Analysis of Crime Rates in Louisiana in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals

Statewide Crime Statistics and SDG Implications

The state of Louisiana presents significant challenges to the achievement of key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in relation to safety, justice, and community well-being. The state’s crime rates are a critical indicator of these challenges.

• Violent Crime Rate: Louisiana ranks fifth in the nation for violent crime, with a rate of approximately 548 offenses per 100,000 people. This figure is 66.5% higher than the national average.
• Combined Crime Rate: The combined rate for both violent and property crime is 3,389 incidents per 100,000 residents.
• SDG Impact: These high crime rates directly undermine SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), which aims to significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates. Furthermore, they impede progress toward SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), which seeks to create safe and inclusive human settlements.

City-Level Analysis: Top 10 Municipalities by Violent Crime Rate for 2025

The following ranking, based on violent crime rates per 100,000 residents, highlights specific urban areas where progress toward the SDGs is most urgently needed.

1. Marksville

   • Violent Crime Rate: 2,209 per 100,000 residents, exceeding the statewide average by a factor of four.
   • Property Crime Rate: 5,628 per 100,000 residents.
   • SDG Context: The extreme crime levels in Marksville are a severe impediment to SDG 16. The report attributes these figures to low economic standing and high unemployment, directly linking the security crisis to failures in achieving SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

2. Monroe

   • Violent Crime Rate: 2,104 per 100,000 residents.
   • Property Crime Rate: 6,048 per 100,000 residents, including 450 vehicle thefts per 100,000.
   • SDG Context: The high incidence of violent and property crime compromises the goal of creating safe urban environments as outlined in SDG 11. Community surveys indicating that over 80% of residents feel unsafe walking alone at night underscore the negative impact on public well-being, a component of SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

3. Alexandria

   • Violent Crime Rate: 1,972 per 100,000 residents, which is 260% above the state average.
   • Property Crime Rate: 6,394 per 100,000 residents.
   • SDG Context: With an average of 5.4 violent crimes daily, Alexandria faces significant obstacles to ensuring public safety and access to justice, which are central tenets of SDG 16. The pervasiveness of crime undermines community stability and sustainable urban development.

4. Opelousas

   • Violent Crime Rate: 1,680 per 100,000 residents, more than 300% higher than the statewide statistic.
   • Property Crime Rate: 5,762 per 100,000 residents.
   • SDG Context: The elevated crime rates in Opelousas represent a critical failure in providing a safe and secure environment for its citizens, directly contravening the objectives of SDG 11 and SDG 16.

5. New Orleans

   • Violent Crime Rate: 1,361 per 100,000 residents, 148% above the state average.
   • Property Crime Rate: 5,090 per 100,000 residents.
   • SDG Context: As the state’s largest city, the high crime rates in New Orleans have a substantial impact on Louisiana’s overall progress toward SDG 16. Ensuring safety in major urban centers is fundamental to achieving SDG 11’s vision of sustainable and resilient cities.

6. West Monroe

   • Violent Crime Rate: 1,359 per 100,000 residents.
   • Property Crime Rate: 5,895 per 100,000 residents.
   • SDG Context: The high probability of victimization (1 in 74 for violent crime, 1 in 17 for property crime) demonstrates a significant gap in public safety infrastructure, hindering the establishment of strong and just institutions as promoted by SDG 16.

7. Bogalusa

   • Violent Crime Rate: 1,231 per 100,000 residents, 125% above the state average.
   • Property Crime Rate: 4,117 per 100,000 residents.
   • SDG Context: The prevalence of crime in Bogalusa poses a direct threat to community safety and stability, challenging the core principles of SDG 11 and SDG 16.

8. Jennings

   • Violent Crime Rate: 1,012 per 100,000 residents, 85% above the state average.
   • Property Crime Rate: 4,880 per 100,000 residents.
   • SDG Context: The statistics for Jennings indicate a substantial deviation from the safety and security targets inherent in the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16’s mandate to reduce violence.

9. Baton Rouge

   • Violent Crime Rate: 1,004 per 100,000 residents, 83% above the state average.
   • Property Crime Rate: 5,526 per 100,000 residents.

   SDG Context: As the state capital, the high crime rates in Baton Rouge reflect a systemic challenge to establishing peace and justice statewide. These figures are a significant barrier to making the city safe, inclusive, and sustainable, as envisioned by SDG 11.

10. Bossier City

    • Violent Crime Rate: 911 per 100,000 residents, 66% above the state average.
    • Property Crime Rate: 4,570 per 100,000 residents.
    • SDG Context: The data from Bossier City concludes the list, illustrating a widespread challenge across Louisiana in meeting the fundamental human right to safety, a prerequisite for achieving SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

SDGs Addressed in the Article

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

This is the most prominent SDG in the article. The entire text focuses on crime rates, both violent and property-related, which directly relates to the goal of promoting peaceful and just societies. The article provides extensive data on the lack of peace and safety in various Louisiana cities.

• The article explicitly states, “The state of Louisiana has a relatively high crime rate, particularly for violent crime, with the state ranking fifth for violent crime rates.”
• It details the “violent crime rate of approximately 548 offenses occurring for every 100,000 people” for the state and provides specific, higher rates for individual cities like Marksville and Monroe.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The article’s analysis of the “most dangerous cities” directly connects to the goal of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. High crime rates undermine the safety and sustainability of urban environments.

• The article ranks cities based on safety, with Marksville being “considered the most dangerous city in Louisiana.”
• It highlights how crime affects daily life and perceptions of safety, noting that in Monroe, “over four-fifths of residents avoid walking alone after dark,” which indicates a lack of safe and accessible public spaces.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The article implies a connection between crime and economic conditions, which falls under the purview of SDG 8. It suggests that a lack of economic opportunities contributes to high crime rates.

• In its analysis of Marksville, the article states that the city “experiences high crime numbers because of its low economic standing, combined with jobless residents and insufficient police departments.” This directly links crime to unemployment and poor economic conditions.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere

This target is central to the article. The text is a detailed report on the prevalence of violence in Louisiana, using crime statistics as a measure.

• The article’s primary focus is on quantifying violence, citing that Louisiana’s “violent crime rate is 66.5% higher than the national average” and providing specific rates for ten different cities, such as Alexandria’s “violent crime rate of 1,972 per 100,000 residents.”

Target 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces…

The article touches upon this target by describing how high crime rates make public spaces unsafe and inaccessible for residents.

• The community survey from Monroe, where “over four-fifths of residents avoid walking alone after dark,” is a direct reflection of public spaces being perceived as unsafe, thereby limiting universal access.

Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all…

This target is relevant due to the article’s assertion that economic factors are a root cause of crime.

• The explanation for Marksville’s high crime rate points to “jobless residents” as a key contributing factor, linking the lack of employment directly to the security challenges discussed.

Indicators Mentioned or Implied

Indicators for Target 16.1

The article provides direct data that can be used as indicators for measuring progress toward reducing violence.

1. Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: This is used extensively throughout the article. For example, the statewide rate is “548 offenses occurring for every 100,000 people,” and the rate in Opelousas is “1,680 crimes per 100,000 residents.” This serves as a direct proxy for Indicator 16.1.1 (Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population).
2. Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: The article also tracks property offenses, such as in Baton Rouge, which experiences a “5,526 per 100,000 instance of property crime.” This includes data on burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft.
3. Proportion of the population that feels safe (Indicator 16.1.4): This is directly measured in the article’s reference to a community survey in Monroe, where “over four-fifths of residents avoid walking alone after dark,” indicating a high proportion of the population feels unsafe.

Indicators for Target 11.7

The article implies indicators related to the safety of public spaces.

1. Proportion of persons who feel unsafe in public spaces: As mentioned above, the data from Monroe about residents avoiding walking alone at night serves as a clear indicator of the lack of safety in public areas, which is a key component of this target.

Indicators for Target 8.5

The article implies an economic indicator linked to crime.

1. Unemployment/Joblessness Rate (Proxy for Indicator 8.5.2): While no specific unemployment rate is given, the article explicitly identifies “jobless residents” as a cause of high crime in Marksville. This implies that the unemployment rate is a critical indicator for understanding and addressing the security issues in the city.

Summary of Findings

Source: shreveporttimes.com