NEW ORLEANS, La. (KLFY) — Louisiana is seeing an overall drop in crime over the past decade, according to a recent study of FBI crime statistics.
The Pelican Institute for Public Policy released a report Wednesday titled “Crime in Louisiana: Analyzing the Data,” a look at Louisiana’s crime numbers.
The report was produced using the Louisiana data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report and Bureau of Justice Statistics. The data show that while crime spikes in recent years have been a serious concern and must be addressed, they were a nationwide phenomenon, not a problem unique to Louisiana.
Key findings from the paper include:
- Property crimes are decreasing in Louisiana.
- Increases in violent crime were a nationwide event in 2020, impacting almost every state.
- The amount of time served by violent offenders has increased between 2000-2021.
- Violent crime increases in Louisiana were lower than in other southern states.
- Increases in violent crime are not correlated with criminal justice reforms or decreased incarceration rates.
According to the report, Louisiana’s property crime rate decreased by 30% over the last 20 years. While motor vehicle theft increased over the last five years, burglary decreased by 23% from June 2017 to December 2019, with other thefts trending downward as well. Robberies declined 25% from 2017 to 2020.
The Pelican Institute is a New Orleans-based think tank which seeks to “educate the public about the benefits of individual liberty and free enterprise.”
“Public safety reform is too important not to get right,” said Daniel Erspamer, CEO of the Pelican Institute. “Decisions should be grounded in facts and data, and reforms should reflect proven policy that increases public safety, reduces crime, and makes the best use of scarce tax-payer dollars. To do that, we must first have the facts.”
Read the full report here.
