Key findings to reduce crime in Washington, D.C

In August, the Manhattan Institute released a comprehensive report examining public safety in Washington, D.C., emphasizing the need to enforce existing laws to enhance street safety. The report noted that D.C. was among the few major cities that responded to activist calls to "defund the police," resulting in a $15 million budget cut for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in 2020. This decision has been linked to rising crime rates, particularly during the tenure of former Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety Chairman Allen, who implemented several criminal justice reforms. Allen's legislative efforts included the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2020, which reduced maximum sentences for various violent crimes, and the Second Look Act, which mandated sentence reductions for violent offenders under 25. While some reforms aimed to address systemic issues, the report suggests that these changes may have contributed to increased crime, prompting calls for a reassessment of public safety strategies. The Manhattan Institute's findings indicate a pressing need for more law enforcement personnel, as the MPD has seen a decline of nearly 500 officers since 2019. The report argues that effective enforcement of laws is crucial for improving public safety, highlighting a significant drop in prosecution rates between 2021 and 2022, where less than half of felonies and only 28% of misdemeanors were prosecuted. Additionally, the report points to a shortage of judges, exacerbating the backlog of cases and hindering the judicial process. The Manhattan Institute advocates for increased resources and personnel to bolster the effectiveness of law enforcement and the judicial system in D.C.