Commentary
Crime in California is spiraling out of control, diminishing the quality of life for its residents and erasing the character and promise of what was once a coveted place to live.
Siyamak Khorrami, host of EpochTV‘s “California Insider” program, provides on-the-ground reporting and interviews to shed light on crime in California and what can be done about it.
Testimony from California residents sounds a lot like life in a third-world country.
Many say they can’t wear jewelry in public because of blatant robberies that are taking place around the clock.
Even places like show-business capital Hollywood and luxurious Beverly Hills are no longer safe for those who possess status symbols that show their social or economic standing. Having a nice car or an expensive wristwatch makes a person a target.
Former Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley explains that there will always be the “criminal element” in society, but the “only way to fight it is through policies and the people who fight the criminal element—police and prosecutors.” He says that weak prosecutors give the criminal element an advantage, which in turn leads to a crime-ridden society.
The documentary “California’s Crime Wave–What’s the Problem?” shows an interview with a California resident who tells of drinking his morning coffee while watching security video footage of his home, and seeing multiple attempted break-ins every night. Eventually, over 80 percent of his fellow homeowners’ association members voted in favor of hiring armed security guards to patrol the area at night.
In San Francisco, more than 40 percent of people surveyed say they’d like to move out of the city. Many already have.
Thieves are targeting small businesses more frequently, with robberies up 100 percent. Three of the top 10 cities for organized retail theft in the country are in California. Video footage shows shoplifters stealing and looting right in front of shoppers and security guards, walking out with armloads of clothes in broad daylight. They even lie in wait for people exiting stores to steal items they just purchased. One small business owner said he believes California’s system is sending the message that it’s OK to steal because they continue to let people get away with it.
Interestingly, according to official data, violence and property crime rates are at historic lows in California. Is the data wrong, or is it being manipulated? If you ask the average resident in San Francisco, they will tell you crime has gone out of control.
Michael Shellenberger, an independent journalist and author, says there has been an effort to hide the rise in crime, and that many people don’t even report crimes anymore because the police won’t do anything about it anyway.
According to Shellenberger, the District Attorney no longer prosecutes many crimes. Overall, far fewer arrests are being made, fewer reports being taken, and fewer crimes being prosecuted. Official data from the San Francisco Police Department shows 3,000 reports of shoplifting in 2021, which seems like a small number, being used by many state officials and the media. However, small businesses say they hardly ever report shoplifting anymore.
To get a more accurate idea of crime rates in California, one must look at the murder rates.
Douglas Eckenrod, former deputy director of California State Parole, breaks down Los Angeles County Sheriff’s data from 2019–2021. The data shows a disconnect between criminal homicide rates in Los Angeles and data on robberies and aggravated assault. This is very odd, he said, as homicide rates should reflect a relationship with the other crime rates.
Specific jurisdictions are breaking that pattern, with one going up and others trending up or down, which in Eckenrod’s view means there is a reporting problem. He explains that you can’t hide the homicide number, because when a person is deceased, and the coroner makes that judgment, it is on record, making the homicide data more trustworthy.
Crime scene tape at a mini mall where a deadly shooting occurred at Salon Meritage in Seal Beach, California, on Oct. 12, 2011. AFP PHOTO / JONATHAN ALCORN (Photo credit should read JONATHAN ALCORN/AFP via Getty Images)