Is New Orleans the Murder Capital of America?

I don't think so, but that is what the article says. I am really more interested in the statistics. Viewpoint: Should more New Orleanians own guns for self-defense?

On the whole it is an opinion piece mostly in favor of armed civilians. Do I agree with everything? No. That doesn't matter.

What caught my attention is the statistics. Years are compared for January thru July based on City of New Orleans Coroner's Office data and NOPD data.

Between 2019 and 2022 homicides increased 136%, shootings increased 101%, and carjacking increased a massive 194%. Armed robbery was "only" up 31% over that period. Do we call that good news, or just not-quite-so-bad news?

The totals put them way behind Chicago, but I don't know how the per capita rates would stack up. And Killadelphia is also in the running for deadliest city.

But back to New Orleans.

Perhaps the most compelling reason women might want to arm themselves can be found in the Metropolitan Crime Commission’s Weekly Orleans Prosecution Update. There were 87 new felony arrests since last week. A 52% majority of felony arrests are for violent felony charges including 16% domestic violent. Only 31% of violent-domestic felonies were accepted for prosecution.

According to the MCC, the discrepancy between domestic and non-domestic violence cases outcomes remains substantial. “A staggering 89 percent majority of domestic violence felony cases are resolved through either misdemeanor plea/conviction (50 percent), dismissal (34 percent) or not guilty verdicts (5 percent).” In other words, many victims of domestic violence may never get the justice they deserve.

Or as I usually put it, expecting The System™ to protect you, or secure justice, is not a winning plan.

As I mentioned, I don't like everything that they have to say in this article, but overall it is not bad. (The image is from A Human Right.)