- Crime is a localized phenomenon that varies greatly from city to city and from neighborhood to neighborhood
- As a result, the burden of crime tends to be borne disproportionately by the residents of black and poor communities
- We owe it to the residents of these communities to do all we can to reduce that burden and make it possible for them enjoy the benefits of safe streets and neighborhoods
Note: This is the second in a series of research briefs about crime in North Carolina.
In the first installment in this series, I noted that, “Crime rates vary from year to year and from state to state, but they vary much more from city to city.” The following two charts illustrate the extent to which that is true in North Carolina.
The first chart shows that the average murder rate for the entire state varied between 5.0 to 9.6 per 100,000 between 2013 and 2022. The second shows that the murder rate among North Carolina’s largest cities varied more than three and a half times as much over the course of a single year. Clearly, crime is a much bigger problem for some North Carolina communities than others.
The second chart also shows that residents of large cities generally have more reason to worry about crime than residents of less densely developed parts of the state, but that is far from the whole story. Cary and Fayetteville are comparably sized cities, yet the former had no murders at all in 2022, while the latter had 34. That is a huge disparity, and it is not an anomaly. In 2021, there were four murders in Cary and 47 in Fayetteville!
The disparity between Cary and Fayetteville illustrates another important consideration. Compared to other demographic groups, blacks and the poor are far more likely to live in high-crime neighborhoods. Cary’s residents tend to be affluent professionals. The median household income in Cary is $125,000. Only 5 percent of Cary residents live below the poverty line, and only 8 percent of Cary residents are black.
Fayetteville’s residents, on the other hand, are much more likely to be working class or poor. The median household income in Fayetteville is $57,000. Also, 19 percent of Fayetteville residents live below the poverty line, and 40 percent of Fayetteville residents are black.
Similar demographic differences can be found between low-crime and high-crime communities across the state. The cumulative effect is that in North Carolina blacks are six times as likely to be murdered as whites.
Such disparities in victimization rates ought to be concerning on their own, but it is also important to remember that crime victims and their families are not the only ones harmed by high levels of crime and disorder. Everyone who lives in a high-crime, high-disorder neighborhood suffers, too. Quality of life declines when drug dealers, pimps, and gang members take over the streets and other public spaces and residents are afraid to leave their homes. Furthermore, the rise in crime and the breakdown of public order in these neighborhoods tend to drive away businesses and discourage investment. The result is a cycle of poverty that began in many cities in the late 20th century and continues to this day.
A recent WTVD report about Fayetteville illustrates both the extent to which crime tends to be a localized phenomenon and the impact that concentrated crime has on economic opportunity in high-crime locations:
The [Fayetteville Police Department] reports a disproportionate concentration of crimes in the Murchison Road area. …
Police say that from 2022 to 2023 total crime went down [in the city] by 10 percent and arrests went up 32 percent. However, for homicides there was a 23 percent increase citywide. …
The department also says 33% of those homicides took place throughout the Murchison Road corridor, an area attracting lots of people and traffic.
“It’s just kind of scary when things happen during the day … when businesses are open, and I guess that’s been kind of rocky for the businesses over here … because of the crime,” says Henry Gaddy, the manager of Henry’s Barber Shop.
Clearly, even if crime rates decline substantially in North Carolina in the coming years, crime will continue to be a serious problem for many who live in Fayetteville and for many who live in other large cities across the state. We must find a way to reduce the rate of crime in those communities and bring order and safety to their streets and public places. In the next installment in this series, I will explain how that can be done.
For more information about this topic see:
Solving North Carolina’s Crime Problem: Part One
Intensive Community Policing Can Save the Lives of Black Children
Black Lives Matter — Which Is Why We Need More Police Funding, Not Less
The Late 20th Century Crime Wave Was a Disaster for Blacks and the Poor
How America Ended Up Underpoliced and Overincarcerated
“Broken Windows Policing”: Good Policy, Bad Name
What Does Intensive Community Policing Entail?
Despite the Timing, Intensive Community Policing Should Have Wide Appeal
Prominent leftist suddenly sees that violence is bad, but for the wrong reason
