Bending the Third Rail
Because We Should, We Can, We Do
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Crime Wave
Proponents of being tough on crime often cite the need for stricter laws and more prisons to solve the "crime" problem. We've recently undergone a period of time with some of the more punitive legislative measures to stop crime and a booming prison industry. Yet, we see this happening:
The WP fronts the results of a new FBI report that shows the number of robberies and murders in the United States continues to increase. This new data further illustrate violent crime is once again growing after going through periods of historic decreases. Violent crime increased nearly 4 percent in the first six months of the year, while the number of robberies increased almost 10 percent. Criminologists often see the rate of robberies as an indicator of what is to come. Last year, violent crime increased 2.5 percent, which at the time was the largest surge in 15 years.
There was a significant drop in crime rates coincident with the most recent boom in law enforcement. But it also coincided with the most recent economic boom. A rise in crime is a key barometer to the economic status of the poor. In our bifurcated economy, the rich are getting filthy rich while the middle class is disappearing. And the poor? Well, as the old saying goes, "shit rolls downhill". So is it really any surprise to see crime rates, particularly robbery, on the rise?
Written at 9:24 AM by Greyhair.
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