Historically high-crime police divisions such as Newton, 77th Street and Hollenbeck have seen double-digit-percentage declines in the number of shooting victims. Gang violence is still blamed for much of the bloodshed. "People don't differentiate violent crime from burglaries [and] smash and grabs. "Elections have fed the current hysteria around crime, Leap said, pointing to last year's mayoral race and ads from billionaire developer Rick Caruso that painted a dystopian picture of crime and homelessness. Statistics only tell part of the story of crime, without accounting for "emotional impact and an emotional trauma," she said.

Source: Los Angeles Times October 12, 2023 16:17 UTC