According to a report in The Advocate, homicides in rural Louisiana are surging. The CDC and the FBI data indicate the homicide rate for rural Louisiana in 2020 was just under 17 per 100 thousand people. Almost three times higher than the national average. LSU Health New Orleans Criminologist, Peter Scharf said it comes down to drugs.
“Once you get a great dope market, you’re going to get competition and people are going to kill each other,” said Scharf.
Scharf said the loss of jobs in rural areas has many turning to drugs as a form of recreation. And the fact that law enforcement in rural areas has different capacities compared to those in larger cities is a also contributing factor.
“They may not have access to crime labs and effective drug testing or drug intelligence. The law enforcement agencies are in many ways overwhelmed,” said Scharf.
At the same time, the homicide rates in metropolitan areas of Louisiana are also increasing. Scharf said the startling numbers should be a wake-up call for law enforcement. He believes the federal government needs to assist with funding to address the immediate issue and we also need to think about long-term solutions.
“The kids who grow up in these isolated communities, what happens when they’re adults and what happens to their kids,” said Scharf.
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