Keeping Jefferson Parish Safe

One of the most fundamental functions of any local government is to protect its citizens. This sense of security is a principal reason why Jefferson Parish has retained its appeal to families and businesses throughout the years. In spite of the challenge of sharing a boundary with New Orleans— one of the most violent cities in the country—and in spite of the fact that the profile of Jefferson Parish is increasingly urban rather than suburban, Jefferson has remained a remarkably safe place to live. However, the perception that the parish is relatively immune from crime and violence has begun to change since Hurricane Katrina. The displacement of residents, the shake-up in the illegal drug trade since the storm, the loss of social service, drug treatment, and mental health facilities, and a variety of other factors contributed to a spike in violent crime in Jefferson in 2006.

The response to this up-tick in criminal activity has been vigorous, swift, and comprehensive. Additional resources were marshaled, inter-agency cooperation was expanded, and blight remediation efforts were augmented. The result of these efforts was a reduction in homicides and some other violent offenses in Jefferson in 2007. Yet in spite of some very real gains, there seems to be a heightened level of concern about crime among Jefferson residents. This should be a particular concern to parish leaders. Because the concern for personal safety and the safety of one’s family is so paramount, the sense that crime is worsening can be an especially powerful motivation to relocate to another community. Criminal activity elicits a much stronger, viscerally negative reaction among residents than other quality of life concerns.

For this reason, reducing crime in Jefferson must be a central component of any effort to retain and attract residents and businesses. On-going efforts must be redoubled, and tangible progress must be achieved in short order. Furthermore, as gains are made, the public must be informed. Crime is a somewhat unique issue in that the perception of crime is nearly as damaging to a community’s health as the actual incidence of crime. Assuaging the community’s concerns by providing real information and tangible results is one of the most important functions that local government can fulfill.  

View the full list of crime improvements

Crime Abatement Status Report 1, October 2009 (PDF - 8 Pages - 517 KB)

Crime Abatement Status Report 2, October 2009 (PDF - 6 Pages - 404 KB)

Download the full strategic implementation plan

Jefferson EDGE 2020 Strategic Implementation Plan - Crime Abatement Report (PDF - 2.1 MB)