With crime. This is the article folks, "NOPD is set to do battle with an influx of criminals to make the new New Orleans safer."
This article on NOLA.com (everything New Orleans) describes law enforcement's battle with the influx of people returning to the city. This influx which, apparently, also signifies a return to business as usual in Sin City. To be fair, the writer does suggest that law-abiding citizens have not returned in such full force because they continue to wait on job placement, housing, things of the like. But the criminals with their "street sense" have no need of such formalities. The drug trade never sleeps.

The article mentions the sociologist theory, the broken window, that suggests the mere sight of graffitti, litter and abandoned homes invites further disorder which spirals into violent crime. The article even quotes one resident who hopes for another storm to sweep the criminals out of town again. Everyone has the right to live in peace and try to provide for him or herself and his or her family. But here is my question: When will this (and every nation) start asking the sociologists the RIGHT questions?!!!! The WHY's behind the WHO's and WHAT's of crime?!!!

New Orleans' violent crime is, according to police, tied to its drug trade. But who are dealing the drugs there? The people who have lived admidst the graffitti, the trash and abandoned homes since time immemorium. And why do their environments look this way? Because they are poor and self-hating. Why are they poor and self-hating? Because they have been showed time and again by this nation that they are ugly, unwanted and undeserving of what the rest of the population receives. Not everyone who is poor is a criminal. But if you take a tour of the "broken window" effect in any major city in America you will find increased crime. For centuries African-Americans (who constitute the majority of New Orleans residents) and the poor (also the majority in NOLA) have been treated with less dignity than their white counterparts in this country (see slavery, jim crow, present day racism).

Though many blacks have risen above self-hatred and criminality, others have not. And even though the self-images of many black people in America reflect pride in their heritages and cultural backgrounds, that does not mean that the rest of America sees them any differently from the unfortunate part of the community that turns to drugs and crime. Some may still remember as desperate families searched for food and much needed supplies after Hurricane Katrina the media reported that white families "found" while black families "looted".

Even put side by side, facing the same stark reality, the black families could still find no dignity next to their white brothers and sisters. We must change our perceptions, share our resources and stand in solidarity with ALL of America's citizens. If we want to see a lessening of social ills like crime, we must apply ourselves to the task of alleviating the other social ills that gave birth to it, like poverty, inequality in education, employment and housing. The person who commits the crime was created, nurtured, mentored, just like the person who follows the law. But the person who commits the crime has, in this case, a harsher teacher advising him/her on which way to go. Provide consistent opportunity and education then go find a sociologist and watch the broken window be repaired.