Crime in Louisiana

Last updated

According to the Louisiana Uniform Crime reporting program, there were 177,710 crimes reported in the U.S. state of Louisiana in 2018. The year 2018 had the fewest non-violent criminal offenses since at least 2008. Violent crime decreased from 2017 to 2018, but 2012 still remains the lowest with its record of 22,868. Rape went up 12.7% from 2017 while murder/non-negligent manslaughter declined 7.8%. Additionally, robbery dropped 15% and aggravated assault dropped 1.5%. Handguns remain the leading murder weapon with a rate of 44.7% with firearm (type unknown) following close behind at 35.7%. Together, these two contribute for 80.4% of the murders. Similarly, robberies were committed mostly with firearms in 2018. Firearms were leading with 52% and strongarm listed with a percentage of 35%. [1]

Contents

Homicide statistics

Louisiana experienced a higher murder and non-negligent manslaughter rate (10.8 per 100,000) than any other U.S. state in 2024 for the 36th straight year (1989–2024), according to The 2024 FBI Uniform Crime Report. [2] The average annual murder/nonnegligent manslaughter rate in Louisiana (13.6 per 100,000) is more than two times higher than the average annual rate in the U.S.(6.3 per 100,000) from 1989- 2024.

Louisiana murder rates per 100,000

[3] [4]

YearMurder rateYearMurder rate
198914.9200510.0
199017.2200613.1
199116.9200714.7
199217.4200812.3
199320.3200911.8
199419.8201011.2
199517.0201111.2
199617.5201210.6
199715.7201310.8
199812.8201410.2
199910.7201510.3
200012.5201611.8
200111.2201712.4
200213.2201811.4
200313.0201911.7
200412.7202015.8
200510.0202119.6
200613.1202216.1

Crime statistics: 1995–2019

Crime totals by offense in the state of Louisiana from 1995 through 2018 as recorded by the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports. [3]

Numbers vary by year. Some reports list statistics for the previous year higher/lower than shown on said previous year's report.

YearPopulationTotal   ViolentProperty
Crimes		RapeRobberyAggravated
assault		BurglaryLarceny
Theft		Vehicle
Theft
19944,342,000289,87343,741246,1321,85511,66229,48453,481166,667n/a
19964,351,000297,55640,426257,1301,80512,03625,82356,379173,27127,480
19974,352,000280,67137,248243,4231,79910,40724,36053,935163,11426,374
19984,369,000266,43534,057232,3781,6098,65123,23751,210157,50723,661
19994,372,000251,25232,033219,2191,4487,59122,52647,775149,74921,695
20004,468,976242,34430,440211,9041,4977,53220,85146,289144,34521,270
20014,465,430238,37130,678207,6931,4047,86420,91046,451139,55521,687
20024,482,646228,52829,690198,8381,5297,12320,44545,350133,30220,186
20034,493,665222,32028,622193,6981,6017,00819,42944,572129,47119,655
20044,515,770227,99728,844199,1531,6166,56420,09045,359134,08019,714
20054,523,628193,50026,889166,6111,4215,33719,68139,382112,84014,389
20064,287,768201,15829,919171,2391,5625,72922,09844,986110,61315,640
20074,293,204206,30831,317174,9911,3936,08323,23344,602115,20915,180
20084,410,796197,57428,944168,6301,2325,99421,19143,320111,56713,743
20094,492,076198,30527,849170,4561,3596,10519,85546,246112,49311,717
20104,533,372190,24324,886165,3571,2335,21117,93245,435110,0299,893
20114,574,836194,15025,406168,7441,2685,23918,38646,320113,3019,123
20124,602,134185,51222,839162,6731,1555,45815,73742,037112,7647,872
20134,625,470189,29523,609165,6861,2445,54816,31941,184115,3429,160
20144,648,990185,86624,964161,1921,3825,72516,40038,541113,2519,400
20154,670,724183,09726,468156,6291,7235,55017,45435,453111,4359,741
20164,645,670180,86326,477154,3861,8195,57518,52834,667109,38010,339
20174,663,461183,80426,092157,7121,8675,35818,28534,265112,48510,962
20184,659,978177,71025,049152,6612,0854,56817,26631,132109,99311,536

By location

New Orleans

In 2019, New Orleans had 121 murders with a rate of 30.7, ranking it number four in the top homicide city rates in the U.S. Despite this high number nationwide, this is still one of the lowest homicide rates for New Orleans since 1971. [5] In 2018, New Orleans had 143 murders. [6] Other violent crimes in 2018 also experienced a drop from previous years. New Orleans had the highest murder rate of any major American city in 2008 (42.1 per 100,000 people) 2001 (44.0 per 100,000) 2002 (53.1 per 100,000) 2003 (57.7 per 100,000) 2004 (56.0 per 100,000) 2006 (70 per 100,000) 2007 (81 per 100,000) 2008 (63.6 per 100,000) 2009 (52 per 100,000) 2010 (51 per 100,000) and 2011 {57.6 per 100,000} as well.

Baton Rouge

In 2019, Baton Rouge had 83 murders with homicide rate was a per-capita homicide rate 31. [5] [7] This is a downwards trend from the 106 murders in 2017, the recent record high. [7]

Homicides Per Year in Baton Rouge [7]
YearHomicideYearHomicide
200348201284
200460201364
200562201463
200674201578
200796201662
2008862017106
200987201887
201081201983
201180

2011

In In 2011, there were 15,134 crimes committed in Baton Rouge, including 64 murders, 51 forcible rapes, and 12,666 property crimes. The murder rate in Baton Rouge for 2011 was the 8th highest in the nation among large cities at 27.6 per 100,000. [8] [9] Baton Rouge also had the 25th highest violent crime rate in the U.S. in 2011 with a rate of 1,065.7 violent crimes per 100,000, surpassing New Orleans at 792 per 100,000. [10] The Baton Rouge Police Department currently employs 789 police personnel (police officers, dispatchers and specialty positions). [11]

Capital punishment laws

Capital punishment is applied in Louisiana. Executions are carried out by lethal injection at the Louisiana State Penitentiary (also known as Angola) and the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women at St. Gabriel. [12]

The first recorded execution in Louisiana occurred on September 24, 1722, when an unnamed man was hanged for theft. [13] The most recent execution took place on January 7, 2010, when Gerald J. Bordelon was put to death for the murder of his stepdaughter, Courtney Leblanc. It was the first execution in Louisiana since 2002. [14]

On June 29, 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in Furman v. Georgia, which halted capital punishment in the United States. Prior to this moratorium, however, Louisiana had not carried out an execution since Jesse James Ferguson was put to death in 1961. [15] Capital punishment was reinstated in Louisiana in 1976 following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Gregg v. Georgia. The first execution to occur in the state following the lifting of the moratorium was on December 14, 1983, when Robert Wayne Williams was electrocuted. [15] In total, Louisiana has executed 660 people. Eight convicted death row inmates have been exonerated in Louisiana since 1976. [12]

Notable criminals

Year by year

2012

All categories of crime decreased in 2012 from 2011, except for robbery, which saw a 4.6% increase. Louisiana's overall crime rate, at 4,037.5, ranked fourth among U.S. states in 2012. Among the ten largest cities in Louisiana, the town of Alexandria had the highest crime rate at 9,174.6 crimes per 100,000 people.

Property crimes represented 88% of all reported criminal acts in 2012. There were 162,936 property crimes committed in Louisiana that year. Property crimes include burglary, larceny/theft and motor vehicle theft. The rate for property crimes in 2012 stood at 3,540.6 which was a 3.9% decrease from 2011. Police reported 15,740 aggravated assaults for a rate of 342.0. This marked a 14.8% drop in the aggravated assault rate from 2011; the largest decrease of all crimes. Louisiana ranked eighth in the aggravated assault rate among U.S. states in 2012. In addition, 1,158 incidents of forcible rape were recorded by police in 2012 for a rate of 25.2. The forcible rape rate decreased 8.8% from 2011. Louisiana ranked 37th in the rate of forcible rape among U.S. states in 2012. Despite a 2.8% decrease in its murder rate for 2012, Louisiana had the highest murder rate among U.S. states at 10.8 homicides per 100,000 people. The total number of homicides perpetrated in Louisiana in 2012 were 495, a decrease of 11 murders from 2011. Firearms accounted for 370 murders or 81% of all homicides. With 193 homicides, New Orleans had the highest total number of murders for any city in Louisiana. Two police officers were murdered in the line of duty in 2012. [22]

Louisiana had the highest incarceration rate (847.1 per 100,000) among U.S. states in 2013 for the 16th consecutive year. In 2012, Louisiana's prison population stood at 41,248, a 3.9% increase from 2011, for an incarceration rate of 893 prisoners per 100,000 people. [23]

2018

According to the Louisiana Uniform Crime reporting program, there were 177,710 crimes reported in Louisiana in 2018. The year 2018 had the fewest non-violent criminal offenses since at least 2008. Violent crime decreased from 2017 to 2018, but 2012 still remains the lowest with its record of 22,868. Rape went up 12.7% from 2017 while murder/non-negligent manslaughter declined 7.8%. Additionally, robbery dropped 15% and aggravated assault dropped 1.5%. Handguns remain the leading murder weapon with a rate of 44.7% with firearm (type unknown) following close behind at 35.7%. Together, these two contribute for 80.4% of the murders. Similarly, robberies were committed mostly with firearms in 2018. Firearms were leading with 52% and strongarm listed with a percentage of 35%. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 The Louisiana Statistical Analysis Center and The Louisiana Uniform Crime Reporting Program (2020). 2018 Crime in Louisiana. pp. 1–101.
  2. ↑ "Louisiana tops murder rate again, new FBI data shows" . Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  3. 1 2 "Crime in the United States". FBI. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  4. ↑ Effgen, Christopher. "Louisiana Crime Rates 1960 - 2015". www.disastercenter.com. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  5. 1 2 writer, RAMON ANTONIO VARGAS | Staff. "New Orleans was fourth-deadliest U.S. city in 2019. Here's what 2020 ranking could look like". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  6. ↑ "In New Orleans, a 47-year low in killings -- and that's no accident, police chief says".
  7. 1 2 3 writers, LEA SKENE and JACQUELINE DEROBERTIS | Staff. "Baton Rouge ends 2019 with homicides slightly down despite recent surge in violence". The Advocate. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  8. ↑ "U.C.R.; Baton Rouge" . Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  9. ↑ "Baltimore falls out of top 5 murder rate cities". Los Angeles Times. 2012-06-11. ISSN   0458-3035. Archived from the original on 2013-06-29. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  10. ↑ Grillot, Chris. "Baton Rouge the 25th most dangerous city". LSUNow.com. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  11. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". ci.baton-rouge.la.us. Archived from the original on 2007-04-10. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  12. 1 2 "Death Penalty Info: Louisiana". Archived from the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  13. ↑ http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/documents/ESPYstate.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  14. ↑ "Louisiana man executed for killing stepdaughter in 2002". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  15. 1 2 "Lewiston Morning Tribune: Robert Wayne Williams execution" . Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  16. ↑ Schwartz, Nelson D.; Bhattarai, Abha (2008-06-14). "The Search for a Missing Trader Goes Global". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  17. ↑ "The 'Voodoo' Murders of Clementine Barnabet, Who Claimed to Have Killed 35 People". 2017-08-02. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  18. ↑ "Clementine Barnabet: The Dark Mystery of Louisiana's Voodoo Axe Murders | Real Crime". www.realcrimedaily.com. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  19. ↑ "WOMAN CONFESSES KILLING 17 NEGROES; Leader of Church of Sacrifice Explains Creed Which Called for Wholesale Murders" (PDF). Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  20. ↑ Davis, Miriam. "The Axeman of New Orleans Preyed on Italian Immigrants". Smithsonian. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  21. ↑ "10 Famous Homicides In New Orleans That Will Never Be Forgotten". 6 June 2016. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
  22. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-26. Retrieved 2014-10-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. ↑ http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/p12ac.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
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