Stunning Crime Drops After COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic has forced millions of Americans to lose their jobs. Many big-box retailers and small businesses are suffering as sales plummet, but that’s not all that’s taken a hit. The stay-at-home orders and unemployment caused by the pandemic are affecting illegal businesses as well.

One of America’s most violent cities is Chicago. According to the Associated Press, compared to the previous year, drug arrests in the city plummeted by 42% in the weeks after the city was shut down. One reason for the decrease in crime is that the economy is hurting and people can’t afford to buy their drugs. So, drug dealers have to wait for people to get back to work just like legally-operating businesses.

Drug dealers can’t move. They’re subject to stay-at-home orders like everybody else and they can’t sell anything. And as drug-related crimes have dipped, it’s the opposite of domestic violence. Across the nation, domestic violence has surged and women and children who have to spend every waking minute with their abusers may not be safe.

What are the Biggest Threats?

Across the country, most cities have seen a drop in property crimes, especially residential burglaries since people are home. While there’s been a dip in drug-related crimes as mentioned previously, not all criminals are minding social distancing recommendations. As our days in lockdown stretch on, the following crimes may grow accordingly:

• Auto theft
• Domestic violence
• Hate crimes, especially those against Asian Americans since the virus originated in China
• Financial fraud or scams
• Price gouging, especially for toilet paper, face masks, cleaning products, hand sanitizer, and medical equipment
• Assaulting law enforcement or healthcare workers by coughing, sneezing, or spitting
• Failure to abide by stay-at-home orders
• Conducting social gathering against restrictions

“For the second week, reports of police citing, fining, and arresting people for flouting social distancing guidelines are in abundance. What’s new is the addition of activists and protesters facing charges for inciting large groups of people to gather,” Rebecca Edwards wrote for SafetyWise.com.