds will be made available immediately to be distributed to organizations actively working to reduce violent crime and build community trust. He emphasized that these funds will directly support grassroots efforts to address the root causes of violence and promote safer communities across the country.
In November, the Department of Justice announced approximately $217 million in funding to hire 1,730 entry-level police officers at 394 agencies in 48 states through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services recruitment program.
Meanwhile, officials said violent crime fell in some of the country's largest cities last year. Philadelphia and Baltimore each saw a 20% drop in homicides from 2022 to 2023, according to federal statistics. President Joe Biden highlighted in his recent State of the Union address that the nation's homicide rate in 2023 will be at a historic low, with violent crime down 20% from the previous year. One of the lowest levels in the last 50 years.
South Carolina ranks eighth among America's most dangerous states, with a violent crime rate of 4.91 per 1,000 residents, according to Forbes magazine. However, overall violent crime decreased by 2.6% from 2021 to 2022, including a 12% decrease in homicides, according to the South Carolina Department of Law Enforcement's annual report.
Crime on New York City's transit system increased by approximately 7% in 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. The increase includes a recent spate of violent attacks and shootings, prompting New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to deploy the National Guard to the subways. this month.
Black people across America, especially young people, remain at disproportionately high risk of becoming victims of violent crime. Although black people make up 14% of the U.S. population, they account for 60% of firearm homicide deaths each year, according to an analysis released by the Brady Center for Gun Violence Prevention.
Hate crimes are also on the rise across the United States, according to a report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino. The report, titled “Faith Under Fire” and released in January, found that anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim hate crimes have skyrocketed after the Israel-Hamas war, and that hate crimes will increase by 11% in 2022-2023. It was found that there was an increase.
The FBI's Quarterly Uniform Crime Report shows a significant decrease in violent crime in 2023 compared to the previous year, and a 13% decrease in homicides compared to 2022. The Metropolitan Police Association's Violent Crime Survey found that homicides nationwide are down by double digits. Nearly 70 of America's largest cities will shrink in 2023 compared to 2022.
But while cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia saw homicides drop by 12% to 21%, other cities saw homicides spike in 2023. The homicide rate was 24% in Memphis, 27% in Washington, D.C., 15% in Dallas, and 14% in Kansas City.
Violent crime in New York City will continue to decline in 2024, according to NYPD crime statistics. Data through March 17 shows homicides are down 19% compared to the same period in 2023. Meanwhile, violent crime in New York City is on the decline, according to NYPD data. Housing development in the city decreased by 3.2% in 2023 compared to the previous year.
In addition to the investments, Garland announced plans to deploy federal resources and prosecutors to cities particularly affected by violent crime, such as St. Louis, Missouri. Jackson, Mississippi. and Hartford, Connecticut. He said the targeted deployment is aimed at supporting local law enforcement agencies and strengthening coordination in tackling crime-prone areas.
The announcement follows similar interventions in cities such as Houston, Memphis and Washington, D.C. A spike in violent crimes, particularly car burglaries and armed robberies, prompted Mayor Muriel Bowser and city leaders to , citizens are becoming increasingly concerned. Mr. Garland emphasized the need for continued focus and vigilance in the fight against violent crime and reiterated that while progress has been made, there is no room for complacency.
“The Department of Justice is committed to continuing our historic investments in community violence intervention,” Garland declared. “Violent crime isolates people and their communities. It further deepens the fissures in our public life. If we don't address this issue, it can undermine people's trust in their government and each other.”
