New York. Los Angeles. Chicago. Omaha, Nebraska. It doesn’t matter. Ask a law enforcement officer in almost any major city how it’s going, and he’ll tell you the same thing: Crime is skyrocketing, and they’re struggling to stop it.
The summer of murder was followed by an autumn of murder. Homicide rates across America’s large cities increased by 42% during the summer of 2020 and 34% in the fall of 2020 compared to 2019, according to a new report by the Council on Criminal Justice. Other data confirm this trend: Crime analyst Jeff Asher found that murder was up by 36% as of December, and a Wall Street Journal analysis in August found that homicides were up by 24% even as other violent crimes, such as robbery, fell.
Some cities were hit harder than others. Chicago, for example, experienced a 50% increase in shootings and homicides last year. Out of every eight murders in the United States, at least one took place in Chicago.
In New York City, officials logged a 40% increase in homicides. Philadelphia, Detroit, and Memphis saw their numbers rise as well. Even less-violent cities, such as Omaha and Phoenix, were hit hard.
But why? What was it about 2020 that created the perfect conditions for violent crime?
The pandemic, the lockdowns, and unemployment all contributed. So did the weeks of protest and rioting following George Floyd’s death beneath the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. These ingredients (rising racial animus, increasing distrust between police and the policed, boredom, uncertainty) create quite the stew. As Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales put it, “This was a perfect storm.”
More important, however, is the factor this last year removed: the stability of our social institutions. Family members were discouraged from visiting each other. Social distancing put barriers between friends. Our schools closed their doors and stopped all after-school activities, leaving young people unaccountable. Our churches were forced to move online, too, taking away the in-person fellowship many people rely upon. The things that keep us grounded (work, faith, family) practically disappeared overnight. And what replaced them was frustration, loneliness, and the sudden desire to act out.
People need stability and connection — without it, crime fills the void.
