Crime Fall
Abstract
Crime rate in United States reduced in 1990s.Various crimes in the country reduced this time. For example, homicide crimes reduced to 43 percent from 1991 to 2001.Also, violent crimes and property crimes reduced to 34 percent and 29 percent respectively. Most people predicted that the crime rate in the country could increase, but not reduce. This did not happen as the crime rate in the country reduced. People have different views on crime rate in the country. Some think that crime rate will increase in future and others think that crime rate will reduce.
Crime fall
Some people argue that crime will reduce in future. First, crime rate will reduce in future because of the policing strategy put in place. The United States government has enacted policies to control crime in the country. The policies have had positive impact on crime as they have reduced the rate of crime in the society. The policies are expected to help reduce the rate of crime in the society in future (Langan, 1999, page1981-86).
The rate of crime will also fall because of imprisonment. The government has increased the rate of imprisonment in the country and this has helped reduce the rate of crime in the country. Imprisonment acts as deterrence and helps reduce the rate of crime. The rate of crime in the society is reducing due to imprisonment. Countries have developed correction centers to correct people who have committed crime. Researchers argue that imprisonment prevents people in the society from committing crime as it acts as a deterence. This helps reduce the rate of crime in the society. The government has developed various forms of punishment to punish criminals and deter other people from committing crime. For example, the government encourages use of death penalty to punish criminals (Levitt, 1990, page 163-190).
The rate of crime in the society will reduce in future because of the drug policy. The government enacted the drug policy to eliminate illegal drugs like cocaine in the country. The market for illegal drugs has changed and this has made it easy to prevent crime in the society. The demand for illegal drugs is likely to reduce in future. This will in turn reduce the rate of crime in the society (Freiberg &Ross, 1999, page 1-1999).
Apart from the drug policy, gun control laws will help reduce the rate of crime in the society. Most governments have established laws that govern possession of guns. The laws have helped the government control crime in the society as criminals are not allowed to own guns. The governments have authorized people to carry guns. This has helped reduce the rate of crime in the country as concelead guns deter the criminal from committing crime. People in the country are able to defend themselves and prevent the criminal from committing crime. This has led to low rate of crime in the society. The rate of crime will also reduce in future if the government authorizes more citizens to carry guns (Lott, 2010, page 120).
Lastly, the rate of crime will reduce in future because of increase in the number of law enforcement officers and the economic growth (Lott, 2010). The number of police officers has increased and this has increased the level of security in the country as the police officers are able to maintain law and order. Also, the economic growth in the country will lead to low rate of crime. This because the unemployment rate in the country will be low. The factors above will help reduce the rate of crime in the society (Stephen &Winter-Ebmer, 2001, page 259-284).
Reference
Freiberg, A., &Ross, S. (1999).Sentencing reform and penal change: the Victorian experience. Federation Press, page 1-199. retrieved from http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=3fhVVz_0cF8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=Sentencing+reform+and+penal+change:+the+Victorian+experience&source=bl&ots=VMDm3ialDd&sig=axPx50SK8pyGiD-jIE8MwbUQ99o&hl=en&ei=-eRgTNKeJ5Ki0gSK-YiSCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false on 10/08/2010.
Levitt, S.D. (1990).Understanding Why Crime Fell in the 1990s: Four Factors that Explain the Decline and Six that Do Not. Journal of economic perspectives, Vol 18, issue No.1, page 163-190.Retrieved from http://pricetheory.uchicago.edu/levitt/Papers/LevittUnderstandingWhyCrime2004.pdf on 10/08/2010.
Langan, P.A. (1999).Crime & Justice in the U.S. & in England & Wales. DIANE Publishing, page 1981-96.Retrieved from http://www.gunsandcrime.org/highs.html on 10/08/2010.
Lott, J.R. (2010).More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun-Control Laws. University of Chicago Press, page 120.Retrieved from http://www.americanexperiment.org/uploaded/files/aeqv2n2lott.pdf on 10/08/2010.
Stephen, R., &Winter-Ebmer, R. (2001). Identifying the effects of unemployment on crime. Journal of law and economics. Vol 44, issue No.1, page 259-284.Retrieved from http://www.cepr.org/press/DP2129.htm on 10/08/2010.
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