Jackson Free Press

District Attorney Faye Peterson has responded to a full-page ad purchased in the Jackson Free Press last issue by police watchdog organization group SafeCity Watch. The ad said that local politicians considered property crime a low priority and called for city and county residents to pressure county supervisors to follow Sheriff Malcolm McMillin's call to expand the county jail by 132 beds.

It also fingered the district attorney and urged readers to call in complaints. In the ad, SafeCity pushed their argument with FBI Crime Stat figures reporting extremely low conviction figures in property crimes compared to incidents of crimes reported. The year 2004, for example, showed 23 convictions compared to 2,024 crimes reported. The arrest rate that year was 128, with only 42 indictments.

"Ask (Hinds County) DA Faye Peterson to make property crimes a priority focus of her office! We simply can't have 10,593 cars stolen with only 62 (people) doing the time!" the ad proclaimed.

Peterson, while making no argument against expanding the jail, did call the ad figures piecemeal and out of context, arguing that charges are often downgraded from the initial report, and that property crimes committed by juveniles don't reach her office in the first place.

The district attorney added that the brunt of property crimes, which make up a large percentage of major crime in the city, are crimes of opportunity, with no likely suspect for police to apprehend—a problem that all cities face with property crimes that traditionally pull in low conviction rates. And most of them do not make it to her office, she said.

"You come home, and your house has been broken into. Nobody's in the neighborhood watching. No indictment. It doesn't come here. It's unfortunate," Peterson said.

Neighborhood association captains argue that an efficient way to battle property crimes is to organize into neighborhood watch programs and, above all, know your neighbors and your community.