The Crime Report (https://thecrimereport.org/author/jackatme/)
Burglaries of New York City commercial establishments have increased 75 percent between March 12 and March 31, but other types of crime have slowed since Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency, according to the NYPD.
In some cities, police are reportedly “stacking” charges against violators of stay-at-home orders, reports the Center on American Progress. Many authorities still insist they will use fines and jail sentences only as a last resort; but as infection numbers grow, more hardline policing may be unavoidable.
President Donald Trump formally named Kendel Ehrlich to lead the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking. He picked Jessica Hart to lead the Office for Victims of Crime.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot praised Brown’s “nationally recognized leadership and years of on-the-ground work to create a culture rooted in transparency, accountability and community policing” in her announcement.
In just 12 days, confirmed cases at the Rikers Island jail complex in New York have soared from one to nearly 200, according to Ross MacDonald, the facility’s chief physician. He warned that it is “unlikely” they will be able to stop the growth, predicting that 20 percent of those infected will need hospital treatment. He called for the immediate release of incarcerees.
The Measures for Justice (MFJ) project, which collects comparative data on the operation of local criminal justice systems nationwide, says it’s doubling down on its efforts so policymakers “can be in a better position to tackle all the same problems, and the new ones the coronavirus has left in its wake.” Data from a dozen more states will be published this year.
The stabbing incident at a Sam’s Club last month, involving two children ages 2 and 6, was among a surge of hate crimes against Asian Americans across the U.S. noted in an FBI report.
At a time when many law enforcement officials have released inmates and curtailed arrests to prevent a deadly outbreak inside correctional facilities, police are stepping up a crackdown on Americans who flout social distancing measures.
The raw number of inmates dropped six percent during the same period, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The total likely has been reduced further, especially during COVID-19.
Many analysts said widespread criticism of the 2014 police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., prompted police generally to be less proactive and emboldened criminals. A new study finds that changes in officer attitudes and practices were minor.