Greenville homicide rate highest in Miss.

State News

September 8, 2010

Anonymous Associated Press Wed Sep 08, 2010, 09:55 AM CDT

GREENVILLE — Although Jackson has had more homicides so far this year than any other city in the state, Greenville’s rate is nearly double that of Mississippi’s capital.

Greenville had 11 homicides through Sept. 1, compared with 28 in Jackson, the Delta Democrat Times reported Monday.

Because Greenville is about one-fifth the size of Jackson, that works out to almost 31 homicides per 100,000 residents in Greenville, compared with about 16 per 100,000 residents in Jackson. Clarksdale, which is about half the size of Greenville, has a murder rate about the same as Jackson’s, but only three homicides.

Jackson has nearly 174,000 residents, Greenville almost 35,800 and Clarksdale about 18,000.

“This is my home. I grew up here. I’m upset by this. Having one homicide is one too many,” Greenville Mayor Heather Hudson said. “What we have to do is get to the root of the problem.”

It’s the third time this decade that Greenville has had double-digit homicides. There were 12 in 2000 and 13 in 2003.

Hudson and Police Chief Charles Patterson say putting more officers on the street isn’t necessarily the answer.

“We can’t be everywhere,” Patterson said. “We are out there taking calls and responding. We’re out there patrolling.”

He wouldn’t say how many of the city’s 105 officers are on duty at any one time.

“Criminals read (the newspaper), watch TV,” said Hudson. “They see what we’re doing. We don’t want to give them an advantage.”

Patterson said Greenville is a very safe city. “We’ve got people coming here to Greenville for conferences and gatherings that didn’t go to Jackson. They came here. We’ve got three college football games coming here. If this city wasn’t safe, do you think these people would be coming here?”

Both Patterson and Hudson are pleased that of the 11 homicides, only three remain unsolved.

“I think that shows that we have a very good police department,” said Hudson, who added that community support is a key in catching culprits.

This year’s killings have included four since May 21, the latest on Aug. 28.

“What is the core root of the problem?” said Hudson. “You can bring in the National Guard and put them on every corner, it’s not like you can throw more officers out there and it’s going to solve it. You can throw more money out there and it’s not going to solve it.”

Patterson said, “We’re not teaching young parents how to raise their kids. Any charity starts at home and that’s where many of our problems begin.”

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