Here's one more example of how the Bush Administration's neglect of urban problems, avoidance of gun control, and reduction in the number of Federally funded police officers is hurting cities. The FBI has submitted a new report showing that there was a major increase in violent crime in many mid-sized US cities across the country.
As the Boston Globe reported today: "In Hartford, for example, murders jumped more than 50 percent, from 16 to 25. Murders soared from 59 to 104 in Birmingham, Ala., up 76 percent; from 59 to 85 in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County, N.C., a 44 percent increase; from 89 to 126 in Kansas City, Mo., a 42 percent rise; from 87 to 122 in Milwaukee, a 40 percent jump; and from 79 to 109 in Cleveland, a 38 percent increase." The Washington Post today noted murders increased dramatically in cities, including Cleveland (up 38 percent) and Houston (23 percent).
There was a 13% increase in the number of murders in cities of between 100,000 and 250,000 population.
There was a 12% increase in the number of murders in cities of between 50,000 and 100,000 population.
http://www.fbi.gov/...
Excerpt of FBI report:
"By percent change in the number of violent crime offenses in 2005 compared with totals from 2004, cities with populations from 500,000 to 999,999 inhabitants saw the greatest increase, 8.3 percent, and cities with populations of 10,000 to 24,999 saw the smallest increase, 0.5 percent...
"...cities with populations from 100,000 to 249,999 had the greatest increase in the number of murders, up 12.5 percent. Cities with 500,000 to 999,999 inhabitants experienced the greatest increases in both robbery, 9.9 percent, and aggravated assault, 8.5 percent."
The Midwest experienced the steepest increase in murder rates of the 4 regions of the country, followed by the south and the northeast.
More detailed data at:
http://www.fbi.gov/filelink.html?file=/ucr/2005preliminary/05jan-dec.pdf