Pubdate: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 Source: Tennessean, The (TN) Copyright: 2003 The Tennessean Contact: http://www.tennessean.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/447 POLICE WORK, PROGRAMS LOWERED HOMICIDE RATE Just a few years ago, Nashville's homicide rate climbed so high that it sparked a sense of panic not only about the city's safety but its future. While Nashville's homicide rate climbed slowly during the 1990s to the 100+ range, in 1997, the murder rate hit 113. Making that statistic more distressing was the fact that many big cities, including New York and Los Angeles, were experiencing their lowest homicides rates in 20 years. Before year's end in 1997, then-Mayor Phil Bredesen appointed a committee to study ways to reduce violent crime in Nashville. Whether it was ideas that surfaced from that committee, new priorities in the police department, or other crime-related programs, something has turned around Nashville's homicide rate. In 2002, Nashville's murder rate was 65, the lowest it's been in 31 years. Certainly, that is 65 tragedies that shouldn't have occurred. But the steady decline in Nashville's homicide rate is not only worth celebration, it's worth dissection so that Nashville keeps doing what works. Police Chief Emmett Turner credits the department's efforts to put more officers on the streets in high-crime areas. That is undoubtedly one factor. But Nashville's made some other efforts that might not be as obvious as the increased police presence. For example, 47 of those 113 homicides in 1997 were drug-related, and 24 were cases of domestic violence. This city's drug court, which began in 1997, focuses on treating the addictions of non-violent offenders. It's impossible to say whether drug court has prevented homicides, but there's no doubt it's made Nashville safer and turned offenders into productive citizens. The city has also had a sustained, multi-faceted effort on domestic violence that not only protects victims but treats abusers as the serious criminals they are, and that alerts professionals outside of law enforcement to the signs of domestic abuse. A city's homicide rate doesn't simply float around arbitrarily. Murders are averted by aggressive police work and preventative programs. This city, seeing what can be accomplished, should take every opportunity to build on its fine achievement. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake