Milwaukee, Wisconsin Homicide Rate for 2008: a Bright Spot

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2008 homicide rate a bright spot after dark past

Here are the murders from the 26 year period 1983 to 2008:

1983 – 54

1984 – 48

1985 – 73

1986 – 85

1987 – 95

1988 – 86

1989 – 116

1990 – 165

1991 – 168

1992 – 153

1993 – 164

1994 – 144

1995 – 142

1996 – 138

1997 – 122

1998 – 107

1999 – 124

2000 – 121

2001 – 127

2002 – 108

2003 – 107

2004 – 88

2005 – 122

2006 – 103

2007 – 105

2008 – 71

data source: http://onmilwaukee.com/politics/articles/mkemurders2008.html

Between 1990 and 1996 the average murder rate for Milwaukee, Wisconsin was 153! In 2003 there were 107 murders which was 2.4 times the national average per capita according to this website
[ http://www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=Milwaukee&state=WI ] which cited a “2003 FBI Report of Offenses Known to Law Enforcement” as its reference source. Both quite large figures.

Considering this history, Milwaukee’s reported murder rate of 71 murders for 2008 is remarkable. Even as the economy was being revealed as unstable violence in Milwaukee was dropping.

Chief Edward Flynn of the Milwaukee Police Department was cited in this article [ http://onmilwaukee.com/politics/articles/mkemurders2008.html ] as attributing the downturn to increased aid from Federal Agencies in taking down gangs, more police patrols and visibility, work done by community groups and more.

I started out to write an article on unsolved murders called, “Getting Away With Murder”, however I changed the topic on seeing the bright and positive development which took place in 2008. I may not be part of the media officially but it does get blamed for not reporting positive aspects of the news. Allow me to report that the murder rate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for 2008 was a bright spot with 34 fewer murders than in 2007. Let’s hope this trend continues and that we are able to improve on this figure even more.