Crime Down Across America, Up In OKC

Though violent crime fell across the United States by 1.4% in 2007, it increased in Oklahoma City by 7.2%, according to the preliminary FBI Uniform Crime Report. Murders rose from 55 to 58 for the year, while reported rapes dropped from 327 to 326. Norman and Tulsa both saw a decrease in violent crime, though Tulsa experienced an increase in murder and rapes.

According to Dr. James Alan Fox, a professor of criminology at Northeastern University, the reported decrease in crime across the country may be masking a very serious problem among black males. "Violence is down among whites of all ages and both genders; it's up among black males, not black females," Fox said. Fox blames this increase on economic pressures black men are facing. Faced with uncertain economic prospects, they get involved with illegal drugs, guns, and turn to gangs. From 2002 to 2006, the murders committed by black male teens rose a staggering 52%.

It's unclear if Fox's hypothesis is the cause of the violent crime increase in Oklahoma City because the FBI's report has not yet release detailed demographic information. But one can be reasonably certain that it is a contributing factor. As has been the case for the entirety of our history, Oklahoma is failing to properly educate black youths and prepare them for an increasingly competitive economy. Nathan Hale High School in Tulsa, for example, referenced in the post below, is 36% black. Blacks account for a large portion of the school's 48% drop-out rate. Much of the blame for the problem is with the students' parents who don't instill the value of education in their children. But that unfortunate fact does not exonerate an Oklahoma Public School system that too often fails to demand accountability from teachers and school administrators and, as we saw below, intentionally masks the retention problems in order to present a rosy picture to government officials and parents.

If we want Oklahoma to continue experiencing sustained, meaningful economic growth and realize a drop in violent crimes, we must provide better education and employment opportunities for all our students, but especially for those most at risk. Though it must start with the parents, reforming the Oklahoma education system can be a tremendous help.