[lostalex]

I found this really interesting, in the US crime is on a HUGE decline, Less murders, less violence, less rape, across the board crime is at it's lowest rate since the 60's, now this seems totally counter-intuitive to me.

Arn't we always told that crime happens because people are in poverty, and if you get rid of poverty there would be less crime? But instead, in the midst of a horrible reccession, and increasing poverty, crime is also going down.

What do you guys think about this? Does this ruin the theory we've always heard about violent crime being caused by poverty and inequality? And if it's not because of poverty that people commit crime, what is it??

DC reports lowest murder rate in decades
With more than 470 homicides in 1990, Washington DC earned the label "murder capital" of the US. But as 2011 ends, the city's murder toll for the year stands at just under 110.

The capital's success in curbing crime is not unique, with New York, Los Angeles and Chicago reporting similar patterns.

Police credit technology for being a big help in preventing and solving crimes.

And contrary to conventional wisdom, the current economic recession has also coincided with safer streets - just as it did during the Great Depression in the 1930s.

http://www.aljazeera.com/video/ameri...012985428.html

[Harry!]

I can imagine that since generally people have less money to spend now I can imagine they would be able to buy less weapons (ie ammo for guns) and therefore far less crimes are committed. Many people look more what they spend and for matters such as petrol for cars I can imagine far less raids would happen as they would be watching the pertol gage in the car.

That is not to say that armed robberies would no accur, as seen in the UK riots in the summer. Criminals are more sophistcated with the manor they commit crimes now and are less likely to be caught.

[GypsyGoth]

Maybe the criminals lost their jobs too.

[Vicky.]

Interesting.

Maybe there are more 'theft' type crimes happening, rather than violent crimes or something?

Would be good to see a crime breakdown over the past few decades...

Either way, its a very good thing that the murder rates are going down, even if this did mean that there are more robberies and that(IMO anyway, better to have thieves than murderers)