Louisiana Crime Rates and Statistics
Violent crime has been on the rise around the country since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. According to the FBI, 1.3 million violent crimes were reported that year—a 5% increase from 2019. While the national violent crime rate is still below the high of the 1990s, some states, like Louisiana, have experienced stronger spikes.
If you’ve been hurt in the course of a violent crime, you can seek compensation for your damages via a personal injury claim. While the state will pursue criminal charges against the defendant, you can still seek to recover the costs associated with your injury, including hospital bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
What Is the Crime Rate of Louisiana?
According to the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer, Louisiana’s crime rate has consistently been higher than that of the rest of the United States since at least 1985. While both rates are nowhere near as high as the 1993 zenith, the rate of violent crime in Louisiana was nearly double that of the nation as a whole in 2020. What’s more, Louisiana’s crime rate is growing at a faster pace than the nation as a whole.
In 2021, nearly 16,000 violent crimes were committed in Louisiana. The majority of these were committed while the perpetrator was committing another crime, such as
- Destruction or vandalism of property
- Violating a weapons law
- Drug or narcotic violations
- Larceny
- Breaking & entering or burglary
However, there were also 761 cases of simple assault in the state in 2021, as well as 227 kidnappings or other abductions, 86 aggravated assaults, and tragically, 63 murders.
Louisiana Crime Rate by City
Even in Louisiana, the crime rate is variable between parishes, cities, and even neighborhoods. Here are a few of the major cities in Louisiana and their crime rates:
Baton Rouge, Louisiana Crime Rate
Baton Rouge is one of the most dangerous cities in the country. According to City-Data.com, which collects and analyzes data from governmental and private sources, Baton Rouge is more dangerous than 96.8% of U.S. cities. If you live in Baton Rouge, your risk of being a victim of a violent crime is just over 1 in 100—well over double that of the United States as a whole.
When considering property crime rates, Baton Rouge is far ahead the rest of the country, too. In 2020, there were a total of 10,819 burglaries, carjackings, and other thefts in Baton Rouge. According to Neighborhood Scout, your chances of becoming a victim of a property crime in Baton Rouge are 1 in 21.
If you’ve been injured due to a crime taking place in Baton Rouge, you may be able to seek financial compensation for your injuries. Contact the Baton Rouge personal injury lawyers for a free consult as to your case.
Monroe, Louisiana Crime Rate
Neighborhood Scout rated Monroe, Louisiana as the most violent city in America due to its rate of 29.4 violent crimes per 1,000 people in 2020. Crime is rising, too: 2020 saw 1,403 violent crimes, up 66% from 2019. If you live in Monroe, you have a 1 in 34 chance of being the victim of a violent crime this year—which means that if you aren’t one, you probably know someone who is.
The majority of crimes in Monroe are thefts, assaults, and burglaries, with relatively few rapes and murders. However, the rates of both murders and rapes are still much higher than the national average, and in fact both rates have been rising since 2018.
Have you sustained injuries caused by a crime that took place in Monroe? You may be eligible for financial compensation. Reach out to the Monroe personal injury attorneys at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys today for a free consultation as to your case.
Shreveport, Louisiana Crime Rate
While Shreveport isn’t quite as dangerous as Baton Rouge or Monroe, it’s still more dangerous than over 95% of American cities, according to City Data. The FBI reports that the majority of crime in Shreveport is property crime like burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson. However, in 2020 there were 1,713 violent crimes reported to the Shreveport Police Department—a marked increase from the previous year.
If you live in Shreveport, you have a 1-in-21 chance of being the victim of a property crime this year. You also have a much higher risk of suffering an assault, burglary, theft, and other major crimes than the rest of the country.
Whether you’ve been directly or indirectly harmed due to the actions of a criminal in Shreveport, you may be entitled to financial reparations for your injuries. Contact the Shreveport personal injury attorneys at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys for a free consultation as to your legal rights.
Alexandria, Louisiana Crime Rate
Alexandria is nearly as dangerous as Monroe, with a crime rate of 18.77 crimes per 1,000 residents. This means that residents of Alexandria have a 1 in 53 chance of being the victim of a violent crime like murder, rape, robbery, or assault.
The majority of crimes in Alexandria are property crimes like thefts and burglaries. However, assaults still make up around 12% of the crime in Alexandria, so it’s still something to be concerned about.
If you’ve been injured due to the actions of a criminal, you deserve compensation for your injuries and harm. The Alexandria personal injury lawyers at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys will work as hard as possible to get you the reparations you deserve, so reach out today to schedule your free consultation.
Lafayette, Louisiana Crime Rate
Even though Lafayette is the safest city in this list, it’s still more dangerous than 88.5% of U.S. cities, according to City Data. While fewer rapes happen in Lafayette than is average for Louisiana municipalities, far more murders, assaults, burglaries, thefts, and arson cases happen there than in the rest of the state.
Over 6,500 crimes happen every year in Lafayette, or 53.76 per every 1,000 people. It has a slightly lower incidence of violent crime than the state as a whole, but still more than the national average. However, Lafayette residents are far more likely to experience a property crime than residents of other Louisiana cities.
Were you injured due to a crime occuring in Lafayette? Reach out to the experienced Lafayette personal injury attorneys at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys. We’ll set up a free consultation as to your rights and help determine your eligibility for financial compensation.
What Do I Do If I’m the Victim of a Louisiana Crime?
If you find yourself the victim of a robbery, mugging, assault, or another violent crime, call 911 as soon as you’re able. Not only will the police take your statement and begin investigating the crime, first responders on the scene will be able to treat any injuries you’ve sustained.
Be sure to get a copy of the police report for your records, and follow up with the police station when you can. You’ll also want to get a medical examination by a doctor as soon as possible, since some injury symptoms won’t present themselves for hours or even days after the injury. In addition, if you decide to pursue a personal injury claim against your attacker, having a doctor’s visit will make your claim more credible.
Finally, be sure to call Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys at 888.501.7888 for a free consultation about your legal avenues. The state of Louisiana is responsible for pursuing criminal charges against the defendant, but you’re entitled to pursue other claims in civil court.
If you or a loved one has been hurt because of someone else’s crime, you could be entitled to financial compensation. Give Gordon a call and begin your path to healing today.
