In Atlanta, a rise in murder but a decline in crime
Murders are up 39 percent in Atlanta from 2009, the year before Mayor Kasim Reed took office. But as homicides have risen, overall crime has gone down at nearly the same rate.
The statistics may be contradictory, but numbers don’t lie. What they say about public safety in Atlanta depends on your perspective.
In a tweet last month aimed at U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Atlanta), Donald Trump said the congressman's 5th District is "in horrible shape and falling apart (not to mention crime infested)."
But overall crime in Atlanta is down 27 percent since Reed was elected to the first of two terms in 2009, with sharp declines in burglaries, robberies and aggravated assaults. How sharp? Take a look.
“(Reed’s) record is one of the best in the country,” said Robert Friedmann, director of the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange and a professor emeritus of criminal justice at Georgia State University.
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
