Detroit, Michigan

The history of crime and justice in Detroit, Michigan, is consistent with that in other large industrial cities in the east and midwest. In the 19th century, Detroit struggled to establish order in a growing city. In the 20th century, a manufacturing boom and later decline contributed to problems with serious crime, while racial tensions complicated the relationship between the police and the city's population.

The city of Detroit, founded in 1701, faced relatively little disorder until it began to grow rapidly in the middle of the 19 th century, attracting ...