Photo byTianyi MaonUnsplash

Kansas City, Missouri has grappled with crime for years and the crime statistics paint an alarming picture. When a home city is reported as having a violent crime rate that is higher than the national average, it's embarrasing.

Many areas of Kansas City are safer than others. That said, however, crime can occur anywhere no matter what city you live in. Criminals and guns are big problems.

According to City-Data.com, which is only one resource, the crime rate in Kansas City is alarming. This resource indicates that Kansas City, Missouri's crime rate in 2022 was 2.7 times higher than the U.S. average. It was higher in 2022 compared to 2021. Homicides increased. Today, the city had its 101st homicide for 2024. City-Data.com also indicates while there was a decrease in violent crimes (rape, robbery, assault, and murder), there was a rise in property crimes.

Visit here for the Daily Homicide Analysis report by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department of December 2023. This doesn't include officer-involved shootings. The number of homicides has increased since 2019. The report covers 2019-2023.

The above is a significant concern for Kansas City residents and local authorities. It’s a big problem. To deal with any kind of problem, you have to understand all underlying causes. You also have to look at realistic viable solutions to start creating safer communities in Kansas City including surrounding suburbs.

Photo byStephen Edmonds, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Root causes of crime

The root causes are associated with various factors like poverty, a shortage of economic opportunities, and access to social services. These factors can contribute to an environment that influences criminal activity. The use of guns is another issue. Recently, someone was shot in a Walmart parking lot in a heavily visited area in the Northland.

It’s no longer a surprise to turn on the morning news to learn about another victim who was shot. It’s become standard news to the point you're glad when you don't hear about someone being shot and killed. We want more days like that where there are no shootings to be reported.

Criminal justice reform is vital

We have to continue to strengthen community-police relations. Visit here to read the KCPD Crime Plan Report.

Some say we shouldn’t just focus on punishment. Some say we should focus more on rehabilitation instead of punishment. How is the cycle of crime broken? On the one hand, we can provide offenders with the necessary tools to become more productive members of society, but on the other, what if you’re dealing with a criminal who can’t be rehabilitated?

Kansas City’s crime problems have to be collectively addressed by government officials, law enforcement, community organizations, and the people who live in the city.

We all want the statistics of crime to greatly improve. We all want a city that's liveable, not feared, and not being on a list as one of the most dangerous cities to live in which makes it sound like the moment you step off the plane, you're going to have an issue.

Yesterday, KCTV 5 published 'There really can’t be excuses’: Kansas City officials say they take crime seriously. Visit here to read what Mayor Quinton Lucas had to say.

Thanks for reading.