According to a recent study, Charlotte had only 55 homicides in 2011, which is a record low in two decades for the Charlotte area. Charlotte's decline in homicides coincides with the national decline in violent crime across the nation. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the national violent crime rate has decreased by 13 percent over the past decade.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police attribute the decline to the fact they have become efficient in investigating and solving cases. In 2011, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police closed 89 percent of their cases, which is above the national average of 69 percent. In fact, only six of last year's crimes in Charlotte still remain unsolved. However, with the percentage of closure and the decrease in violent crime, officers have been able to devote more time to solving open cases.
In addition to solving an increased percentage of reported crimes, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have also increased the number of officers sent to the scene of violent crimes, such as homicide, assault, and gang-related offenses. In some cases, as many as twelve officers are sent to the scene of the crime. By decreasing the number of gang-related violence, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have decreased the probability of random homicides and offenses occurring. Other Police tactics have led to the decrease, such as crime analysis and mapping, which allow officers to spot and respond to developing crime trends. Suspects of crimes are even being detained within seventy-two hours of the offense.
As an active member of the Defense Bar in Charlotte, I will not dispute the CMPD figures per se. However, I do question whether the entire result claimed is due to the CMPD tactics claimed.
Despite the fact that violent crimes are on the decline per CMPD, there are no shortage of cases in the Charlotte Mecklenburg judicial system. As such, it is never too late to obtain legal counsel to pinpoint the legal issues in your case. Furthermore, although violent crime is given greater attention in media, non-violent crimes and traffic matters comprise the majority of the docket. These matters should be addressed by Defendants with the attention of aggressive legal counsel. As always, contact an experienced Charlotte attorney the moment you receive any sort of citation for a criminal offense.
CharlotteObserver.Com, City see decades-low number of homicides, 1/1/12
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