A Community at Risk

Homicide is a leading cause of premature death in the U.S. — especially for black boys and men.

Baton Rouge ranks as one of the nation’s more violent cities.

During 2012, The Advocate is examining violence in our community, its underlying causes and ways to address it.

Jan. 29, 2012

Violence in Baton Rouge

• Murder rate in EBR falls heavily on black boys and men

• EBR records 81 homicides in 2011

• Other Deaths

Feb. 26, 2012

High homicide rate plagues Baton Rouge

• Experts point to Hurricane Katrina as tipping point in recent increase

March 25, 2012

‘Why are you doing this?’

The Advocate takes a close look at one random act of violence.

• Crime is not just statistics. It is intensely personal — victims and perpetrators have faces.

April 29, 2012

‘It’s worse than living in a war zone’: Hopelessness, fear and poverty lead to violence

• Hopelessness, fear and poverty lead to violence

June 3, 2012

Business activity in neighborhoods around Plank Road in north Baton Rouge has been declining for at least a decade, while criminal activity is rampant.

• High crime rate bad for area business

June 24, 2012

Who’s in school?

• Young offenders are being put back into public schools, without educators knowing much about what they have done

July 29, 2012

Police work to break ‘us vs. them’ mindset

• Fear of retaliation, distrust of police widespread

Related Stories/Video:

• BRAVE program aims to build trust

• Video: Sheriff Gautreaux discusses how he’s ‘policing the police’

• Video: Chief White addresses what makes officers ‘irritable’

Aug. 26, 2012

Finding a way out

Concerned volunteer helped Craig Young, brother escape violence

Gautreaux uses ‘triangle analogy’ to explain character

Opportunities to get involved

Other Resources

Click here for an interactive map plots details of homicides in East Baton Rouge Parish:

• 2011 Homicides in East Baton Rouge Parish