voa标准英语2008-High Crime Rate Takes a Toll on New Orleans

More than three years after Hurricane Katrina caused massive damage in New Orleans, the city has less than half its pre-hurricane population and a crime rate higher than any other city in the nation. But, as VOA's Greg Flakus reports, citizens' groups see signs of progress in the fight against crime.
　

New Orleans Police investigate scene where two people were shot as a parade was ending a few blocks away on Canal Street, 18 Feb. 2007

According to an analysis of FBI crime data done by CQ Press, which compiles annual reports on crime for cities around the nation, New Orleans has the highest crime rate in the United States.

Last year there were 209 murders and more than 19,000 reported criminal incidents in New Orleans, putting it ahead of Camden, New Jersey¹, Detroit, Michigan, and St. Louis, Missouri for the dubious² honor of being what some headline writers refer to as "the most dangerous city."

That title is viewed with disdain³ by city officials as well as the private citizens' group The Metropolitan⁴ Crime Commission of Greater New Orleans, whose president, Rafael Goyeneche, spoke⁵ to VOA by telephone about how the people of the city view the situation.
　

Rafael Goyeneche, president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission (file)

"There may be some disputes about whether we are the most-dangerous town or the second-most-dangerous or even the 100th-most dangerous," he said. "What is known to the people here is that crime is unacceptably high and they are demanding that something be done about it."

Goyeneche says New Orleans had a violent crime problem long before Hurricane Katrina struck in August, 2005 and, unfortunately, hardcore criminals were among the people who returned after the disaster. What he says is different now is the citizenry's pressure on local officials like the mayor, chief of police and district attorney to take effective action.

"There is, I think, more citizen scrutiny⁶ of the criminal justice system post-Katrina than there ever was pre-Katrina," Goyeneche said.

He says city officials have responded by scrapping⁷ some of the programs that resulted in high arrest rates for minor⁸ crimes, but left fewer policemen to deal with more serious crimes. Goyeneche says a different approach with drug users also shows promise.

"We just elected a new DA [district attorney] and one of the first things he wants to do is create a diversionary program where non-violent drug users' cases would be diverted out of the courts, being basically put through some counseling, given some training so they could go out and get a job and break their addiction⁹ problems," he said.

The president of the New Orleans Crime Commission says police need to target violent criminals and make sure they do not return to the streets to commit more crimes. He says he meets regularly with city officials to discuss the crime problem and the need to take more effective steps to reduce the threat to citizens.

1 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

2 dubious   

adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的

参考例句：

• What he said yesterday was dubious.他昨天说的话很含糊。
• He uses some dubious shifts to get money.他用一些可疑的手段去赚钱。

3 disdain   

n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑

参考例句：

• Some people disdain labour.有些人轻视劳动。
• A great man should disdain flatterers.伟大的人物应鄙视献媚者。

4 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

7 scrapping   

刮，切除坯体余泥

参考例句：

• He was always scrapping at school. 他在学校总打架。
• These two dogs are always scrapping. 这两条狗总是打架。

8 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

9 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。