The stats are in: Murders are decreasing in Baton Rouge & NOLA
Updated figures recently published by crime data experts show good news: Murders are on the decline across the United States as well as in Louisiana’s largest cities.
Overall, murder is down around 12% in 165 large cities with available data. With only a few months left in the year, that figure is unlikely to change.
Three Louisiana cities are included in this report. Baton Rouge has seen a nearly 22% drop in murders in the past year, and New Orleans murders have decreased over 24%. This is good news for two cities where law enforcement and community leaders have come together to develop and implement evidence-based plans and continually evaluate progress in reducing crime and improving public safety.
In Shreveport, however, murder has increased over 40% in the past year, based on the latest figures published as of July 2023. No August or September figures have yet been posted.
Crime data expert Jeff Asher compared these data to figures published in the national Gun Violence Archive, which shows that shooting victims were down 25% relative to September 2020 and up less than 10% relative to September 19, before spikes began to occur.
His overall takeaway: “What it all means is that it is becoming increasingly likely that murder will have fallen at or near a historic rate in 2023.”
This is good news for America and for Louisiana, and we hope to see these rates continue falling in all Louisiana communities. This is what’s possible when law enforcement is equipped and supported to implement evidence-based strategies with the full cooperation of businesses, faith leaders, nonprofits, and citizens dedicated to keeping their neighborhoods safe.
To learn more about how Louisiana can improve public safety and its criminal justice system, visit:
