Crime in Virginia
Currently, Virginia is seeing an uptick in homicides across the state. Homicides in 2020 were up by over 20 percent from 2019. There was also an increase in non-violent crimes such as vehicle thefts. Drug arrests have dropped thanks to the decriminalization of possessing less than an ounce of marijuana.
Furthermore, police departments statewide saw greatly increased rates of officers resigning in the wake of policies enacted by Governor Ralph Northam and general civil unrest. This presents another issue for Northam’s successor – how to ensure police departments are adequately staffed so as to keep Virginians safe?
Only about half of Virginians say they have confidence in law enforcement’s ability to keep them safe, and if current trends in officer resignations continue, that ability will only grow weaker. Concerns about safety rose 43 percent year-over-year. Overall, Virginia ranks among the top ten states for residents most concerned about crime and safety.
Candidates Fighting Crime
In April, researchers from NYU found that adding officers to police forces helped reduce violent crimes, homicides, and a host of other crimes in the areas under their jurisdiction. Additionally, the report found that larger police forces result in black lives being saved at about twice the rate of white lives saved, relative to their share of the population.
In no area of criminal justice do the two candidates differ more than on the police. Glenn Youngkin has been endorsed by a number of police associations and law enforcement leaders across the state, such as the Virginia Police Benevolent Association. Terry McAuliffe has been endorsed by groups such as NARAL and New Virginia Majority, both of whom have called to defund the police.
In light of the rise in police officer resignations, McAuliffe and other Democrats in the General Assembly have proposed a $5,000 retention bonus to all state police officers. Youngkin and other Republicans in the General Assembly countered with a plan extending that amount to all law enforcement officers in the state, including positions such as city police and sheriff’s deputies. This money would come out of the $4.3 billion in federal aid that Virginia has received in order to help recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
Conclusion
While criminal justice involves many different approaches to fighting crime, police officers and other law enforcement officials are an incredibly effective tool in preventing the violent offenses that target everyday Virginians. Therefore, we must seek to recruit and retain quality law enforcement officers who will protect our citizens and work to preserve our freedoms and liberties.