Most people would agree that the world lived in today is completely different than the one lived in 10 or 20 years ago, but just how bad is it? According to statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, crime in Colorado has increased an average of 1.4% per year for the last 15 years.
Similarly, the amount of fentanyl and marijuana seized by the police in Colorado has increased. This may imply that the increase of narcotics has led to an increase in crime. The Colorado State Patrol seized nearly 4,400 pounds of marijuana in 2022 and about 620 pounds of fentanyl. That is a 75% increase in cannabis since 2021 and a 173% increase in fentanyl.
Junior Ben Fulton said, “I think that crime is rising because people are facing more desperation, and they see crime as a way out. The state should increase their police force and investigate crime more to lead people away from it.”
Sadly, this November, a man entered Eaton High School and walked through the halls. Eventually he entered some classrooms, and he even stole a teacher’s bag. The bag had her car keys in it and he stole her vehicle.
Unfortunately, adult incarceration rates have dropped since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some individuals blame Colorado policy makers for relaxing penalties, and some believe that short staffing and low morale in police departments are to blame.
While some elected officials have taken preventative measures to stop serious crime, the effects are still waiting to be seen in late 2023. The number of violent crimes such as homicide, sexual assault, aggravated assault, and robbery peaked this past July. Subsequently, it dropped slightly before rising once again.
Denver has seen a steep increase in auto thefts in recent years. Ironically Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, who has been speaking on the high crime rate in Denver, has had his vehicle stolen multiple times.
The state has received serious backlash from conservative groups who believe that a “tough-on-crime rhetoric” is the way to drop the crime rate. However, two of the state’s three largest cities, Colorado Springs and Aurora, had District Attorneys from the republican party during the surge of crime, so the cause is likely not reliant on political leaders. Senior Dylan Queen said, “In Eaton, I feel pretty safe, but I think crime is on the rise because of holes in security. The state should crack down to reduce the amount of crime.”
Colorado is not alone in this though. After the pandemic, most states saw a 40% rise in murder. The state is certainly experiencing a high crime rate, but it is nothing compared to the crime seen in the 1980s and 1990s.
Colorado lawmakers are looking to increase sentencing for drug charges to “recriminalize” narcotics. In fact, last year, they passed Bill 22-1326, which made the possession of small amounts of synthetic opioids like fentanyl a felony once again.
While this is clearly a dark time in Colorado’s recent history, officials are taking steps to get dangerous drugs, especially fentanyl off of the streets, hopefully dropping the crime rate and making colorful Colorado a better place to live.