Ray Lewis: Crime in Baltimore Decreased When I Played for Ravens

Ray Lewis claims there was a correlation between his playing days with the Ravens and lower crime rates in Baltimore. 

"When I played, crime went lower in Baltimore," Lewis said Friday, according to ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley. "It’s like, nobody needs to be mad now. It’s like everybody wants to be happy and celebrate."

Lewis made his Ravens debut in 1996 and was with the club until he retired in January 2013. 

According to City-Data.com, Baltimore's crime index—which generates a score based on violent and serious crime rates—reached a mark of 908.2 in 2002 when Lewis was squarely in his prime. That figure was the highest of any between 2002-16.

The crime index proceeded to decrease every year between 2005-10 before climbing a bit around the start of the decade. 

The numbers briefly dipped again after Lewis retired. 

According to data provided by the Baltimore Sun, violent crimes in Baltimore shrank from 19,017 in 2012 to 18,090 in 2013 and hit a five-year low of 16,460 in 2014 before spiking again in 2015.

Lewis, who faced murder charges in 2000 that were later dismissed after he agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor obstruction of justice and testify against Reginald Oakley and Joseph Sweeting, will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.