Prosecutors get tough on holiday crime
Initiative uses printed guides, communication between consulates to aid vulnerable groups
Local prosecutors and dozens of consular officials have teamed up this holiday season to prevent crimes against the thousands of international tourists who visit Houston this time each year.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg on Monday announced the new initiative, which uses printed guides and increased communication between foreign consulates to provide assistance and education to those visiting the area this year or to other groups that might be vulnerable to crime.
Among the tools unveiled at a Monday news conference is a two-page guide for crime victims, printed in five languages and distributed to local consulates.
“We want our international visitors to know they are welcomed here in Houston, the most diverse city in the United States,” Ogg said. “It does not matter where you are from, you will be treated with dignity, fairness and respect.”
The concern is for not only visitors but Houston residents who speak limited English or are undocumented and have historically been the targets of both violent and non-violent crimes.
In bolstering communication between consulates, Ogg and others said they hope to give more local resources to those who may be victimized.
“We know that information is key to crime prevention,” Ogg said. “If we can’t prevent it, we hope to give people a tool in our city and county of how they can fight back.”
In general, crime does appear to rise slightly in Houston around the holiday season.
The average number of reports written by Houston police for major violent and non-violent crime — defined by the FBI as murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, auto theft and theft — jumped by more than 6 percent between November and December over the last five years. That does not account for the additional day in December.
The local initiative also comes as immigration crackdowns and upticks in national hate crimes have concerned many minority groups about their treatment under the law. Between 2015 and 2016, the number of hate crimes committed nationally increased by 4.6 percent, according to an FBI report released last month.
Ogg said her prosecutors have filed four hate crime cases since Jan. 1, including charges filed in September against a Houston man accused of berating a Lyft driver’s Middle Eastern heritage.
However, Ogg noted that it’s unclear if there’s been an uptick in Harris County hate crimes, noting recent changes in how her office handles and documents hate crimes.
Ogg added the initiative launched Monday is a “response to all crimes committed against anyone,”rather than a direct response to hate crimes.
Mexican government officials praised the initiative.
“The message of respect for diversity and the warm welcome sent to the Mexican community is healing but also reflects Houston’s commitment towards safeguarding all the members of this thriving community,” Mexican Consul General Oscar Rodríguez Cabrera said in a statement. “Mexico welcomes this gesture and we are sure it will lead to a safer environment for everybody.”