According to this piece in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, burglaries were up 12.2% in 2008 when compared with 2007. This is quite a hefty jump and does not include break-ins related to domestic situations. This means that the majority of these offenses are being committed on strangers.
So, why the increase? Well, if you ask the Shelby County District Attorney General, you won’t hear them attributed to the disastrous economy. Unemployment is at record highs and people are struggling to make ends meet, but Mr. Gibbons thinks this is totally unrelated.
I understand a good many break-ins are related to drug use, people looking for easy money to support their habit. But, isn’t it irresponsible to think that none of the increase can be due to poverty taking a hold of the people of Memphis? [read more]