What went wrong with maintaining social order during hurricane Katrina?

Answer by  firefighter38310 (430)

when you live at the bottom of an empty swimming pool without a drain plug expect to get wet. The number of officers that deserted their post was a disaster in itself. they took and oath to serve and protect but hen again i am a former Navy Seal

Answer by  worker3742 (208)

There are several different views on how social order failed after Katrina. Several suggested factors include that FEMA was unprepared for the disaster and many officers who worked for the city abandoned after the hurricane hit New Orleans.

Answer by  fesdre (655)

I think the amount of damage was underestimated when hurricane Katrina came through. Due to this panic spread and caused social order to decline. Many were left without homes, cars, belongings, money, food, clothes, etc. This created more of a panic and cause social order to to be difficult to maintain.

Answer by  elaine (450)

The poverty level in New Orleans was/is quite high. When people have no resources to extricate themselves, the worst and the best in humankind is demonstrated and rules fail. This is why one calls in the National Guard, etc. , in order to restore and keep order. It requires an outside entity with enough power to establish and maintain that order.

Answer by  Shishimai (35)

Well, when water is as high as your ceiling and you've lost your house, possessions, job, and sometimes family members, life probably sucks. Where was the good ship lollipop when you needed it. hmph!

Answer by  Anonymous

Many failures ocurred in combination. The levees had not been maintained as needed; people had become used to hurricanes (didn't heed warnings); FEMA had become too beaurocratic & inflexible; the mayor made serious errors in choices & timing; law enforcement/military made choices based on fear & not wisdom.