Full Citation

Title: Metropolitan Crime Myths

Citation Type: Book, Section

Publication Year: 2005

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Abstract: Over the past twenty years, two very different storieshave dominated the popular understandings of crime in NewYork and Los Angeles. To judge from the major metropolitannewspapers and the stated views of political and communityleaders, LA has been plagued by gangs, and when lawenforcement has tried to respond to the problem, the resultshave been worse than simply ineffective. In 1992, therelease of the verdict acquitting LA policemen on charges ofbeating Rodney King set off an episode of urban anarchy; inretrospect, earlier anti-gang law enforcement crackdowns inthe late 1980s and early 1990s were seen as contributingsubstantially to its causes [Christopher, 1991 #3129]. Aseries of subsequent scandals and reports of disorganizationin law enforcement led to the replacement of two chiefs ofpolice and the loss of elected office of two successiveheads of the LA County District Attorneys office (LA DA).As of this writing, in spring 2000, the LA Police Department(LAPD) and the LA DAs office remain mired in revelationsthat anti-gang officers in the Rampart and other divisionsof the LAPD regularly stole and sold drugs, and on occasioneven shot and framed alleged gang members [Parks, 2000#3127] [Chemerinsky, 2000 #3128]. While crime declined inLA in the 1990s, virtually no one has seriously suggestedthat local law enforcement deserves the credit.

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Authors: Katz, Jack

Editors: D. Halle,

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Volume Title: New York and Los Angeles: Politics, Society and Culture

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Publisher Location: Chicago

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Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Crime and Deviance

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