ABC 10 News
SAN DIEGO — The murder rate in San Diego was up almost 20 percent in 2012 from the year before, and in San Diego County, the numbers increased by almost 23 percent.
San Diego Police Chief William Lansdowne said gangs are growing as a result of the state’s prison realignment with California wardens shifting tens of thousands of inmates to county jail cells or providing early release.
“We’re seeing about a thousand additional people out of prison and they don’t have quite the level of oversight they would normally have and it’s pretty clear that it’s having some effect on the gangs and they’re being more aggressive than before,” Lansdowne said.
Gang violence is up 34 percent, he said.
Full story: Murder rate for region jumps in 2012: City of San Diego, county impacted by spike in crime