Without a sense of security, the public is worried and fearful. [Perspective] US media: Crime rates in the US capital are rising sharply

Screenshot of a report on the website of The Washington Post in the United States

China Daily, September 18th (Xinhua) - Recently, an article published on the website of the Washington Post stated that violent crime in the capital city of Washington D.C. remains high, and the public is fearful and lacks a sense of security.

The article said that in the past year, the crime rate in Washington, D.C. has risen sharply, including reports of murders, wanton shootings and car hijacking by gunmen, which made the city, which was already trying to recover from the COVID-19, uneasy.

According to police statistics, homicide and robbery cases have increased by 29% and 67% respectively compared to the same period last year. As of August 31, a total of 81 minors have been shot and killed in the city this year, compared to 66 in the same period last year and 37 in 2021.

The statistical data also shows that although impoverished communities on the eastern edge of Washington D.C. are more prone to violence, the geographical distribution of crime has become more dispersed, and prosperous areas are harder to escape than before.

The article points out that the continuous gun violence in recent months has made people concerned about their own safety.

On the weekend of Labor Day, retiree Ellie Blake was awakened in her apartment when she heard a loud noise. Later, she learned that dozens of bullets had hit three women, including two teenagers who died. Blake said that after the gunshots stopped, she lay in bed, turned off the lights, and prayed. She said, "I think I need a trauma counselor. Violent crimes are frequent, which is abnormal."

It is not just gun violence that causes anxiety. The ubiquitous "porch pirates" steal packages from their doorstep, and thieves smash car windows, all of which give people a feeling of lawlessness.

59 year old Bottlett is a real estate investment banker living in the Spring Valley community. Earlier this year, when he walked into a pharmacy to purchase vitamins, he noticed a man carrying a large garbage bag ready to leave. He said that both the customers and the staff were shocked. The man walked up to the household cleaning supplies and stuffed everything into his big garbage bag.

He said that the incident made him feel uneasy, not because he was afraid, but because the perpetrator appeared so calm and composed.

Neighborhood email groups and social media such as Nexttool have almost instantly amplified this sense of danger, prompting many people to calculate risks while traveling through the city.

Morten lives in the Hilcrest community in the seventh district and is very worried about being robbed, so he doesn't go to the gas station at night.

Andrew Heff is the chairman of the Fighting Sports Committee, and he no longer honks his horn in traffic congestion because he is worried that he will "inexplicably" anger another driver.

McDonald is a retired sales director who lived in Mount Pleasant for 30 years and is well aware of the dangers of urban life. At the beginning of the 21st century, a robber pushed her to the ground and stole her wallet and a diamond necklace. Now, she feels even more insecure. One recent morning, she found a T-shirt stained with blood less than a block away from home, and later learned that it was the residue of an assassination attempt. One morning, she saw a man rudely inserting a knife into a tree and threatening people gathered on the sidewalk playing cards and dominoes. "If this is what is happening in my community and it's so obvious, what will happen in other parts of the city?" McDonald asked.

At a community meeting in August, dozens of Chinatown residents complained to the police about the widespread disorder on Northwest Seventh Avenue and H Street. Regardless of day or night, there are crowds of people wandering outside the entrance of the subway station, including beggars, marijuana users, and some who appear emotionally unstable.

28 year old Fan Falong is a management consultant who attended this meeting. In 2021, Fan Falong moved to an apartment overlooking Seventh Avenue and H Street because she wanted to live in the city center, closer to work and friends. She said that what she doesn't want is the feeling that "safety and life may be at risk at any time".

She said that for many days, she would be verbally harassed when she walked through intersections, one of which was at 8am when a man said "good morning" to her and gave her a push when she didn't respond. She said that the other day after returning home from work, she heard gunshots and looked out the window, a corpse lying on the sidewalk.

Fan Falong said, "I just thought, how could I get it wrong? I live across from the Smithsonian Museum, two blocks away from an Herm è s specialty store. In such a crowded and scenic neighborhood, public safety has become a problem, which is truly surprising."

Despite constant complaints, she has recently renewed her lease. She said her place is very convenient and the rent is ideal. She also found a way to avoid the street corner, not through the entrance of the building, but through an unmarked back door.

For some people, finding ways to adapt is not enough.

James, now 58 years old, is a technology lobbyist. After being beaten by a group of young skateboarders on their way to DuPont Roundabout in 2019, he stopped walking in many places with his spouse and another couple. After the attack, as the epidemic spread, he noticed that the number of SMS alerts received about crime seemed to be increasing, not only at night but also during the day. He began to feel increasingly unsafe, and one time on his way to the supermarket, he happened to catch a student after school when a student threw a bottle at him. Afterwards, he even stopped walking in the afternoon.

James said that he and his spouse have been living in this city for nearly 30 years and have decided to leave Washington D.C. They moved into an apartment in Maryland last month. He said that he used to think he could avoid criminals, but now he seems to be a living target.

Some people have already adapted to the chaos of the city.

One night, 82 year old Jordan was preparing to sleep in his apartment when he suddenly heard gunshots. This voice was so familiar to him that he didn't even have the urge to look out the window. He lay in bed, thinking that he would know what had happened the next day.

On August 24th, he helped organize a noon meeting on building safety issues, but the meeting was interrupted due to several participants - a police officer and two guards - having to respond to nearby gunshots. Jordan said, "I've become accustomed to it.".