The latest survey from WalletHub finds New Orleans number one in the nation with the highest increase in homicide rates.
The survey compared 50 of the largest U.S. cities based on per capita homicides from the second quarter of the years 2020, 2021, and 2022.
New Orleans, though not one of the largest cities in the United States, came in first when its killing numbers were weighed against the number of residents.
Why there is a spike in homicide numbers has many baffled:
“There are a few explanations as to why we have seen homicide increases across the US. The last few years have been a period of instability/challenge with COVID-19, social unrest, and political change,” Says Christopher Salvatore, MA, Ph.D. – Associate Professor; Chairperson, Department of Justice Studies, Montclair State University. “During these periods faith in social institutions waivers (like the criminal justice system) and overall social control may weaken. In addition, we had people forced to stay home, and a large portion of crimes are committed by those we know – so crimes that increased recently such as domestic violence, assaults, and homicide may be due to interpersonal conflicts, increased use of drugs and alcohol, as well as increased social and economic pressures due to the pandemic.”
Salvatore expects the recent wave of killings to continue and potentially rise as the year wears on:
“With increasing costs of living and inflation, political and social debates around issues like abortion and gun control, ongoing concerns regarding COVID-19, and the rise of new potential threats to health and well-being like Monkeypox, we may be in for increases in homicide for another year. It is possible, that if we see stabilization in the economy, a decrease in COVID-19 rates, and resolutions in the areas of social debates, we may see a corresponding decrease in homicides and other violent crimes.”