New Mexico Crime Investigative Series 2021

If you’ve tuned in to the news any time throughout 2021, you probably know that there is a lot of violent crime in New Mexico and in Albuquerque in particular. The city has seen a record number of homicides, and KRQE News 13 has been reporting on the topic from the beginning. But now, we wanted to take a deeper look into the issue with a new data-focused series: “New Mexico Crime.”

2021 Homicide Map

Albuquerque’s deadliest year

ABQ’s Deadliest Year

In 2021, Albuquerque saw a record number of homicides. See how the record stacks up to previous years and discover where they’ve been occurring across Albuquerque.
Explore the data and see what the police chief has to say about the record.

Theories behind the rise in crime

Why is Violent Crime Rising?

The pandemic and protests against police might explain some of the rising crime across the city. To understand how, learn some of the basics of criminology in part 2 of “New Mexico Crime.”

Guns in New Mexico

How Many Guns Does New Mexico Have?

With a wild-west-type reputation, it’s no surprise that many in New Mexico own firearms. But exactly how many guns do New Mexicans have? And do we have more than other states? Learn the answers in part 3 of the “New Mexico Crime” series.

Some gun laws fall short

New Mexico’s gun laws don’t always protect victims

The state has several firearm-related laws on the books. But data and case studies show that several key safety laws may not always be protecting victims of violence. Learn which laws have shortcomings and what lawmakers say about the issue in part 4 of the “New Mexico Crime” series.

Debate over diversion programs

What to do with low-level offenders

In recent years, there has been a call for diverting low-level offenders from jail. Instead of incarceration, they get services like drug use treatment. But community leaders don’t always see eye-to-eye on how often these services should be used. Learn about the debate in the part 5 of “New Mexico Crime.”

Getting more officers on the street

What’s being done about APD’s staff shortage

The Albuquerque Police Department is the city’s front line against violent crime. But the department has been down in staff for years now. Learn about the latest efforts to get more officers in part 6 of the “New Mexico Crime” series.

Have ideas for more “New Mexico Crime” topics? Or know someone who has a first-hand account of the issues discussed in “New Mexico Crime?” Email: curtis.segarra@krqe.com