Back in 2020 and 2021, the murder rate surged, and though it has fallen since then, it stayed 24% higher in 2022 than in 2019.
While we hope that decline continues, that’s not likely without real changes to how our state deals with crime.
In this week’s Locke Notes, we’ll cover our state’s crime problem and consider possible solutions.
Getting Away With Murder
As it turns out, when criminals think it’s likely they’ll be arrested (and punished), fewer are inclined to commit crimes.
And, while I know this isn’t shocking to you, it definitely is to some key decision-makers in cities like Raleigh and Charlotte.
Unfortunately in 2022, fewer than half of all murders in our state resulted in anyone being charged at all, let alone convicted. And, sadly, the numbers look even worse for aggravated assault. Almost three quarters of offenses go unpunished!
Most infuriating is the fact that this lack of justice encourages more violence, leaving even more victims at the mercy of a system that lacks both the personnel and resources to ensure their future safety.
The Answer is Simple….More Policing, Not Less
A common sense (and data supported) way to make sure more criminals face consequences is intensive community policing. This is exactly what it sounds like. It means that there are more police, not only to respond to crimes, but also, to maintain public order.
As Locke Senior Fellow Jon Guze points out, this type of deterrence-focused policing prevents many crimes from happening in the first place. And it makes it a lot more likely that criminals pay for their actions.
Join The Carolina Journal’s Editor-in-Chief Donna King and John Locke Foundation’s Mitch Kokai to discuss our May poll! This poll breakfast will be at City Club in downtown Raleigh.
