Corruption in Dubuque - Ku Klux Klan

If the average person was asked what they thought about Dubuque, odds are their response would be along the lines of, "Where the hell is Dubuque?" When a person displaying above average intelligence was asked the same question, they would probably retort with points of interest such as the Mississippi or Loras College. While Dubuque may not be the most dangerous town in the country, they still have a long standing history of violence and hate. This small town on the East border of Iowa proves that you don't have to have a population over a million to have problems.

Corruption in Dubuque dates back over a hundred and eighty years ago to 1823. The infamous Ku Klux Klan had steadily escalated in power in the small town, and starting that year, there were three cross burnings in eighteen months. Later at a clan meeting in a nearby field, the KKK and an anti-Klan group began rioting, intensifying the bloodshed in Dubuque. 1 While bigger cities may have brushes with mafia godfathers or Colombian drug lords, this city on the Mississippi was terrorized by a renowned hate group. They have had their share of racism and prejudice as well.

While in its more recent years the murder rate in Dubuque has gone down from that time, the crime rate in the city remains rampant. Although there was only one reported murder in the year 2000, there were thirty four rapes in the city alone. If anyone thinks terrible things can only happen in gigantic cities, they are sorely mistaken. There were also three hundred and seventy nine confirmed robberies and a hundred and seven instances of grand theft auto. 2 All this for a town that only has around 90,000 inhabitants? That makes a lot of criminals for one tiny city.

Ironically, it was the fact that Dubuque's crime rate was lower than other cities that made it a prime target for gang activity. Since gangs have been on the influx in recent years, the drug traffic running through the city has also increased.3 This is a problem that is widespread and unchecked all over the nation. The fact that gangs and drugs have come to Dubuque is inevitable, just as it is in any other city. However the Dubuque police force just does not have the same power that the CPD or NYPD do. It is much harder for them to maintain law and order in their town, even though there are fewer inhabitants.

Dubuque may not have the expensive transportation systems, the skyscrapers, or the professional sports teams that