Re: SOC: Crime rates down again
James Rogers (jamesr@best.com)
Mon, 02 Jun 1997 18:05:03 -0700
At 03:58 PM 6/2/97 -0700, Max More wrote:
>For those who think society is in an inevitable decline: The FBI just
>released their crime figures (no, not crimes *by* the FBI--those they don't
>reveal!). Violent crime dropped for the fifth year in a row in the USA,
>this time by 7%. This includes an 11% decline in murders (16.5% decline
>here in LA).
>
>Of course, government agencies want to take the credit, though it's really
>not clear why this downward trend is happening. The LA Times story
>speculating that it's because the baby boomers are aging and there are
>fewer young people (who mostly commit the violent crimes). This may
>contribute, though I find it doubtful that this alone would result in such
>a rapid decline in violent crime.
I would most likely attribute the decrease in violent crime to a strong
economy and low unemployment. There is always the small hardcore criminal
element, but the larger majority is people who become involved in criminal
activity during times of economic or personal hardship. Strong wages and
plentiful jobs means more people are likely to be working normal jobs.
-James Rogers
jamesr@best.com