The number of shootings in the city of Nashville has increased since 2016, according to statistics from the city's police department as well as media reports. However, when it comes to examining a city's crime rate, several factors come into play.
Crime statistics include overall rates of violent crime as well as breakdowns in terms of specific types of violent crime, such as shootings. In addition, the rate of shootings in Nashville is not uniform across all districts of the city. While shootings in Nashville are on the rise overall, there is at least one area of the city experiencing a decrease.
Shootings and violent crime on the rise in Nashville
The Tennessean reported that shootings in Nashville have been increasing in 2018. It said the number of shootings in the city this year could be the highest in more than a decade. However, the East Nashville area is actually experiencing a marked decline in shootings, it noted. Shootings there decreased by nearly half between the years of 2004 and 2017.
Violent crime is also on the rise in general throughout the city. The reasons for violent crime are numerous, and not all suspects are necessarily hardened criminals. Sometimes people who commit a violent crime feel shocked and bewildered in the aftermath of the event, for example calling an attorney and simply stating "I might have shot someone." It is important not to generalize when it comes to talking about shootings and violent crime.
Criminal charges for violent crimes
Suspects in violent crime cases go through the Nashville court system and are innocent until proven guilty. There are many different factors that can affect the outcome of a criminal case. Sometimes overzealous prosecutors bring charges that go beyond the crime's actual circumstances. In other cases, evidence the prosecution brings against the criminal defendant is not credible.
Without legal assistance from a skilled criminal defense attorney, it can be impossible for a criminal defendant to properly understand the charges the prosecution brings. An increase in violent crime in our area requires a corresponding response from local law enforcement as well as assistance for defendants by a skilled criminal defense attorney who knows how to ensure the legal protection of a suspect's rights.