The State of Crime in San Francisco
Consider this: a TV news crew reporting on increased crime in a San Francisco neighborhood was robbed of their camera at gunpoint.
Fortunately, no one was injured during this ironic property crime. Yet outrage over the brazen robbery is justified given the string of violent killings in San Francisco recently.
And the numerous attacks on Asian seniors.
We’ve all seen the viral video of the 84-year-old grandfather who was body slammed on the sidewalk and killed on his morning walk. To the family’s dismay, our district attorney told the New York Times the attack wasn’t racially motivated because the suspect “was in some sort of a temper tantrum” before assaulting the victim.
We also can’t forget about:
-
Two women killed while crossing a downtown street by a driver in a stolen car who was on parole for robbery.
-
A 76-year-old man robbed and killed outside his home.
-
The young father of a 3-year-old who was killed when an intoxicated driver of a stolen car ran a red light and crashed into eight cars. (The suspect had been arrested and released weeks earlier after driving another stolen car through a red light while high on drugs).
-
Two toddlers kidnapped when their father’s minivan was carjacked.
-
A 67-year-old man beaten and robbed by three assailants in a Chinatown laundromat, shown in harrowing surveillance video.
-
Shocking dashcam video of a highway robbery: man stops his car in lane of traffic, gets out, smashes the rear window of the car next to him as it waits to enter the Bay Bridge, steals camera gear, returns to his car and speeds off.
-
Every victim of a home invasion. Anyone who has survived a “hot prowl” burglary will tell you it is terrifying, like the family that experienced two in three months. When officials say overall crime is down, they should mention that burglaries — including home invasions — have spiked dramatically. Context is important: The 30,000 reported car break-ins we used to have every year before the pandemic aren’t happening now because the tourists are gone. Criminals are targeting residences instead.
Safe and sound solutions
With Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House, there’s a sense of relief on national issues. Yet locally, San Franciscans face worsening problems. We’ve had to absorb a lot of distressing news recently when it comes to public safety.
If you care about public safety in San Francisco, join Stop Crime SF. It’s a group working to create a safe and sound city for all.
We believe safety and justice go together and we can have both with a balanced approach. That’s why we hold officials accountable for keeping people safe while pursuing effective reform.
We support police and prison reform. We want to see less people in jail. We should focus on rehabilitation programs to correct harmful behavior before resorting to locking people up.
People suffering from mental illness and addiction who are accused of crimes should be given compassionate treatment, not jail time, when treatment or conservatorship can prevent them from reoffending.
When that is not a viable option, jails should be used for the most dangerous and repeat offenders. People must take responsibility for the crimes they commit. We can’t forget about the victims of crime.
Trust in our criminal justice system depends on accountability for law enforcement. Police who abuse their power and cause great harm must face consequences. If elected prosecutors and judges fail to keep residents safe, voters must hold them accountable at the ballot box.
