What crime research tells us about Bunkie and Marksville

By Jay Callegari, PhD

Bunkie's cleanup of abandoned properties deserves a place in the discussion about crime prevention. As a criminologist, I see promise in that work. Marksville offers a different encouraging sign in its reported crime figures, although neither city has enough current, comparable public data for a confident prediction of its overall crime rate.

Avoyelles Today reported in May that Bunkie had approved 23 additional demolitions under Operation Blight Fight. In September, Avoyelles Online News reported that buildings at 608 South Lexington Avenue and 905 MacArthur Street had been demolished.

Research gives Bunkie a reason to pair demolition with lasting care for the land left behind. A randomized Philadelphia study found that restoring and maintaining neglected vacant lots reduced several crime measures and improved residents' sense of safety. Studies of demolition in Buffalo and Detroit produced mixed findings, so removing a building alone does not guarantee less crime.

To give this work the best chance of improving safety, cleared lots need regular mowing, trash removal and someone responsible for their upkeep. Nearby residents should have a voice in what happens next. I expect that continued care can help reduce opportunities for crime around improved properties, although we cannot yet say Operation Blight Fight has lowered Bunkie's crime rate.

Marksville's figures offer encouragement of their own. State reports list 594 reported offenses in 2022, 714 in 2023 and 510 in 2024. The 2024 total was lower than both earlier years. That is welcome, but three annual totals do not establish a lasting trend, and changes in how crimes are reported can affect the comparison.

I have not verified comparable Marksville figures for 2025 and 2026. That leaves too much uncertainty to predict whether the city's overall rate will rise, fall or hold steady. Current monthly figures would help residents see whether the earlier improvement is continuing.

Bunkie should keep investing in the care that follows cleanup. Marksville should make current crime figures easier to follow and use them to direct prevention efforts toward recurring problems. Both cities have something worth building on, and both can strengthen public confidence by showing whether their efforts are making daily life safer.