Eli Crane Questions DC Mayor Bowser and Officials on City Crime Rates

Crime Problem in DC

• ❓ Representative Eli Crane pressed Mayor Muriel Bowser, Chairman Mendelson, and Attorney General Schwab with a direct "yes or no" question: Does DC have a crime problem?
• 🗣️ All officials deflected the question, stating that "any crime is too much crime" or that it's "not a yes or no question," indicating a reluctance to directly label the situation.

DC's Crime Rankings

• 📈 Crane asserted that DC ranks number seven among US cities for crime rates, highlighting that the nation's capital is in the top 10 most violent cities.
• 📊 Mendelson disputed this, claiming DC does not place in the top 25, a point Crane contested based on his own reporting.

Impact of Federal Intervention

• 🇺🇸 Crane inquired if crime had decreased since the President deployed the National Guard and federal agencies.
• ✅ Mayor Bowser confirmed that crime "accelerated" its decrease during the federal surge.

Defunding the Police and Union Criticism

• 🏛️ Councilman Mendelson acknowledged voting for a budget that reduced police funding, though he disputed the $15 million figure.
• 📢 The police union issued a statement criticizing Mendelson for calling the police on peaceful protesters, alleging it led to a delay in response to his home and the assignment of a permanent security detail due to his stance on policing.

Prosecution Rates and Legal Measures

• ⚖️ Attorney General Schwab agreed that all legal measures should be on the table to combat crime.
• 📉 Crane cited reports indicating low prosecution rates for certain crimes under AG Graves and in Q1/Q2 of 2025, with specific low percentages for gun-related homicides, sex abuse cases, and non-fatal shootings.
• 🏛️ Schwab clarified that the statistics Crane cited were from the federal US Attorney's office, not her own, and stated her office prosecutes over 84% of violent juvenile crimes and all violent crimes with sufficient evidence.

Juvenile Justice and Age of Adulthood

• 🧒 Crane questioned the age at which individuals are considered minors in DC, contrasting it with the rest of the country where 18-year-olds are adults.
• 📜 Schwab explained that in DC, those younger than 18 are treated as juveniles, and the Youth Rehabilitation Act applies to adult defendants, clarifying potential conflation of laws.