Jackson Free Press

The latest ComStat reports (June and July) show 26 murders for this year versus 15 for the same period last year, an increase of 73.3 percent. In fact, murder now shows a greater increase over last year than any other category of crime. Carjackings and armed robberies have increased by around 50 percent, while aggravated assaults have increased by 23.7 percent. The only category that declined was rape, which has fallen 10.8 percent from last year.

As of the week of July 17-23, overall violent crime is up 33.6 percent over the same period last year.

When the Jackson Free Press obtained the ComStat figures for April 17-23 in May—after many months of delay from a recalcitrant Melton administration, which was declaring that crime was dropping—the ComStat report for violent crime was running only 18.5 percent above last year. Overall, crime was up 15.8 percent, while it was tracking 16.1 percent higher in the ComStat report for April 17-23.

Since that April report, violent crime has surged dramatically over last year's numbers. In April, there had been only one additional murder compared with the year before, compared with an increase of 11 murders now. Aggravated assault and armed robbery are also tracking substantially higher than they were in April.

The Melton administration has not responded to repeated requests for fresh ComStat reports, despite pledges from the mayor that he would make such reports available to the public, and to the Jackson Free Press, as is required by the Mississippi Public Records Act. The JFP received the most recent ComStat reports from City Council rather than the mayor's office, which did not follow up on Melton's pledges to provide us crime information weekly. Even though state law only allows 14 days for compliance, Jackson Police Department and the city attorney's office have left unfulfilled the JFP's requests for ComStat data since we filed our first request on Jan. 5, 2006.

At a May 11 press conference, JPD Chief Shirlene promised that ComStat reports would "soon" be available online. "Anybody with a computer will be able to go in and look at it for themselves. The news media can take whatever portion they want and put it into press," Anderson said.

At press time, the Web site for the Jackson Police Department said that it was under construction and would be "back in service as soon as possible," as it has said for more than a year. The city still has former Chief Robert Moore's biography posted on the site.

Anderson also said then that she believed ComStat figures had been manipulated under the Johnson administration, though she was careful to distance herself from any specific accusation. "Individuals here at the police department have advised that, hey, yes, the information was manipulated, but I can't say otherwise."

"So you don't have evidence that that's true?" asked JFP Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd.

"Well, they seem to think that there's evidence," Anderson replied.

"Has there been an internal investigation?" Ladd asked.

"No, we haven't taken the time to start an internal investigation on that. … I'm not going to waste time sitting here judging what took place in the last administration; I can only be held accountable for what happened now," Anderson said.

However, it is difficult to write off the current body count as the fault of the previous administration.

Former Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. said he hoped a plan was in place to deal with the escalating murder rate.

"The murder rate should be taken very seriously. We were fortunate during my administration to see a significant reduction. We'd like to think that it had something to do with the systems that were put in place, but it's alarming that the homicide rate is going up, and hopefully some measures will be put in place to try to see that it's reduced in the future," Johnson said.

Mark McCreery, chairman of criminal-justice watchdog group SafeCity Watch, said the media needed to pay attention to more than the murder figures.

"ComStat numbers are nothing but reported crimes, and I've told our community, in terms of the press, that we need to go beyond simply reporting crime. Did we arrest anybody (in those murders)? Did we indict anybody, and did we convict anybody?" McCreery asked, adding that the community needed to concentrate more on property crimes than the murder rate, in any case, because many murderers begin careers as small-time criminals.

"It's the property crimes that we've got to get focused on as a community," McCreery said. "And particularly with some of the low-level crimes, the crimes of property, we're not doing a good job. … When you create an environment where you ignore small crimes, you create an environment where people create more serious crimes and you run people off to the suburbs. A lot of people who do gun crimes and murders are people we could've stopped a lot earlier on the front side when they did the first crime."

Ward 6 Councilman Marshand Crisler, who is also a Hinds County Sheriff's Deputy, complained earlier this year that police have a difficult time stemming the murder rate because murder is often a crime of passion.

"Murder is a hard thing to contain because oftentimes the murderer doesn't even know he's going to be a murderer at the beginning of the day," Crisler said in an earlier interview.

"People don't climb out of bed saying 'I'm gonna kill my wife today.'"

Jackson Police Foundation President Susan Lunardini argued that murder can sometimes be prevented by local authorities, however.

"When the police department, along with the quality of life officers, are doing regular work in apartments and in the community regarding domestic violence—when men are being arrested the first time they commit domestic violence—police can often prevent the escalation of violence," Lunardini said.

Melton has called for a "crime summit" on Aug. 31 in the TelCom Center to discuss escalating crime.

Previous Comments

ID

66713

Comment

His supporters will cry that the JFP is picking on Melton, and this kind of article doesn't help him fight crime. Waaa! Just a little note to them: This article is supposed to help you see that your guy is no good. No good at mayor'in and no good at police chief'in!

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-08-09T13:41:56-06:00

ID

66714

Comment

Actually, the article is simply designed to tell the truth, and let the chips fall where they may. Living in denial doesn't solve anything, no more than sensationalizing crime in order to win elections.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-08-09T13:45:47-06:00

ID

66715

Comment

Just giving my interpretation of the article. ;-) Seems to me they would be trying to have this "summit" sooner then Aug 31st! Heck, crime may climb another 15% while we wait. If the "summit" is going to be sooo successful (based on the hype from D. Danks) then why wait?

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-08-09T14:30:55-06:00

ID

66716

Comment

Although we all know that many murders are "crimes of passion" committed by perps well-known to the victim, I would like to know the stats in Jackson. My "impression" is that most of these murders are retaliatory drug-or gang-related murders, not spousal or "significant other" murders. HDMatthias, MD

Author

HDMatthias, MD

Date

2006-08-09T18:06:34-06:00

ID

66717

Comment

I believe that an important first step in the right direction would be for Melton to just step aside and let someone come in and get things going in the right direction. When crimes are committed, we all suffer. The best solution is to have the best people in place to keep things under control. Melton may very well be a very savvy businessman, but in the public sector, he stinks. Anderson is too passive about leading the department, but has no problem disciplining within the department. Melton and Anderson are both meant for each, just not in charge of the city of Jackson.

Author

lance

Date

2006-08-09T20:28:55-06:00

ID

66718

Comment

I think Doc is right. There seems to be an atmosphere of lawlessness out there that bubbled up while Melton was off playing swat cop. I truly fear that Melton's tactics are stirring things up, not settling things down. The numbers sure don't dispute that notion. He's certainly not helping a damn thing—from police morale to crime-prevention efforts to the damn crime rate itself. And I agree that the chief has not shown that she knows how to handle being chief of JPD. Bogus states of emergency sure aren't the way; neither is excusing away police brutality. All that does is turn the volume up and ratchet up hopelessness among people we need to be trying to reach in a way that fake swat teams never will. It's time to move past game-playing. And if the chief can't stand up to Melton, we need someone who can. Also, Pike asked earlier why we're waiting until Aug. 31 to hold a crime summit. I agree. Call something and do it in three days. That's what they should have done instead of the goofy "state of emergency." They don't need to plan some press hooha that happens right in the middle of the press surge over the Katrina anniversary to try to make it look like the city gives a damn.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-08-09T21:21:43-06:00

ID

66719

Comment

Does anyone think Melton woud really bring in someone who is a true crime fighting expert and knew alot more about it than Melton? Sigh. we have the Gerry Dinardo of mayors.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2006-08-09T21:38:26-06:00

ID

66720

Comment

They don't need to plan some press hooha that happens right in the middle of the press surge over the Katrina anniversary to try to make it look like the city gives a damn. Ladd That is a great observation! They scheduled it right when the minds of MS'ians and the Nation will be on Katrina.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-08-09T22:01:24-06:00

ID

66721

Comment

you people sicken me with your costanst commenting about mr. melton and what he hasnt done and how bad he is whats funny is at least he tries to fix the problem he may notbe perfect but he does what he thinks is right and all you do is sit back and criticize him.

Author

Texan

Date

2006-08-10T17:21:46-06:00

ID

66722

Comment

Texan, I'm not sure if you read the article, but love or hate Melton, he should be able to stand on his results. The facts are, under him, violent crime has gone up 33% since the same period last year, a reversal of a downward trend that existed during the Johnson administration. The justification of Melton's tactics as 'fixing the problem' just simply doesn't reflect reality.

Author

Darren Schwindaman

Date

2006-08-10T17:51:12-06:00

ID

66723

Comment

Texan, I have to hand it to you, my friend: It's not everybody who can slip a paragraph from chapter 7 of James Joyce's Ulysses into a discussion about municipal politics. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-08-10T17:57:20-06:00

ID

66724

Comment

Nice one Tom. ;)

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2006-08-10T18:37:28-06:00

ID

66725

Comment

he may notbe perfect but he does what he thinks is right - Texan You answered the riddle within your own comment Texan. Whenever Melton "thinks"..... disaster follows. He probably THINKS that he is still in Texas. He THINKS that people are afraid of him (big mistake in Mississippi). He THINKS that he can re-invent the wheel that Johnson's administration, another big mistake. He THINKS that he is exempt from ALL rules and policy. I suggest that instead of THINKING so much, why not just follow the past administration's lead, or anyone's lead for that matter.

Author

lance

Date

2006-08-10T19:45:42-06:00

ID

66726

Comment

Texan, I deleted my first response to you because I decided it was too flip, and I see a certain plea for understanding in your post that others may not see or understand. I want to make it clear to you that after spending time with Mr. Melton, I saw his passion, and I saw his charm, and I saw his love for his family, both biological and "adopted." I believe he has something to offer Jackson, but I'm not sure being mayor is going to prove the best way for him to do that. A mayor simply has to be honest and accountable—and, for whatever reason, Mr. Melton has not believed that many very basic rules apply to him. I've said before: I believe he is going to get himself hurt if he keeps doing what he has done, and he may get someone else hurt as well, even if his intentions are pure. I don't want to see that happen. As a person, I liked the man I spent a great deal of time with, and I really enjoyed being around many of the young people he helps. I want to see them do well, and I want to see Mr. Melton learn to be a good mayor, or at least, keep himself and others safe by doing things right and not living in a dream world. As citizens of this city, we cannot turn our heads and allow him to put himself and others at grave risk, or hurt the economic well-being of the city, no matter how well-meaning he is. I suggest that he is the one who needs to understand that he is not perfect, that he needs to be his ego aside in order to be good public servant and help the very people he seems to want to help the most. I truly believe that many of our goals are the same. But, as you know, Mr. Melton for many years was the chief critic of other public servants that he did not believe were doing what was right for the city. Often, he made those charges with less-than-accurate information, and that was not fair or right. He has the chance now to leave his disastrous first year behind and do a better job; I would urge everyone close to him, especially people he cares about, to sit him down and have a direct conversation with him about the position he has put himself, and the community, in. No matter how well meaning he is, he cannot help this city while living in a dream world. And thanks for posting. It can be a tough crowd here, but there is a lot of love here for the city—not to mention a lot of frustration that Mr. Melton has not turned out to be what so many people expected. But we are hoping and praying that he turns that around. Cheers.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-08-10T20:15:14-06:00

ID

66727

Comment

Why is Frank trying to keep those cops on the force? You know the ones who beat the dude that made all of them eat his dust....Why is it that he is so determined that they make good officers. Good enough to just get slapped on the hand and allowed to continue "serving justice" by committing police brutality. And on to this article.... the bottom line is our Mayor is not doing what he promised he would. He has taken our city and turned it into a complete war zone. I mean, true there was crime during the Johnson Administration, but this article prooves that since our CRIME FIGHTING MAYOR took over the city so has crime. He has just made a complete sham of the Mayor's office and I was a supporter (as embarassed as I am to say it). Donna is right he is a charming man. He speaks intelligently. He makes you feel like he really and truly cares while you speak with him but when walks away you will soon discover that you don't understand anything he just said. You walk away like "what did he mean", "what was he even talking about". He is a charmer, true. But you can't charm a criminal out of committing a criminal act. So if that's his tactic, it's not working and he should regroup and find another way to "fight crime". He is FRANKLY doing a HORRIBLE job at keeping us safe and protecting the residents of this city.

Author

Queen601

Date

2006-08-11T11:12:53-06:00

ID

66728

Comment

Just noticed this in the C-L this evening. It's a story about man shooting his neighbor. Here is the most interesting part of the story: Jeremy Ferguson, 17, is accused of shooting Daniel Mangum, 21, in the head in front of a Lexington Avenue home. He is charged with aggravated assault. Aggravated Assault???? Looks like attempted murder to me. May be some legal reasons around this; but, I seem to recall some talk radio hosts harping about fudged crime stats. Hmmmm.... So, you shoot someone in the head and it is the same crime as beating them up!!??!!

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-08-12T23:47:27-06:00

ID

66729

Comment

Unless something has changed in the last couple of years, there is no "attempted murder" statue in Mississippi. Aggravated assault is the charge used here.

Author

James Hester

Date

2006-08-13T06:45:41-06:00

ID

66730

Comment

Attempted murder is actually a form of aggravated assault, as intent to kill is an aggravating circumstance for simple assault. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-08-13T07:00:48-06:00

ID

66731

Comment

Well that's pretty crappy then isn't it? So, I can hit my friend in the face a couple of times, or shoot him in the face, and I get the same charge? Wow, they can't attach "with intent to kill" to it if you use a gun or stab them. So, if you go out on a shooting spree and wound a dozen people you are a "serial aggravated assaulter." LOL!

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-08-13T10:59:41-06:00

ID

66732

Comment

Speaking of murder -- where do we stand now? I go out of town for a few days and come back to what? One a day? Learn something new every day about the law; shooting in the head is only aggravated assault. Wow! Please break down that term for me. Who is aggravated? The person committing the act or is is supposed to be because the victim aggravated the assault-er?

Author

ChrisCavanaugh

Date

2006-08-13T11:08:04-06:00

ID

66733

Comment

I assume you're kidding, Chris, but just in case, aggravated assault means that the assault was particularly nasty, to put it in layman's terms. Pikersam, it wouldn't actually be the same charge, because if you punched your friend in the face, that would be simple assault. The difference in sentences would be rather dramatic. I am not saying, by the way, that we would not benefit from being able to charge people with attempted murder. I'm just saying the law is not that absurd.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2006-08-13T11:15:40-06:00

ID

66734

Comment

Maybe if we didn't water down the terms we use for crimes, it may lead to convictions that stick. Not everyone can speak legaleese. One thing people are forgetting is we have also have a really high numbers of "shootings" this past year. Had those bullets actually killed we would have an astronomical number of murders!

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-08-13T11:49:05-06:00

ID

66735

Comment

pikersam, that's true for any city in any year. And if people could kill each other with undetectable whimsical death-ray eye-beams, the murder rate would be even higher. Frankly, I think the MSM makes entirely too much of crime in the capital city. Yes, it's a problem. Yes, it's a problem that needs to be addressed, primarily because of the effect it has on the actual VICTIMS and their families. But 26 murders in eight months in a city of 180,000, mostly drug-related, with the poverty problems we have... Well, it'll take a hell of a lot more than that to terrorize me. I remember a few years around 1989-1991 when we had over 100 homicides a year. Y'all don't know how good we've got it. Frankly, I heard people suggest all over the place that Katrina would lead to increased crime and I wrote it off as phobia of the poor. But you know, crime comes from poverty, so if you have an influx of poor and desperate people, you're going to have a higher crime rate. That's just common sense. It's not because they're "trash"; it's because they're more vulnerable to becoming part of the criminal culture when they don't have any friggin' money. Crime dropped so dramatically in the late 1990s because of the economic boom. If the new Jackson developments--King Ed, the Convention Center, Farish Street, und so weiter--provide more jobs and increase traffic in high-crime areas, then crime will drop. Lots of people talk about the broken window theory, but there's a lot to be said for the unemployed window washer theory, too. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2006-08-13T17:47:57-06:00

ID

66736

Comment

If the new Jackson developments--King Ed, the Convention Center, Farish Street, und so weiter--provide more jobs and increase traffic in high-crime areas, then crime will drop. Let's be clear here that we're talking about FOOT traffic, not automobile traffic! Automobile traffic has no beneficial effect on crime. (And Tom, you make me SO hot when you slip German phrases into your posts.... ;-)) Best, Tim

Author

Tim Kynerd

Date

2006-08-21T13:41:29-06:00

ID

66737

Comment

Well it already looks like the Crime Summit is not going to be a voice for the people to speak up on crime. Mayor Frank Melton said he plans to tell community leaders and the heads of Jackson city agencies during the summit what he wants to do and ask for their help. "It's not going to be a discussion," the mayor said last week. "Everybody is going to have to be accountable for doing certain things." Considering the largest room only seats 550 theater style and that the public is invited on top of the 600 invitations sent out, you had better get there early. Did you get an invite Ladd? You are a community leader. Will the citizens who show up, who didn't get invitations, be allowed to go into the break-out sessions? Participants at tonight's meeting will be sent into one of five breakout groups: the criminal justice system, education, churches, community based organizations and neighborhoods. Here let me offer a suggestion on helping fight crime. Call 601-960-1234 and report any activity that you think may be crime related. No charge for my advice! Thank you and we'll see you next month!

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-08-31T09:10:11-06:00

ID

66738

Comment

Oops, I should have posted this on the Crime Summit story.

Author

pikersam

Date

2006-08-31T12:25:30-06:00