NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — New Orleans is a city of contradictions.
Yesterday, I received an email from a reader who wanted to visit New Orleans and stay in the French Quarter, but inquired whether it was safe.The hidden question was, the national news is repeating that New Orleans is the “crime capital of the world”, what should we do?
I responded that I have spent tremendous amounts of time in the French Quarter since Katrina and have never felt safer.I have walked the streets at night, bumped into tourists, into friends and haven’t been victimized.Not once.
Yet, New Orleans owns the tag of being that “crime capital of the world”.So how can it be safe to roam those streets, yet feast at the best eateries in the country and take in the greatest free show on earth?
The answer is simple.New Orleans is a tale of two cities and it confuses the dickens out of me why the national media doesn’t focus on the every day stories of local citizens who work hard all day and sometimes play hard at night.
Part of the problem is the slant and constant bash in the media—both local and national.
According to the USA Today, “New crime figures show a 30% increase in homicides in New Orleans last year over 2006, when the city ranked as the most murderous in the country.”
Based upon recent numbers, New Orleans is now a city of approximately 300,000 and using last year’s numbers based upon the number of murders this year, the national paper says that the City has a homicide rate at 71 per 100,000 residents.
By contrast, USA Today says that “In 2007, New York City recorded 6 homicides per 100,000 residents, while Los Angeles had 10.3.”
Yet, New Orleans puts on the biggest events of the world.This year, it will be hosting the BCS championship, has played a full suite of Saints football games, has just finished the Sugar Bowl, is awaiting the NBA All-Star game, crowds have jammed the French Quarter, are going to Hornets games, cultural events and other tourist areas.It will be hosting the Jazz Festival, the French Quarter Festival, and dozens of other festivals for locals and tourists to enjoy.Virtually all of us will have a crime-free wonderful time.This is occurring just two years after knowing the city might never recover.That does not go reported.
Yet, what does get reported are the crime stories in the national news.However, in reality, so many citizens are like me.They have never felt safer.
Without doubt, it is very difficult to rebound after the devastation of Katrina and Rita, but New Orleans is doing so, although according to Arthur Sterbcow, President of Latter and Blum Real Estate , it might take 15 years to do so which is the national average for cities hit by overwhelming tragedies.
The crime statistics appear to be drug-related, thug-on-thug killings and on the fringes of the City although occasionally there are high-profile killings that make national news immediately.
New Orleans will need more federal and state help to improve its criminal justice system.It will need citizens willing to “rat” on witnesses to aide police and law enforcement agents.It will need a “no-tolerance” attitude by the city leaders, by local ministers to ensure that the cycle of crime is broken.
It will need more action such as that by the City Council weeks ago to order the demolition of crime-infested dwellings.It will need the elimination of criminal court judges who have been overly lenient over the years.It will need a District Attorney with the best legal minds working with the best in technologies to help the police and the public bring down those numbers.
New Orleans might currently be the “crime capital of the world”, but it is a great place to pass the time.While no killing is acceptable, the reality must be told that it is a city that hosts the largest events, has the best restaurants, has people walking the streets in tourist-related areas, free of fear.
Post-Katrina New Orleans is a city of dichotomies.It has its reputation due to killings on the fringes and a criminal justice system that needs fixing, physically.But, the average tourist and citizen don’t even know that crime exists unless they read the papers or turn on the television.
That’s reality in this city recovering from a nightmare of a major flood.It is still the Superdome of fun, of the mystique, and of the dedicated--recovery from a major catastrophe only two years ago.
Yet, despite the major news articles often doing this city an injustice, it should not, and must not be missed.Not now, Hopefully, not ever.
But, the average tourist and citizen don’t even know that crime exists unless they read the papers or turn on the television.
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And luckily, very few (if any) Nola residents can read! Written by NolaIsForIlliterates
on 1/5/2008
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Stephen, I agree that violent crime in New Orleans is primarily a thug-on-thug activity, but burglaries and robberies are affecting us all. In all crime in New Orleans and probably everywhere else, it appears that drugs and poverty are closely correlated to criminal activity. To me, that requires attention to alleviation of poverty and control of drugs. ALLEVIATION OF POVERTY requires training of the citizens and provision of work, even state-sponsored work like the WPA. CONTROL OF DRUGS means reclassification of minor drug offenses to free up police for aggressive pursuit of major drug offenders. You fall into an ineffective mythological trap when you state that demolition of public housing will reduce crime. It's mythological because you seem to believe that we will purify the city if we sacrifice the buildings. That won't happen. It's ineffective because crime continues today even without the housing, showing that it's the people, not the housing, who commit crimes. The City Council acted stupidly in staging a sham public hearing, which was neither public nor a hearing. It was not public because they locked people out of it, and it was not a hearing because our comments made absolutely no difference. Many very important people, me included of course, requested a sixty-day moratorium on demolition in order to create an INTELLIGENT plan. Of course, the Council and the Mayor would not hear of an intelligent plan. There is too much money involved in the real-estate and construction deals. Written by Robert Desmarais Sullivan
on 1/3/2008
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Steve good article but very naive. Trust me, demolishing housing developments is only going to increase crime. Trust me capitalism 101, to keep the masses civil, is to provide housing and food and the masses will remain civil. One of the sacrifices of being a free society is crime and we all know that if we legalize drugs crime would end over night, but that's not in the best interest of the ruling class. This country is a crime it was started from criminalistic behavior. The land was stolen many, many people murdered, many treaties broken. how dare you or any one complain about crime when it is perpetuated by your forefathers and your industrial prison complexes and while you people are talking about street crime adolf bush is breaking all of your constitution and slowly taking away your freedom. Written by anthony
on 1/3/2008
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First of all I guess you have seen the wdsu spot on police cover up. Let's assume that there is no cover up at all and every single armed robbery was reported, which you know the drug dealers don't report.
In just one weekend, Dec 14, 15, 16, in JUST ONE DISTRICT, YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING ARMED ROBERIES COMMITTED AGAINST INOCENT PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH DRUGS. THESE ARE DECENT TO AWESOME NEIGHBORHOODS AND 25% OF THESE CRIMES WERE PRIOR TO 7 P.M. AT NIGHT. ONE WEEKEND, ONE DISTRICT, ARMED ROBBERIES, YOU DO THE MATH.
BTW, I was at the benefit for Robert Strong who got shot in the Garden District on St. Charles that the police failed at their attempt to cover up. However, being that it was 3-4 days later that it was publicized, they were successful in a partial cover up. There were dozens of people at that event telling stories of crime that happened to them and it never being publicized.
ARMED ROBBERY- 2ND DISTRICT, DEC 14-16,
Friday Maple and Lowerline Street-
Friday Burthe and Lowerline Street-
Saturday 2400 block of Calhoun Street-
Sunday 1200 block of Dante Street-
Sunday 1100 block of Dante Street-
Sunday Audubon and Zimple Street-
Sunday 5300 block of Perrier Street-
Sunday 1800 block of Milan Street-
If you continue to follow Steve logic that ignores our crime problem, it will only get worse.
Written by You'reNotinKansasAnymore
on 1/3/2008
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Nevertheless, I'm sure statistics would show most of the killing is thug-on-thug. As for the rest, arm yourself and give thanks to the NRA's lobbying skill. As for tourists, the TP years ago included in their paper a city map with a marker for each homicide. A similar map should be available to visitors but unfortunately the city would rather see our tourists wander into danger than have negative publicity. Written by kerry fox
on 1/3/2008
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"The crime statistics appear to be drug-related, thug-on-thug killings and on the fringes of the City although occasionally there are high-profile killings that make national news immediately."
You are so misinformed. A guy was carjacked at 9 pm at Loyola and Calhoun, there was a shootout in the day a block from Langenstein's uptown, armed robbery at 2400 nashville, armed robbery at 2600 calhoun, ROBERT STRONG WAS SHOT IN THE FACE AT 9 P.M. ON A SATURDAY NIGHT ON ST. CHARLES AVENUE IN THE GARDEN DISTRICT!!!!!
Not ONE, NOT ONE OF THESE HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THUG ON THUG CRIME.
AND ROBERT STRONG WAS A CASE OF COVER-UP, AS ARE HUNDREDS OF CRIMES!!
So it seems to me, if every innocent citizen in the street is car jacked, maimed for life, or whatever, you think tourists should still come here simply because the victims were not killed.
NEW ORLEANS IS RAMPANT WITH CRIME AGAINST COMPLETELY INNOCENT VICTIMS. ARMED ROBBERY, CAR JACKINGS, AND EVEN A BANK HEIST WENT DOWN! Written by Crime is Legal
on 1/3/2008
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Terrific article. It really is a tale of two cities. I have spent 46 of my 52 years here and (knock on wood) have yet to be the victim of any crime (except stolen bicycles). I would think most of the deaths by gunshot in this town is due to the profits of the drug trade, not pedertrians being robbed and shot. Written by kerry fox
on 1/3/2008
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Stephen, dear, you are right. The issue of crime will utlimately come down to involvement of parents and members of religious organizations. Years of neglect, years of ignorance, and years of poor education and values, and years of the leadership failure in this city have led to crime of major proportions. However, there is more to New Orleans as we all know.
Your statement: "It will need more action such as that by the City Council weeks ago to order the demolition of crime-infested dwellings. It will need the elimination of criminal court judges who have been overly lenient over the years. It will need a District Attorney with the best legal minds working with the best in technologies to help the police and the public bring down those numbers." says a lot.
However, we would propose a publication of the details of the history of those accused of crimes, including issues of education and parentage. Let's get it all out so that the basis of the crime can be seen. You will see a dichotomy in certain instances but the primary causes will be present in most of the histories of accused. Foolish some may say. Unconstitutional some will say. We say face reality - New Orleans must face reality. Written by RhettsWife
on 1/3/2008
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NEW ORLEANS
