Economy in pooper, Crime Rates Going Down, Why? Asks Experts

www.fbi.gov...

For the third year in a row, our Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report shows that violent crime, property crime, and arson have decreased. The latest report compares January-June 2009 figures with the same time period in 2008.

Crimes reported to our Uniform Crime Program are down collectively: violent crime overall decreased 4.4 percent, property crime is down 6.1 percent, and arson fell 8.2 percent.

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Individual crimes are also decreasing across the board:

* Murder (down 10.0 percent);
* Forcible rape (down 3.3 percent);
* Robbery (down 6.5 percent);
* Aggravated assault (down 3.2 percent);
* Burglary (down 2.5 percent);
* Larceny-theft (down 5.3 percent); and
* Motor vehicle theft (down 18.7 percent).

Other interesting highlights:

* Murder was lower in all four regions of the country, with the largest decreases in the Northeast (13.7 percent) and the West (13.3 percent).
* Motor vehicle thefts decreased significantly in all four regions of the country (Northeast, 19.3 percent; Midwest, 21.4 percent; South, 17.8 percent; and West, 18.2 percent).
* While violent crime and aggravated assault were down in cities of more than 1 million people (7.0 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively), in cities of populations between 10,000 and 24,999, violent crime rose 1.7 percent and aggravated assault rose 3.8 percent.
* While both metropolitan areas and non-metropolitan areas experienced decreases in violent crime and property crime in general, non-metropolitan counties saw increases in robbery (3.8 percent) and arson (1.2 percent).
* On a regional basis, the only uptick in any crime was a slight increase in burglaries in the South (up 0.7 percent)

Developing this national view of crime is a collective effort of the FBI and the thousands of city, university/college, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies that submit the data to us. Participating agencies throughout the country voluntarily provide reports on crimes known to police and on persons arrested.

The data has become a source of information used widely by police administrators, government policy makers, social science researchers, the media, and others concerned about the impact of crime in our communities. We do, however, caution against drawing conclusions from our data by making direct comparisons between law enforcement agencies—valid assessments are possible ONLY with careful study and analysis of the range of unique conditions affecting each local law enforcement jurisdiction.

The FBI has been collecting crime data from our law enforcement partners since the 1930s. Over the years, the scope of the program has expanded in response to suggestions from law enforcement advisory groups or to comply with federal mandates. Today, the culmination of this national data collection is three annual publications: Crime in the United States, Hate Crime Statistics, and Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, as well as semiannual reports like this one.

The full 2009 Crime in the U.S. report will be released later next year.

These guys are seriously wondering why on earth the crime rates are dropping like bricks? How about this?

www.cnbc.com...

No one is buying anything these days. Except for guns, that is.

Economic insecurity combined with the fear that the new administration could curtail access to guns, apparently has people packing heat. Background checks, which strongly correlate to gun sales, hit a record high in November and that number is still climbing.

In fact, sales are so brisk that an organization called the National Shooting Sports Foundation says that some handguns, semi-automatic hunting and target rifles are “outpacing inventory.”

www.cbsnews.com...

Business is booming at gun shops across the country, reports CBS news correspondent Jeff Glor. And at his store, Moss says it's because of uncertainty fueled by the economic crisis.

"If the banks didn't have any money there'd be rioting in the streets," says Moss. "So you're protecting yourself from Americans going crazy, rioting, looting and hurting each other."

FBI statistics show that in November, 2008 firearm purchaser background checks increased 42 percent over the previous year. In December they were up 24 percent.

Moss says his sales are up something like 300 percent.

Moss also believes says fears that President Obama might make it more difficult to get a gun have led people to flock to his Norwalk, Conn. store.

Honestly, this whole thing is a no brainer and yet the FBI and likewise experts are having a hard time figuring out why this is happening?
I suppose a guy who screws over the American economy is good for something, however indirectly.

Edit to fix picture

[edit on 22-12-2009 by spec_ops_wannabe]

So I guess what these articles are trying to say is crime is going down becaues everyone is too busy gearing up for the big anti-govt insurrection that's just over the horizon?

I better get to the store and upgrade my snub-nosed pea shooter before all the good stuff sells out!

This is quite ironic. In about 3 months I will turn 18. I plan on buying 3 guns on my birthday. So I dare somebody to break into my house, or rob me on the street. So the right to keep and bear arms is good for something huh?

reply to post by FortAnthem


I wonder if people found out about the Switzerland effect.
two.

Yeah, I'm planning on getting me a good old 12 gauge el-cheap-o mossberg or somethin when I get some money coming in, just for survival and what have you. Gonna do the grand old 6 in the barrel 1 in the chamber mod to her, keep her around for rough times and going out and shooting in my backroads when bored =)

There has never been a causal link between poverty and crime. If there were, during the Great Depression, crime would have been rampant. It wasn't.

If there is a causal link between gun ownership and low crime rates, and I believe there is, and these data bear that out, then I would hope that our legislators take note. They won't.

reply to post by FortAnthem


My guess would be that the criminals are afraid of getting there arz shot, likewise in all countries with high firearm ownership, crime seems to be lower ???? go figure.

Criminals have a problem with victims being able to fight back......

reply to post by spec_ops_wannabe


well I personally think it is due to technological distraction and access to more people

If you ever chatted with a gang banger you would be surprised to hear the word BORED
often. A life of crime can be an addiction to the thrill of the crime, more so than hunger...

More things to "do" less time plotting

Also coincides with the price point of devices being in the, to the MASSES range

My pence

PS registered gun owners are not the type who commit violent crime - you think about that and the conclusions of the OP, stats etc...

[edit on 23-12-2009 by Janky Red]

Could this also be disinformation being spread in order to justify upcoming cuts to vital security response groups like Police etc?