With COVID occupying many peoples’ attention and the resources of government, crime rates, and especially violent crimes, have been rising. This is particularly acute in large cities with concentrated urban areas. Petty crimes are also on the rise, especially related to auto theft.
Crime is influenced by many things and not a single factor. Reasons for the increased rate of crime have been linked to several factors, such as increased unemployment, the closing of schools, prison release programs and shutting down many recreational activities. According to the criminologist Richard Rosenfeld, the homicide rate in April and May of this year dropped by 21.5% and 9.9% in 64 cities compared to 2019. He asserts that it is a result of lockdown orders whereby there was little interaction between people, and most businesses were not in operation. However, as many cities have started reopening, and people are growing restless and irritated, crime has begun to increase.
There has been an unmistakable increase of violent crimes in our major cities. Recently, over 300 people in New York City were shot. Murders in Philadelphia and Minneapolis have recorded an increase to 27% and 94% compared to 2019. Chicago has also been affected with a rise in violent crime. In 2020, over 300 murders were reported, which included children.
The crime rate in the U.S. has recently become more alarming.. The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) holds the opinion that a rise in crime rates is because many offenders were released as a measure to minimize the spread of coronavirus in county jails. Subsequently, offenders have been caught re-offending. The opinion is based on an analysis of 30 cities compared to 2019 across the U.S.. According to PERF, there was an increase in commercial burglaries this year since most business premises were not in operation for many weeks. Across the country, rates of crime, burglary and grand larceny have spiked in the previous month compared to the same month last year. This has been documented in New York City, Los Angeles, and many other cities. This leaves many business owners in search of ways to protect their businesses and livelihood. Hiring private contract security has shown to be a reliable and effective way to keep businesses and customers safe. Unlike other forms of security, a team of trained guards can preempt trouble, initiate a planned protocol, and guard the premises and patrons from unfortunate incidents.