The Economy And Crime

[MJS]

Do you feel that this 'wonderful' economy that we're currently facing, is effecting the crime rates in your city/state?

Crime has always been there, but it seems like lately, you pick up the paper, turn on the tv, the bank robberies are up, smash and grabs are up, small store robberies are up, street robberies are up.

Anyways, just thought I'd toss this out for discussion.

 

[zDom]

Do you feel that this 'wonderful' economy that we're currently facing, is effecting the crime rates in your city/state?

Crime has always been there, but it seems like lately, you pick up the paper, turn on the tv, the bank robberies are up, smash and grabs are up, small store robberies are up, street robberies are up.

I work in a small town and live in a slightly-larger town, so we don't have any corporations or legislatures based here.

Accordingly, the really BIG crimes aren't a problem for us

Being in the news business, I haven't really noticed a big surge in nickle-and-dime level robberies — but I probably should check with my local law enforcement agencies. Sounds like a good story idea for my newspaper

 

[Empty Hands]

"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread." -Anatole France

 

[5-0 Kenpo]

Crime is continuing to fall in the city where I work. And by way of comparison we were just ranked the 44th crime ridden city per capita in the U.S.

 

[jks9199]

What we seem to be seeing (don't have hard numbers, and won't for about 6 months) is that in the last several months, there's been an increase in larceny and related offenses. We've also seen more violence, with a perceived boost in various forms of domestic assault.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

In general, crime rates continue to drop, a trend that started in the 1990's. The article discusses local violent crime increases even as the overall crime rate drops.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703567304575628580735588388.html

I would tend to suspect that crime rates are a lagging indicator of economic recoveries; that is, if crime rates rise due to the economy, they'll be the last things we'll see drop after the recovery is nearly done.

Historically, however, there isn't much data to suggest that the overall economy has much of an effect on crime rates; crime rates did not spike during the 'Great Depression' to the best of my knowledge. It may seem intuitive that crime rates would go up when people are hurting, but apparently this seems not to be the case. What does go up is church attendance and alcohol consumption.

 

[MJS]

I guess it'll vary depending on area. Sure, crime is nothing new, especially in certain areas in the state that I live in. However, when you see things like this:
http://www.courant.com/community/new-haven/hc-new-haven-robberies-1201-20101130,0,3032865.story

as well as a number of smash and grabs, and bank robberies, it makes you wonder. Its sad that so many people are out of work, that its hard to find jobs, so its really no surprise that crime increases.

 

[Sukerkin]

Oddly, whilst there is some increase in 'survival crime' when overall times are bad, what really drives up the crime rate is income inequality.

Sadly, that is something that has risen in recent times, with a proportion of those at the top of the 'income-tree' being additionally rewarded despite their 'successes' being at the cost of the destruction of almost everyone elses livelyhood.

Also, general disatisfaction has an impact on crime-rate if there are no balancing factors, such as a powerful, personal, moral inhibition from committing crime, in play.

I can well understand why people turn to extra-legal activities when times are hard, when they perceive that the rewards from 'honest' work are insufficient or they feel under-rewarded.

For example, I found out today that the delivery drivers for a courier firm earn more than I do ... and I have three degrees (one Ordinary, one Honours and one Masters) and what I do for a living is of national importance.

Makes you rail at the heavens ... and that is the sort of situation that makes 'ordinary' people dishonest (and why Capitalism unbridled bears the seeds of it's own destruction).

 

[Empty Hands]

Oddly, whilst there is some increase in 'survival crime' when overall times are bad, what really drives up the crime rate is income inequality.

For an excellent example, look south to Mexico, and even more so in Latin America. Rich people in America (unless they are celebrities) rarely have bodyguards or personal protection, generally don't live behind guarded walls, and can go about their daily business pretty much as they please. Rich people particularly in parts of Latin America live in guarded compounds, face constant threats, and only go outside under guard. If they do not, kidnapping and ransom is a common fate.

I've seen this personally. A friend of mine lived in Los Angeles, and went home to visit his family, his father a successful businessman, in Honduras (IIRC). His brother and himself went somewhere without the family's usual guards, and both were abducted. They were held for over a month, were constantly threatened with death, and eventually the family negotiated a ransom and release (the police were of little help).

The rich in America should take a constructive lesson from all this. Vast income inequality is not in their best interests. It won't impact their lifestyle yet, but if things get bad enough, they may have to start living like prisoners in a gilded cage, facing constant threats as well. Humans being short-sighted creatures, the wealthy in many countries over history have been slow to recognize this reality.