St. Louis, Missouri has long been known for its high violent crime rates, and the city's recently elected Democratic mayor Tishaura Jones has been facing criticism for her handling of the issue. However, during a recent meeting of the Black Mayors Coalition on Crime, Jones suggested a novel approach to addressing crime in the city - holding business owners accountable for crimes committed on their premises.
The comments made by Jones during the closed-door meeting, which was attended by mayors from various cities, including Memphis, have sparked a debate about the role of business owners in addressing crime. Jones highlighted convenience stores and gas stations as being particularly problematic areas for crime in St. Louis and suggested that holding business owners accountable could help bring down the crime rate.
While it is not clear exactly what actions Jones proposed to hold business owners accountable, her suggestion of shifting the responsibility away from government officials and onto private businesses has raised some eyebrows. Critics argue that it is the job of the city's leadership to address crime and that business owners may not have the resources or authority to effectively deal with it.
In response to the criticism, Jones doubled down on her stance, stating, "We have a lot of violence around convenience stores and gas stations. So how can we hold those business owners accountable and also bring down crime?" She also pointed out that other mayors in the meeting were also discussing similar strategies for addressing crime in their cities.
Some of the meeting attendees also suggested that the problem may not be that crime is actually rising, but rather that people's perception of crime is changing. Memphis Mayor Paul Young said, "We are solidified and resolved in the fact that we are stronger together. The national crime data may show some decreases in overall crime stats, but what we discussed today is that if people don’t feel safe, then the statistics don’t matter."
However, statistics from the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission tell a different story. In 2020, overall crime, property crime, and violent crime all saw significant increases compared to the previous year. This raises questions about the effectiveness of strategies aimed at reducing crime and the need for a more comprehensive approach.
St. Louis has long struggled with high crime rates, receiving an "F" rating from CrimeGrade.org. The city has consistently ranked among the highest in the country for murder and violent crime. It is worth noting that Jones has only been mayor since 2021 and inherited this issue from previous administrations.
Jones did not respond to requests for comment on her remarks, and it is not clear if any concrete steps will be taken to hold business owners accountable for crime in the city. However, her proposal has sparked an important conversation about the role of businesses in addressing crime and the need for a collaborative approach between government officials and private entities.
As the city continues to grapple with high crime rates, it is clear that more solutions are needed to make St. Louis a safer place for its residents.