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Crime in Louisiana

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

According to the Louisiana Uniform Crime reporting program, there were 177,710 crimes reported in the U.S. state of Louisiana in 2018. 2018 had the least amount of non-violent criminal offenses since at least 2008. Violent crime decreased from 2017 to 2018, but 2012 still remains the lowest with its record of 22,868. Rape went up 12.7% from 2017 while murder/non-negligent manslaughter declined 7.8%. Additionally, robbery dropped 15% and aggravated assault dropped 1.5%. Handguns remain the leading murder weapon with a rate of 44.7% with firearm (type unknown) following close behind at 35.7%. Together, these two contribute for 80.4% of the murders. Similarly, robberies were committed mostly with firearms in 2018. Firearms were leading with 52% and strongarm listed with a percentage of 35%.[1]

Homicide statistics

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Louisiana experienced the highest per-capita murder rate (16.1 per 100,000) among all U.S. states in 2022 for the 34th straight year (1989–2022), according to The 2022 FBI Uniform Crime Report.[2] Louisiana averaged 13.7 murders per 100,000, compared to the U.S. average of 6.6 murders per 100,000 from 1989- 2014.

Louisiana murder rates per 100,000

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Year Murder rate Year Murder rate
1989 14.9 2005 10.0
1990 17.2 2006 13.1
1991 16.9 2007 14.7
1992 17.4 2008 12.3
1993 20.3 2009 11.8
1994 19.8 2010 11.2
1995 17.0 2011 11.2
1996 17.5 2012 10.6
1997 15.7 2013 10.8
1998 12.8 2014 10.2
1999 10.7 2015 10.3
2000 12.5 2016 11.8
2001 11.2 2017 12.4
2002 13.2 2018 11.4
2003 13.0 2019 11.7
2004 12.7 2020 15.8
2005 10.0 2021 19.6
2006 13.1 2022 16.1

Crime statistics: 1995–2019

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Crime totals by offense in the state of Louisiana from 1995 through 2018 as recorded by the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports.[3]

Numbers vary by year. Some reports list statistics for the previous year higher/lower than shown on said previous year's report.

Year Population Total    Violent Property
Crimes
Rape Robbery Aggravated
assault
Burglary Larceny
Theft
Vehicle
Theft
1994 4,342,000 289,873 43,741 246,132 1,855 11,662 29,484 53,481 166,667 n/a
1996 4,351,000 297,556 40,426 257,130 1,805 12,036 25,823 56,379 173,271 27,480
1997 4,352,000 280,671 37,248 243,423 1,799 10,407 24,360 53,935 163,114 26,374
1998 4,369,000 266,435 34,057 232,378 1,609 8,651 23,237 51,210 157,507 23,661
1999 4,372,000 251,252 32,033 219,219 1,448 7,591 22,526 47,775 149,749 21,695
2000 4,468,976 242,344 30,440 211,904 1,497 7,532 20,851 46,289 144,345 21,270
2001 4,465,430 238,371 30,678 207,693 1,404 7,864 20,910 46,451 139,555 21,687
2002 4,482,646 228,528 29,690 198,838 1,529 7,123 20,445 45,350 133,302 20,186
2003 4,493,665 222,320 28,622 193,698 1,601 7,008 19,429 44,572 129,471 19,655
2004 4,515,770 227,997 28,844 199,153 1,616 6,564 20,090 45,359 134,080 19,714
2005 4,523,628 193,500 26,889 166,611 1,421 5,337 19,681 39,382 112,840 14,389
2006 4,287,768 201,158 29,919 171,239 1,562 5,729 22,098 44,986 110,613 15,640
2007 4,293,204 206,308 31,317 174,991 1,393 6,083 23,233 44,602 115,209 15,180
2008 4,410,796 197,574 28,944 168,630 1,232 5,994 21,191 43,320 111,567 13,743
2009 4,492,076 198,305 27,849 170,456 1,359 6,105 19,855 46,246 112,493 11,717
2010 4,533,372 190,243 24,886 165,357 1,233 5,211 17,932 45,435 110,029 9,893
2011 4,574,836 194,150 25,406 168,744 1,268 5,239 18,386 46,320 113,301 9,123
2012 4,602,134 185,512 22,839 162,673 1,155 5,458 15,737 42,037 112,764 7,872
2013 4,625,470 189,295 23,609 165,686 1,244 5,548 16,319 41,184 115,342 9,160
2014 4,648,990 185,866 24,964 161,192 1,382 5,725 16,400 38,541 113,251 9,400
2015 4,670,724 183,097 26,468 156,629 1,723 5,550 17,454 35,453 111,435 9,741
2016 4,645,670 180,863 26,477 154,386 1,819 5,575 18,528 34,667 109,380 10,339
2017 4,663,461 183,804 26,092 157,712 1,867 5,358 18,285 34,265 112,485 10,962
2018 4,659,978 177,710 25,049 152,661 2,085 4,568 17,266 31,132 109,993 11,536

By location

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New Orleans

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In 2019, New Orleans had 121 murders with a rate of 30.7, ranking it number four in the top homicide city rates in the U.S. Despite this high number nationwide, this is still one of the lowest homicide rates for New Orleans since 1971.[5] In 2018, New Orleans had 143 murders.[6] Other violent crimes in 2018 also experienced a drop from previous years. New Orleans had the highest murder rate of any major American city in 2008 (42.1 per 100,000 people) 2001 (44.0 per 100,000) 2002 (53.1 per 100,000) 2003 (57.7 per 100,000) 2004 (56.0 per 100,000) 2006 (70 per 100,000) 2007 (81 per 100,000) 2008 (63.6 per 100,000) 2009 (52 per 100,000) 2010 (51 per 100,000) and 2011 {57.6 per 100,000} as well.

Baton Rouge

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In 2019, Baton Rouge had 83 murders with homicide rate was a per-capita homicide rate 31.[5][7] This is a downwards trend from the 106 murders in 2017, the recent record high.[7]

Homicides Per Year in Baton Rouge[7]
Year Homicide Year Homicide
2003 48 2012 84
2004 60 2013 64
2005 62 2014 63
2006 74 2015 78
2007 96 2016 62
2008 86 2017 106
2009 87 2018 87
2010 81 2019 83
2011 80

2011

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In In 2011, there were 15,134 crimes committed in Baton Rouge, including 64 murders, 51 forcible rapes, and 12,666 property crimes. The murder rate in Baton Rouge for 2011 was the 8th highest in the nation among large cities at 27.6 per 100,000.[8][9] Baton Rouge also had the 25th highest violent crime rate in the U.S. in 2011 with a rate of 1,065.7 violent crimes per 100,000, surpassing New Orleans at 792 per 100,000.[10] The Baton Rouge Police Department currently employs 789 police personnel (police officers, dispatchers and specialty positions).[11]

Capital punishment laws

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Capital punishment is applied in Louisiana. Executions are carried out by lethal injection at the Louisiana State Penitentiary (also known as Angola) and the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women at St. Gabriel.[12]

The first recorded execution in Louisiana occurred on September 24, 1722, when an unnamed man was hanged for theft.[13] The most recent execution took place on January 7, 2010 when Gerald J. Bordelon was put to death for the murder of his stepdaughter, Courtney Leblanc. It was the first execution in Louisiana since 2002.[14]

On June 29, 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in Furman v. Georgia, which halted capital punishment in the United States. Prior to this moratorium, however, Louisiana had not carried out an execution since Jesse James Ferguson was put to death in 1961.[15] Capital punishment was reinstated in Louisiana in 1976 following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Gregg v. Georgia. The first execution to occur in the state following the lifting of the moratorium was on December 14, 1983, when Robert Wayne Williams was electrocuted.[15] In total, Louisiana has executed 660 people. Eight convicted death row inmates have been exonerated in Louisiana since 1976.[12]

Notable criminals

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Year by year

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2012

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All categories of crime decreased in 2012 from 2011, except for robbery, which saw a 4.6% increase. Louisiana's overall crime rate, at 4,037.5, ranked fourth among U.S. states in 2012. Among the ten largest cities in Louisiana, the town of Alexandria had the highest crime rate at 9,174.6 crimes per 100,000 people.

Property crimes represented 88% of all reported criminal acts in 2012. There were 162,936 property crimes committed in Louisiana that year. Property crimes include burglary, larceny/theft and motor vehicle theft. The rate for property crimes in 2012 stood at 3,540.6 which was a 3.9% decrease from 2011. Police reported 15,740 aggravated assaults for a rate of 342.0. This marked a 14.8% drop in the aggravated assault rate from 2011; the largest decrease of all crimes. Louisiana ranked eighth in the aggravated assault rate among U.S. states in 2012. In addition, 1,158 incidents of forcible rape were recorded by police in 2012 for a rate of 25.2. The forcible rape rate decreased 8.8% from 2011. Louisiana ranked 37th in the rate of forcible rape among U.S. states in 2012. Despite a 2.8% decrease in its murder rate for 2012, Louisiana had the highest murder rate among U.S. states at 10.8 homicides per 100,000 people. The total number of homicides perpetrated in Louisiana in 2012 were 495, a decrease of 11 murders from 2011. Firearms accounted for 370 murders or 81% of all homicides. With 193 homicides, New Orleans had the highest total number of murders for any city in Louisiana. Two police officers were murdered in the line of duty in 2012.[22]

Louisiana had the highest incarceration rate (847.1 per 100,000) among U.S. states in 2013 for the 16th consecutive year. In 2012, Louisiana's prison population stood at 41,248, a 3.9% increase from 2011, for an incarceration rate of 893 prisoners per 100,000 people.[23]

2018

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According to the Louisiana Uniform Crime reporting program, there were 177,710 crimes reported in Louisiana in 2018. 2018 had the least amount of non-violent criminal offenses since at least 2008. Violent crime decreased from 2017 to 2018, but 2012 still remains the lowest with its record of 22,868. Rape went up 12.7% from 2017 while murder/non-negligent manslaughter declined 7.8%. Additionally, robbery dropped 15% and aggravated assault dropped 1.5%. Handguns remain the leading murder weapon with a rate of 44.7% with firearm (type unknown) following close behind at 35.7%. Together, these two contribute for 80.4% of the murders. Similarly, robberies were committed mostly with firearms in 2018. Firearms were leading with 52% and strongarm listed with a percentage of 35%.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b The Louisiana Statistical Analysis Center and The Louisiana Uniform Crime Reporting Program (2020). 2018 Crime in Louisiana. pp. 1–101.
  2. ^ "Louisiana tops murder rate again, new FBI data shows". Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  3. ^ a b "Crime in the United States". FBI. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  4. ^ Effgen, Christopher. "Louisiana Crime Rates 1960 - 2015". www.disastercenter.com. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  5. ^ a b writer, RAMON ANTONIO VARGAS | Staff. "New Orleans was fourth-deadliest U.S. city in 2019. Here's what 2020 ranking could look like". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  6. ^ "In New Orleans, a 47-year low in killings -- and that's no accident, police chief says".
  7. ^ a b c writers, LEA SKENE and JACQUELINE DEROBERTIS | Staff. "Baton Rouge ends 2019 with homicides slightly down despite recent surge in violence". The Advocate. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  8. ^ "U.C.R.; Baton Rouge". Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  9. ^ "Baltimore falls out of top 5 murder rate cities". Los Angeles Times. 2012-06-11. ISSN 0458-3035. Archived from the original on 2013-06-29. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  10. ^ Grillot, Chris. "Baton Rouge the 25th most dangerous city". LSUNow.com. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  11. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". ci.baton-rouge.la.us. Archived from the original on 2007-04-10. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  12. ^ a b "Death Penalty Info: Louisiana". Archived from the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  13. ^ http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/documents/ESPYstate.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  14. ^ "Louisiana man executed for killing stepdaughter in 2002". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  15. ^ a b "Lewiston Morning Tribune: Robert Wayne Williams execution". Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  16. ^ Schwartz, Nelson D.; Bhattarai, Abha (2008-06-14). "The Search for a Missing Trader Goes Global". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  17. ^ "The 'Voodoo' Murders of Clementine Barnabet, Who Claimed to Have Killed 35 People". 2017-08-02. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  18. ^ "Clementine Barnabet: The Dark Mystery of Louisiana's Voodoo Axe Murders | Real Crime". www.realcrimedaily.com. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  19. ^ "WOMAN CONFESSES KILLING 17 NEGROES; Leader of Church of Sacrifice Explains Creed Which Called for Wholesale Murders" (PDF). Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  20. ^ Davis, Miriam. "The Axeman of New Orleans Preyed on Italian Immigrants". Smithsonian. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  21. ^ "10 Famous Homicides In New Orleans That Will Never Be Forgotten". 6 June 2016. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  22. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-26. Retrieved 2014-10-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. ^ http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/p12ac.pdf [bare URL PDF]