Indiana

Crime Beat

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

Marion County Public Safety Director tells me the city does have a comprehensive plan to fighting crime and it is showing results, despite the sharp increase in homicides. 

Scott Newman made his comments this morning as law enforcement officials were dealing with a murder-suicide that began in the 5700 block of Georgetown and ended following a high speed chase at 25th and Pennsylvania; taking the city to 72 homicides this year.

Newman says the County is increasing the efficiency of the criminal justice system so criminals are not bonding out quicker.  He also says they’ve added about 40 public safety assistants to take care of paperwork, freeing up officers to deal with the crime problem.

In addition, Newman says they have targeted 50 beats with the worse offenders, noting that about six percent of the offenders are responsible for most of the crime.  Luckily the city is above the national average in solving homicides.  The national average is 61 percent, while Indianapolis is 71 percent.

Newman also stressed the importance of re-entry programs for ex-offenders, noting that there were more than 5,000 ex-offenders released into Marion County over the past several years and 74-percent of committed another crime within three years of being released.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on July 22, 2008 (boomark / email).