DETROIT – The number of certain violent crimes has significantly dropped in Detroit this year. In fact, some of the numbers are the lowest they’ve been in six decades.
So far in 2023, the city of Detroit has seen an 18% decrease in homicides compared to the year prior. The city’s homicides this year are the lowest they’ve been in nearly 60 years, according to data.
In addition to a drop in homicides, there has also been a 36% decrease in carjackings and a 13% decrease in non-fatal shootings so far in 2023.
The numbers are trending in the right direction, but why? How?
A major reason behind the drop in violent crime has to do with a collaboration among police, prosecutors, and the local judiciary. Together, they’ve been working to clear a backlog of thousands of felony gun cases that built up amid the pandemic.
During COVID-19 shutdowns, the courts were also shut down. People who were charged with gun violence were often out on bond, resulting in more violent crime on the streets.
The courts, police, and prosecutors have been working overtime to clear a backlog of 4,000 felony gun cases. Both the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and sheriff’s office have also increased their staffing, which they say has contributed to the decrease in violent crime.
But that’s not all: For the first time ever, the city of Detroit is investing millions of dollars into community groups with proven track records of addressing crime. These groups are being deployed to work in various sections of the city.
Activist Teferi Brent, who has done frontline work on the streets for years, says the problems are systemic.
“[Detroit police Chief James White] has said for years: ‘You can’t arrest your way out of the problem‚'” Brent said.
Brent acknowledged the work being done to offer a second chance to people being released from prison as one way to initiate systemic change. He says it’s an opportunity to show young men that their lives can be so much more than street crime.
“This is the work of everyone, not just law enforcement. I’d argue law enforcement is the smaller part of the solution to this issue,” Brent said. “It’s the work of people in the community who are organized and working to address the root-cause issues that contribute to criminogenic behavior.”
The city says it’s willing to give the idea of funding these community groups about a two-year window, and will assess how effective their work is.
Watch Mara MacDonald’s report on this below.