M. Scott Peck, a famous psychiatrist and the author of “The Road Less Traveled,” wisely observed: “Problems do not go away. They must be worked through or else they remain, forever a barrier to the growth and development of the spirit.”
Louisiana is at a crossroads, plagued by a pandemic of crime the duration of which transcends generations. Crime is a barrier for peace and prosperity, holding our state back from a future we want our children and grandchildren to enjoy. Until we address these problems, we will remain a state that our neighbors flee for better opportunities and safer communities.
Today, as we continue to fulfill our campaign promises and kick off our Crime Special Session, it is important we give an honest assessment of our current situation.
In 2020, our homicide rate was the second-highest in the country with nearly 20 homicides for every 100,000 people. Now, we are ranked the most dangerous state in America. For every square mile we have 29 crimes and one car stolen every hour in most areas. Violent crime has reached a rate of nearly seven incidents for every thousand residents. In fact, your chance of becoming a victim to a violent crime is about 1 in 147 statewide.
Our Crescent City was recently named the sixth most dangerous city, citing a crime rate that is 150% higher than the national average. In 2020, New Orleans saw over 200 murders, more than 1,000 robberies and 3,200 assaults. That same year, your chance of becoming a victim was 1 in 74.
In New Orleans, one in every 14 Black men will be murdered before he reaches the age of 35.
And our current policies are just giving us more of the same.
None of this has happened in a vacuum. School failure and dropout rates directly correlate with rates of delinquency and criminality. Not only do students who drop out of school earn lower wages, but they also have higher rates of incarceration than their peers who do graduate from high school. If you were to poll drug offenders, you would discover that 47% of them do not have a high school diploma or equivalent.
These deeply rooted problems prevent us from becoming a safe and successful state, impeding economic development and contributing to our outward migration problem. After all, if you feel unsafe pumping gas in your neighborhood or your family has to worry about stray bullets flying into the living room, you will never escape a sense of fight or flight. And as long as Louisiana remains in that frightful state of mind, we will never be able to build back up. Until crime is under control, we will never be competitive in the South.
That is why my crime special session is so very important. It is why it was a top priority throughout the campaign, and it has been my number one issue since Day One. This is our opportunity to address policies that are preventing our success. It is a chance to bring forth transparency and provide second chances while simultaneously holding hardened criminals accountable. It is our time to finally prioritize victims over criminals. Now is our opportunity to restore balance and give Louisiana a fighting chance at the future our state deserves. That future begins today, with this crime special session.
Jeff Landry is the 57th governor of the state of Louisiana.
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