Crime in Detroit, Michigan - Reduction

Reduction

The Detroit Police Department's Crime Analysis Unit has reported that crimes have dropped by 24 percent since the introduction of casino gaming to the city. The number of homicides peaked in 1974 at 714 and again in 1991 with 615. By the end of 2010, the homicide count fell to 308 for the year with an estimated population of just over 900,000, the lowest count and rate since 1967. According to a 2007 analysis, Detroit officials noted that about 65 to 70 percent of homicides in the city were confined to a narcotics catalyst.

In April 2008, the city unveiled a $300-million stimulus plan to create jobs and revitalize neighborhoods, financed by city bonds and paid for by earmarking about 15% of the wagering tax. The city's plans for revitalization include 7-Mile/Livernois, Brightmoor, East English Village, Grand River/Greenfield, North-End, and Osborn. Private organizations have pledged substantial funding to neighborhood revitalization efforts. Fifty-nine Detroit postal workers were attacked by stray dogs in 2010, according to a Detroit postmaster.

The city had faced many cases of arson each year on Devil's Night, the evening before Halloween. The Angel's Night campaign, launched in the late 1990s, draws many volunteers to patrol the streets during Halloween week. The effort reduced arson: while there were 810 fires set in 1984, this was reduced to 742 in 1996. In recent years, fires on this three-night period have dropped even further. In 2009, the Detroit Fire Department reported 119 fires over this period, of which 91 were classified as suspected arsons.

Many of these problems stem from increased white flight and court-ordered busing to desegregate its schools during the 1970s which contributed to business closures and increased unemployment in the inner city. "Renaissance" has been the city's phrase for development since the 1970s. Former Mayor Coleman Young's polarizing style was cited as a problem. During the administration of Dennis Archer, who succeeded Young, Detroit saw middle-class residents moving into the city, and growth in residential and commercial development. The city has improved in the early 21st century, making use of increased funding from the state to demolish condemned buildings.