High murder rates must be reversed in the Valley

Police departments in the Mahoning Valley’s two largest cities will have their work cut out for them in 2018 toward making a dent in the alarmingly high spike in murders throughout 2017.

A simple comparative analysis of homicide data from Youngstown and Warren illuminates the seriousness of the deadly upward trend:

In 2017, Youngstown recorded at least 26 homicides, a 37 percent jump from 19 in 2016. In Warren, at least 12 homicides were recorded, 200 percent more than 2016.

Collectively, Youngstown and Warren with a population of about 104,000 logged at least 38 cold-blooded killings compared with 42 for Akron, a city with nearly double the population.

In a broader perspective, the 38 deaths per 100,000 people in the two urban centers represents a homicide rate nearly 10 times higher than the national average of 4 per 100,000 residents.

Clearly, if that trend continues, the Valley risks regaining its former ignominious reputation as Murdertown USA. That’s why no efforts should be spared and no potentially effective counterattacks ignored to reverse the trend.

That trend is particularly disappointing because both cities had made progress in 2016 in reducing the scope of such urban carnage. In Youngstown, for example, the homicide toll had dropped 22 percent in 2016 from 2015 levels.

WHAT’S BEHIND SPIKE?

So what went wrong over the past 12 months?

Clearly, one cannot pin the increase on the quality of crime fighting in the cities. In Youngstown, the force has been beefed up, and several initiatives credited with stemming gun violence – including the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence and vigilant community policing – strengthened through the year.

CIRV, a partnership of law enforcement, social-service agencies and the faith community, and other initiatives have succeeded in lessening the scope of violent crime other than murder.

Crime data in Youngstown show an increase in homicides tied to domestic violence over the past year. To his credit, Chief Robin Lees plans to interact more heavily with CIRV and the Family Investigative Services Unit of the police force in 2018 to defuse dangerous domestic-violence settings before they explode into killing grounds.

But calming some violence-inducing scenarios proves perplexing for even the most savvy law-enforcement professionals. Some causes are deep seated. The fallout of unemployment, for which Youngstown and Warren continue to rank highest in Ohio, and of structural poverty also are linked closely to crime.

This region’s standing as an epicenter for the opiate epidemic – and crime that feeds addiction – cannot be ignored either in efforts to make our streets safer. And quick and easy access to firearms continues to fuel senseless violence.

In the year ahead, we look for ongoing and enhanced cooperation among police agencies, deputy sheriffs, task forces on violent crime, the judicial system, social-service agencies and others. That includes members of the public who far too often are reluctant to offer assistance to police for fear of snitching on violent criminals.

Clearly, proven strategies and creative initiatives must intensify in 2018 to remove the long-standing crime stain that lessens the quality of life for all in Greater Youngstown.