Crime is one of the biggest talking points among politicians and citizens alike. Across the US, reports of criminality, especially violent offenses, seem to be rising at an alarming rate. In Washington state, violent crime is up 55% with murder increased by 95%. What is causing this trend? Some say inflation, while others blame progressives and decriminalization. Liberty Nation reached out to residents of The Evergreen State to get their opinions.
Joe Jadwin has been a citizen of Renton, WA, a suburb of Seattle, for 13 years. He lives on a quiet street without much foot traffic or crime. Mr. Jadwin, like many other Americans on a cold evening, started his car and left it running to let it warm up and went back into his house to make sure doors were locked. When he went back outside, the car had been stolen. Police found the vehicle a couple of weeks later full of guns and drug paraphernalia. It was totaled because technicians tested the car “and determined it was a biohazard,” Jadwin told LN, although he said law enforcement would not say what that biohazard was.
Unfortunately, Jadwin’s experience is becoming all too common. Last month, Renton police found a stolen car that had more than $360,000 in cash, $12,000 worth of methamphetamine, $21,000 in heroin, 18 grams of cocaine, and more than 900 fentanyl pills. That was just one single vehicle out of many in recent months. According to CrimeGrade.org, the city of Renton has a score of D+ for stolen vehicles.
Auto theft is seen by some as a gateway crime made easier for criminals to achieve because of the state’s lax laws.
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) said violent crime has increased by 55% since 2015 when there were 18,925 reported offenses, compared to 29,368 in 2021. Here are some other statistics from the organization:
Dr. Marvin Rosete is running as a Democrat for the Renton City Council Position 5 November election. He has a doctorate in education and a master’s in public administration. He told LN that a lot of the problem with increased crime is recent legislation, such as the 2021 Blake Decision, which decriminalized drug possession from a felony to a misdemeanor and a bill that restricts police from pursuing suspects without “probable cause.” Before the law, officers could give chase if they had “reasonable suspicion” that someone in a vehicle was a suspect or was committing a crime.
“Police have their hands tied,” Dr. Rosete explained. Currently, lawmakers are working toward rolling back the police accountability policies due to ineffectiveness and the rise in criminality. He suggests crime is increasing due to drugs, especially “cheap synthetic drugs,” mental illness, and that there are “crimes of survival and criminal elements taking advantage.” Mr. Rosete also explained, “The rise in crime in Seattle is not what you think. It’s not relatable to George Floyd” which he said was “used as an excuse” to pass some of the more progressive laws. Seattle represents about 12% of the state, and “The most liberal-driven legislations are going to come from Seattle,” he said. He added, “Policies come from a good place, however, what we’re lacking in our government is accountability for the outcome.”
Dr. Rosete also said that “communities of color are affected the most. They are the most vulnerable and the purpose of decriminalization was so that the people were not over-policed.” However, these policies had “unexpected outcomes” because policymakers were “doubling down on ideologies that they believed are fit to make law.”
Nadine Welch has been a resident of Renton for 50 years. A retiree from Boeing, she told LN that drugs and “essentially handcuffing the police” are to blame for a lot of the increase in crime. When asked if she has seen a growth in illegal activities in just the last couple of years, she responded with a resounding, “Absolutely!”
Residents argue that there is no accountability for committing certain crimes. Shoplifters fill up their backpacks in full view of employees and walk out with their stolen goods, the staff unable to do anything about it. As Ms. Welch demonstrated, since police can’t chase a vehicle, people aren’t even keeping their license plate tabs up to date, which was one sure way to get pulled over by police. “You and I are paying the price for the stealing that’s going on,” she said.
“Prisons are so full they provide minimal sentences,” Mr. Jadwin commented. “They know the courts aren’t going to prosecute.”
“They get their hands slapped and they’re out there doing it again,” Ms. Welch added.
Both residents agree the state needs more criminalization, not less, and giving police the authority to do their jobs will go a long way in reducing crime.