With an MSU professor in charge, the United States Department of Justice has stepped up to a request from Puerto Rican police to help lower the number of homicides that have riddled the island.
Criminal justice professor David Carter is the leader of commanding initiatives amongst other U.S. police investigators and commanders. MSU was the only university asked to be involved.
Puerto Rico’s homicide rate is around 30 homicides to every 100,000 people with low clearance rates; while the U.S. rate falls at 1.8 to 100,000, according to Carter. The bulk of the work will begin January and commence in May.
This weekend, The State News was able to catch up with Carter and ask how he hopes to help combat crime in the commonwealth.
The State News: Why does Puerto Rico have high violent crime rates?
David Carter: A lot of (Puerto Rico’s) homicides are (from) retaliations. (It’s) against one gang member (who) kills another gang member and the gang retaliates against the other. If (the police) can find out who these gang members are and intervene, (they) can reduce the homicide rate.
TSN: Why was MSU’s School of Criminal Justice asked to help and what is your role as team leader?
DC: We have worked with (the Justice Department) in different areas and have a long history and track record … What I do in the program is set out the plan, how are we are going to do this and I try to … rally up the team members with their expertise to the people we have to go to … and I coordinate those goals and (initiatives) as well. I bring together the team members to say what … they know (and) verify it and then I write the report.
TSN: What are your objectives within the program?
DC: We really wanted to address their violence problems and the reasons for (them). … We come in and see how their homicide investigations can be more efficient and (how to) prevent future homicides. … We are interviewing people within the Puerto Rico (police department) and … the U.S. Department of Justice forensic sciences unit throughout the island and (finding) what the best practices are (that) they can do to help them change.
TSN: How does this involvement reflect on MSU?
DC: It is a recognition to MSU and the School of Criminal Justice that we’re on the cutting edge of issues (and) in this case, what is the best way to help all homicide investigations … It reinforces that we are a national leader in this area.
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