Los Angeles County Crime

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City of Los Angeles Homicides 2004
Map Area	Neighborhood/Precinct	Homicides	Population
A	Central	11	43,759
B	Rampart	27	290,393
C	Hollenbeck	30	214,812
D	Northeast	18	270,503
E	Newton	48	155,141
F	Southwest	64	179,011
G	Harbor	16	186,967
H	77th Street	87	190,944
I	Southeast	72	139,229
J	Hollywood	26	210,833
K	Wilshire	22	254,592
L	West L.A.	9	234,701
M	Pacific	10	218,791
N	Van Nuys	15	278,460
O	West Valley	11	322,219
P	No. Hollywood	13	238,680
Q	Foothill	27	286,416
R	Devonshire	12	262,549
Total		518	3,978,000
Source: Los Angeles Police Department.

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Between 1995 and 2004, homicides in Los Angeles County dropped 38 percent, from 1,682 murdered to 1,038.

Much of the decrease came from the City of Los Angeles. Homicides in 1995 in the city totaled 874. In 2004, they came in at 518. And the figures for 2005 show another drop, to 489.

So ... encouraging news.

As for the reasons for the decline, the cops claim better police work, the prison unions say locking more people up, at least one university professor credits abortion (fewer babies, this theory goes, born to single moms unable to take good care of them.)

Los Angeles County might have its own special reasons. The L.A. police department has long been recognized as understaffed. Many people, especially in the affluent parts of the city, hire private cops to watch their homes and patrol their neighborhoods. Maybe they hired more.

Angelenos have become more safety sensitive and wary. Many stores and apartment complexes are fitted with security glass and cameras and special locks. The large complexes employ guards who screen visitors.

New housing developments are frequently gated and guarded, an extra expense for their residents, but they are willing to pay extra.

After decades of neglect, more money is flowing to the schools and many of the decrepit buildings are being replaced with modern facilities with more space and computers. The police departments have targeted youth gangs. These actions may be helpful.

Some of this may give the impression of a metropolis under siege, and in some neighborhoods it will seem just that. Fast-food restaurants have installed bullet-proof plastic windows at their counters.

But these neighborhoods are few. As in other states, crime generally follows demographics.

The poorest neighborhoods often have the most crimes, the richest the least. But there are big differences between poor neighborhoods. It's not just money. If the gangs can be suppressed or kept away, the crime stays low, nevermind the family income.

As for the middle class, many communities in L.A. County are quite safe and go years without reporting a homicide. And when they do, often it's one family member shooting another.

The City of Los Angeles, for all its problems and no matter what the movies and cop shows suggest, has fewer homicides per capita than many other major cities in the U.S. - Dallas, Milwaukee, Chicago, Atlanta, to name a few. In 2007, using preliminary data for 2006, the New York Times rated Los Angeles  the second safest big city in the U.S. New York was first, San Diego third.

Guns remain the big problem, and not just for Los Angeles residents. Having more guns in circulation, Americans shoot each other - accidentally and deliberately - with depressing frequency.

In 2000, France, about 54 million people, counted 503 murders. In 2002, the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), 58 million residents, recorded 513 murders. This works out to about nine murders for every million people.

In the U.S., population 296,410,404, homicides in 2005 totaled 16,692 or about 56 murders for every million people. Guns accounted for at least 10,100 deaths and of these handguns shot 7,543 of the victims.

Crime and Housing

The question to ask when shopping for a home or apartment is not: Is this neighborhood safe?

The answer is none. No neighborhood is 100 percent safe. Even communities surrounded by gates and patrolled by guards will on occasion see domestic violence or pilfering by visitors.

But rather, how safe is this neighborhood or town compared to other places? The following stats will tell the story and allow for comparisons.

How do you spot a troubled neighborhood?

Crime is a young person's game, particularly boys and men. In one of its annual studies, the FBI determined that 61 percent of all the people arrested were under age 30. For every female arrested, four males were arrested, the same study noted.

Take a look at the academic rankings of the neighborhood school. Very low rankings indicate that many children are failing, that the dropout rate is probably high, that the young people will have difficulty finding jobs - conditions that often breed crime.

Drive the neighborhood. The signs of trouble are often easily read: men idling around the liquor store, bars on many windows, security doors in wide use.

Should you avoid unsafe or marginal neighborhoods? The troubled neighborhoods often carry low prices or rents and are located near job centers. Many towns and sections are in transition; conditions could improve, the investment might be worthwhile.

What's intolerable to a parent might be acceptable to a single person. If you don't have the bucks, often you can buy safe but you may have to settle for a smaller house or yard.

Whatever your neighborhood, don't make it easy for predators. Lock your doors, join the neighborhood watches, school your children in safety, take extra precautions when they are called for.

Sex Offender Directory

For a list of registered sex offenders by town or city, go to www.meganslaw.ca.gov.

Los Angeles Police

The mayor and the police chief in 2006 came up with a plan to hire 1,000 more cops in the next five years or so. To pay for the officers, the city is increasing garbage collection fees, which, the mayor says, were low compared to what other cities charge.