In Los Angeles, there has been a decline in crime over the last 12 years. Living there, you may have felt safe walking home at night or going out with friends. With so much crime taking place, you could even be caught up in charges for being at the scene of a crime. In that case, you need to step back and defend yourself.

A report from July 8 claims that crime is on the rise once again, putting the city's safety at risk. The crime surge has produced a 12.7 percent increase in overall crime, which has made officials concerned. They are now discussing ways to reverse those trends and to get back on track to a lower crime rate.

Some of the reasons crime may be on the rise include things such as gang violence, homelessness and changes to laws that have made felonies into misdemeanors, increasing the number of state-reported crimes.

The change in the number of crimes comes at a cost for those in the city. Violent crimes have risen by 20.6 percent, and property crime has risen by 10.9 percent. Aggravated assaults and robberies accounted for much of the increase in violence.

The area that has seen the most crime has been the Los Angeles Police Department's Central Division. This division includes Skid Row, Chinatown and downtown. These areas have seen a shocking increase in crime of 67 percent since the beginning of 2015.

Officials are trying to tackle the problem by reaching out to gang members and by placing more officers in hotspots where crime is likely. Increased street attacks have drawn out commentary from local residents; they claim that they are at risk, which is why a stronger police presence is necessary.

Source: Los Angeles Times, "After a 12-year decline, crime in L.A. surges in first half of 2015," Ben Poston and Kate Mather, July 08, 2015