A Deadly Year in Cities -- And How Policymakers Can Respond

Dec 18, 2020
  • Description

While the long-term effects of COVID-19 still aren't fully clear, it is evident that cities are experiencing historic levels of violence this year. Some cities, like Memphis, Cincinnati, Trenton, and Greensboro, are approaching or have set new homicide records in 2020. Other locations, like Fort Worth, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, are reaching city gun violence levels not seen in a decade or longer. The Police Executive Research Forum Survey shows the surge in gun homicides is not isolated to municipalities in a specific region, but rather is an upward trend that is being felt in communities across the nation.