New Orleans postmortum

Not as bad as reported on the violent crime front
Not as peaceful as reported on the looting front

Fear Exceeded Crime's Reality in New Orleans - New York Times

Seems that poor knowledge and rumors impeded relief and rescue efforts.
"A full chronicle of the week's crimes, actual and reported, may never be possible because so many basic functions of government ceased early in the week, including most public safety record-keeping. The city's 911 operators left their phones when water began to rise around their building.

To assemble a picture of crime, both real and perceived, The New York Times interviewed dozens of evacuees in four cities, police officers, medical workers and city officials. Though many provided concrete, firsthand accounts, others passed along secondhand information or rumor that after multiple tellings had ossified into what became accepted as fact.

What became clear is that the rumor of crime, as much as the reality of the public disorder, often played a powerful role in the emergency response.

Speaking of "poor knowledge"
""Not one piece of educational material was taken - the best-selling books are all sitting right where they were left," Captain Canatella said. "But every $9 watch in the store is gone.""