[Global Times-Global Network Reporter Zhao Juehui] "In 2020, the crime rate in major cities in the United States will increase significantly", the US Cable Television News Network (CNN) quoted the latest report issued by the Metropolitan Police Chiefs Association (MCCA) on the 3rd. Last year, the number of homicides in major U.S. cities increased by 33% year-on-year.
This report shows that 63 of the 66 large police districts under the jurisdiction of the US police had an increase in at least one category of violent crime last year, such as murder, robbery, rape, or malicious assault.
In Chicago, homicides in the first quarter of this year increased by 33% year-on-year, and shootings increased by nearly 40%.
As of March 28 this year, shootings in New York City have surged by nearly 50% over the same period last year.
In Los Angeles, a total of 91 homicides occurred from the beginning of this year to March 30, an increase of 36% year-on-year.
MCCA's data is not an isolated case of rising crime rates in the United States. CNN cited data compiled by the "Gun Violence Archives" as saying that last year, nearly 20,000 people died in various gun violence incidents in the United States. Last year there were more mass shootings than in 2019. More than 200.
According to the definition given by this organization, mass shootings refer to shootings in which more than 4 people were injured or killed (not including gunmen).
According to CNN, it is almost impossible to attribute changes in violent crime statistics to any single factor.
Experts believe that the influencing factors behind it include economic downturn, social anxiety caused by the new crown epidemic, and large-scale protest marches.
In May last year, Freud, an African-American man, died after being violently enforced by white police in Minneapolis. This incident triggered a series of large-scale protests across the United States to oppose police violent enforcement and police discrimination.
In order to maintain public order, police in many places have deployed a large number of police forces, resulting in insufficient community police force.
Peter Moscos, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, analyzed that there is no causal relationship between demonstrations and the increase in violence, but demonstrations will take up police resources and energy.
In addition, some police officers had to isolate themselves with colleagues who had close contact because of the new coronavirus.
In addition, the new crown epidemic has also made courts, prisons, detention centers and other criminal justice agencies struggling to cope. Because these places are high-risk areas, the court system was forced to close down, and even some suspects and minor offenders waiting for trial were released early. .