Post Loves The Crime Wave

The Post’s headline on the latest of many recent stories on this supposed rise in crime reads: “D.C. Slayings, Nerves Spike.” Wrong! Sloppy! Slayings are actually lower so far this year than last year. The “spike,” as the story itself points out, has been in violent crime — things like assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery. Those stats are easily manipulated and hard to pin down. (The numbers can rise if there are more arrests or more calls from citizens, which can hinge on efforts like Chief Lanier’s to increase patrols or on demographic shifts like the ones happening in the 5th and 1st districts.)