With the 26th highest population of any city in the U.S., one would expect Portland’s crime rate to be similar to other cities. It is. It has been falling since October last year. However, the crime rate in SE Portland, especially around Cleveland, has been rising according to Tableau Public, a source directly associated with the Portland Police. This is incredibly surprising, as even neighborhoods like Downtown have fallen since August.
The types of crimes most prevalent in all of Portland today are assault and theft, which spike in the Downtown neighborhood. Neighborhoods in close proximity are also seeing increases in crime rate. One of these adjacent neighborhoods is Hosford-Abernethy, where Cleveland is located, which has seen an increase in crime compared to the city overall.
In January of 2024, Hosford-Abernethy had 89 total offenses, which is higher than all of its bordering neighbors, according to Tableau Public. The majority of these were property theft and motor vehicle theft, which made up 47 of the 89 offenses, just over 50%.
One of the most harrowing crimes in recent memory for the neighborhood was in September of 2023, where a body was dragged across a Plaid Pantry parking lot on 26th and Division at around 4:20 a.m. According to The Oregonian, the body was not removed until 9:20 a.m., so numerous students walking on their way to Hosford Middle School or Cleveland High School could have witnessed the covered body and blood, which could have been very traumatic. The neighborhood reaction to this event was mostly surprise, especially from the students who attend schools in the area.
“The whole situation was surreal,” commented junior Finn Brewer. “I heard about it from a friend, but hearing that a dead body was laying there a few blocks from my house frightened me.”
In even more recent news, on Feb. 22 a man was fatally shot in the Motel 6 across from the Cleveland track, according to The Oregonian. The attack was carried out by someone influenced by continual drug usage, which escalated the encounter into catastrophe. Drug-related violence and crime has also heightened overall within the crime scene of Portland, something that is a direct consequence of the weak and overwhelmed drug rehabilitation centers.
While general crimes have been falling in Portland, violence has been ramping up. Assault has been progressively going down, but more violent crimes including homicides and human trafficking are on the rise. I believe the reason for this increase in violent crime can be attributed to the minimal staffing and funding for rehabilitation and community centers. Solutions we could implement include better funding of rehabilitation centers, youth programs, as well as any other support groups for struggling individuals in the community. These centers/programs are not only underfunded, but also underdeveloped. Many of them, such as the youth exploration program at Sauvie Island Center, rely on public funding to continue their mission, as the money collected from the city is not enough. This is a big problem for any community, especially one trying to improve the rising crime rate. Ultimately, it is up to these programs to make SE Portland what we want it to be. Without them, the community could fall deeper into the pitfall of violence.
Portland is a city of many problems, but the one thing it does have is a lessening crime rate. However, while many may celebrate this accomplishment, it requires a deeper look. Specific regions are falling, which is positive, but at the same time other regions are rising without much consideration. We have to wake up to see these changes, and contribute in whatever way we can.