Crime in New Orleans: Hold Criminals and Politicians Accountable

The district attorney of New Orleans, Jason Williams, and his mother were recently carjacked at gunpoint. It was a terrible crime — and entirely predictable. As one of America’s many George Soros–backed district attorneys, Williams has dismissed charges for 66 percent of carjacking arrests over the past two years, encouraging more of the crime that he’s now experienced. Republican governor-elect Jeff Landry is set to be inaugurated in January, and he should prioritize protecting the people of New Orleans from their own district attorney.

New Orleans has long been a dangerous city. My wife and I left in 2019 largely because of widespread crime; my truck was broken into twice, and my wife and I were shot at while trying to stop a robbery. Yet the slide into chaos has only accelerated in the years since. In 2022, the city overtook St. Louis, Mo., as the “murder capital of the United States.” In terms of homicides per 100,000 residents, it’s one of the ten most dangerous cities in the world — beaten only by Mexican cities overrun by drug traffickers such as the Sinaloa Cartel. New Orleans didn’t see this many murders even in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when the city became synonymous with disorder.

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About the Author

Scott Centorino

Scott Centorino, a former Louisiana assistant attorney general, is the deputy policy director at the Foundation for Government Accountability.

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The district attorney of New Orleans, Jason Williams, and his mother were recently carjacked at gunpoint. It was a terrible crime — and entirely predictable. As one of America’s many George Soros–backed district attorneys, Williams has dismissed charges for 66 percent of carjacking arrests over the past two years, encouraging more of the crime that he’s now experienced. Republican governor-elect Jeff Landry is set to be inaugurated in January, and he should prioritize protecting the people of New Orleans from their own district attorney.

New Orleans has long been a dangerous city. My wife and I left in 2019 largely because of widespread crime; my truck was broken into twice, and my wife and I were shot at while trying to stop a robbery. Yet the slide into chaos has only accelerated in the years since. In 2022, the city overtook St. Louis, Mo., as the “murder capital of the United States.” In terms of homicides per 100,000 residents, it’s one of the ten most dangerous cities in the world — beaten only by Mexican cities overrun by drug traffickers such as the Sinaloa Cartel. New Orleans didn’t see this many murders even in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when the city became synonymous with disorder.