The Drug Enforcement Administration is tasked with ending drug trafficking in the United States. They’ve had a lot of success by undergoing a crucial operation: raiding drug labs. Drug labs are the source of a huge chunk of illegal drugs in the U.S. They’re used to create dangerous substances like methamphetamines. The key to stopping the illegal drug trade is to stop drug production at the source. The team at Joslyn Law Firm shows us the centers of these raids by mapping out the U.S. cities with the most raids in over a ten-year span. With this map we can see changing trends in drug trafficking.

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The team presents us with one map and a few graphs. On the map we see the cities with the highest average number of raids between 2014 and 2023. Below, graphs show these cities raids on a yearly basis in this time span, as well as a graph comparing each state’s numbers.

Michigan has the highest number of drug raids. There are some unique aspects to this state that make it a hot spot. The state has a border with Canada that cuts through the Great Lakes. This watery border gives drug traffickers and easier way to move illegal goods in and out of the country. Michigan also has high unemployment rates and fewer economic opportunities, which leads more people to turn to drug use and sales. Michigan also produces many of the chemicals used in synthetic drugs, so drug labs have an easier time getting a hold of supplies. Learn more with the team’s extensive information and data.

Gun violence continues to be a pressing issue in the United States, with recent data revealing alarming trends in firearm-related deaths across various counties. A comprehensive map by the Joslyn Law Firm has brought to light significant changes in gun homicide rates between 2018 and 2022.

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Hotspots of Gun Violence

The data displayed on the map identified several areas where gun violence has reached critical levels:

• New Orleans (Orleans Parish, Louisiana): Emerged as the epicenter of gun violence, with a staggering 200 firearm homicides in 2022, translating to 54.09 deaths per 100,000 residents. This marks a near doubling of fatalities since 2018.
• St. Louis County, Missouri: Closely following New Orleans, this area recorded 152 gun-related homicides in 2022, equating to 53.04 deaths per 100,000 people. This represents a significant increase from 122 deaths in 2018.

Emerging Danger Zones

While many high-risk areas remained consistent over the four-year period, new localities have entered the list of most dangerous counties:

• Portsmouth, Virginia: Despite its relatively small population of 97,029, the city witnessed 37 gun homicides in 2022, resulting in a rate of 38.13 deaths per 100,000 residents.
• Orangeburg County, South Carolina: Another smaller county with 83,094 inhabitants, it reported 27 firearm homicides in 2022, equating to 32.49 deaths per 100,000 people.

Addressing the Crisis

The persistent and escalating nature of gun violence has sparked intense debates on potential solutions. Proposed measures include:

• Implementing stricter regulations on firearm purchases
• Enacting laws permitting the seizure of firearms in high-risk situations
• Mandating more secure storage protocols for firearms
• Revising and tightening laws governing the carrying of firearms

As gun violence continues to shape public discourse and policy debates, the need for effective strategies to curb this epidemic becomes increasingly urgent. The data presented serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by communities across the nation in their efforts to ensure public safety and reduce firearm-related fatalities.

Historically, it has been difficult to gather accurate data over human trafficking due to issues like under reporting and the use of deceptive tactics to evade law enforcement. However, human trafficking rates can be estimated through confirmed cases of human trafficking and census data over state population. One law firm did just that using data they collected from the National Human Trafficking Hotline to create a map highlighting the states with the highest rate of human trafficking over the past 5 years.

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As the most-populated state with over 39 million people, California has a reported 11,254 cases of human trafficking from 2019 to 2023. Texas and Florida follow in a similar pattern respectively. As the states with the second and third highest population, Texas and Florida had a reported 7,369 and 6,904 cases during this time.

Georgia is the first state in the ranking where trafficking rates do not directly reflect its population. Despite having the eighth-largest population with over 11 million people, it ranks fourth with 5,140 cases of human trafficking from 2019 to 2023. Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, is home to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the world’s major transportation hubs.

When looking at the data from the rate of human trafficking per 100,000 people, Nevada ranks first. Despite only having a population of just over 3 million, Nevada has a rate of 58.48 victims of human trafficking per 100,000 people. This is in contrast to California, where the rate is 28.88 per 100,000 people. Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world known for its nightlife and gambling, is a target destination for human traffickers. Many vulnerable populations, such as homeless youth and migrant workers, are at a higher risk of exploitation and trafficking in Las Vegas.