Mayor Justin Bibb recently addressed the City of Cleveland to confront the issue of the alarming increase in violent crimes, specifically murder, across the city.

Bibb delivered a somber and concerned speech expressing his firm belief that the city has so much more potential and this is a result of the amount of firearms in Cleveland. Many residents are concerned that their homes are becoming increasingly unsafe. Homeowners aside, some JCU students who enjoy spending their limited free time in Cleveland share these growing fears.

Throughout the majority of the United States, murder rates have gone down a significant amount, which is why it is so troubling that Cleveland has been experiencing the opposite. Most statistics say that murder rates have on average dropped by about 10 percent despite 2023 having a concerning amount of mass shootings.

This year has the lowest murder rate since the COVID-19 pandemic, which is a relief since murder has been up as much as 30 percent since 2020. Looking at the U.S. as a whole, murder rates have decreased since 2022, yet Cleveland’s have continued to increase since the pandemic, jumping up 13.46 percent, and we are not even through the year yet.

As of July 2023, there have been over one hundred murders in Cleveland. While it is hard to pinpoint the reason for this increase in violent crime, many have been quick to point out that Cleveland has been struggling to recruit and keep officers on the job. Some of this is a result of the pandemic and it is also partially due to Mayor Bibb’s effort to reconstruct the budget, which included reducing some law enforcement spending, which altogether has led to a reduction of about one-third of Cleveland police.

John Carroll students enjoy exploring downtown Cleveland, whether it be the art museum, the West Side market, or the nightlife. The reports on violent crimes have made some students second guess the safety of making the trip downtown for weekend activities.

John Carroll’s Jeremy Bravard ‘24 stated “Going downtown is fun and all, but I would never go alone. It makes a lot more sense to go in a group if you are planning on enjoying the nightlife down there given all that has been going on.”

This fear from John Carroll students is understandable given the increase in violence that has taken place around the Flats, one of the most popular nightlife areas in downtown Cleveland, including a shooting this summer.

Cleveland residents understandably crave answers and solutions, but so far there has not been any solid response, aside from pointing fingers at the pandemic and lack of police presence.

Residents and students alike want to be able to enjoy time in the city that they love without the paranoia of these looming statistics, which can, unfortunately, be hard to do when it does not seem that there is much being done about it. However, as long as those who visit downtown take basic safety precautions, they should still be able to enjoy themselves in the vibrant city of Cleveland.