U.S. violent crime rises in 2006

[Tender Branson]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. violent crimes increased in 2006 for the second consecutive year, with more than 17,000 murders nationwide, the FBI said on Monday.

Criminal justice experts have blamed the crime increases on gangs, youth violence, more gun crimes and fewer police on the beat. The experts have been unsure whether the numbers for 2006 represent a temporary upswing or the start of a long-term trend.

The FBI reported an estimated 1.4 million violent crimes nationwide in 2006, an increase of nearly 2 percent from the previous year. The number of murders committed last year increased by a similar amount from 2005.

An estimated 90 percent of the murders last year occurred in metropolitan areas, and firearms were used in nearly 70 percent, the FBI said.

story continues ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/24/AR2007092400558.html

Interesting fact: NH had the lowest homicide rate last year at 1 per 100.000 and LA the highest at more than 12 per 100.000 ...

http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/data/table_04.html (state tables)

[MODU]

Awww, man, now I'm pissed.  I'll have to go out and beat someone up.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

But has the ratio of crimes to people increased that much?  That's the important statistic.

[David S]

Michigan is fairly high with 7.1 murders per 100,000 population. But once again Detroit is by far the biggest problem. It has only 9% of the state's population but 57% of the murders. Take out Detroit and our murder rate falls to 3.2 per 100,000.

So once again I'd like to offer our Canadian neighbors the chance to make a trade for Detroit. You can have it in exchange for Toronto.

Too high?

How about Windsor?

Still too high?

How about a 6 pack of Labatts Blue?

[Ebowed]

Well, maybe people should start focusing on actual violent crime instead of victimless crimes like drugs, prostitution, or being an undocumented immigrant.

[Gabu]

Michigan is fairly high with 7.1 murders per 100,000 population. But once again Detroit is by far the biggest problem. It has only 9% of the state's population but 57% of the murders. Take out Detroit and our murder rate falls to 3.2 per 100,000.

So once again I'd like to offer our Canadian neighbors the chance to make a trade for Detroit. You can have it in exchange for Toronto.

Too high?

How about Windsor?

Still too high?

How about a 6 pack of Labatts Blue?

We wouldn't take Detroit if you paid us.

[WalterMitty]

im shocked that opebo hasnt stopped by this thread and saluted the poors for acting out against their owners and societal betters.

[David S]

Michigan is fairly high with 7.1 murders per 100,000 population. But once again Detroit is by far the biggest problem. It has only 9% of the state's population but 57% of the murders. Take out Detroit and our murder rate falls to 3.2 per 100,000.

So once again I'd like to offer our Canadian neighbors the chance to make a trade for Detroit. You can have it in exchange for Toronto.

Too high?

How about Windsor?

Still too high?

How about a 6 pack of Labatts Blue?

We wouldn't take Detroit if you paid us.

Well I was going to throw in the deposit on the bottles, but I guess that wouldn't work either.


On a more serious note though, I notice that when an area is under economic distress the murder rate seems to rise. Although that's just my impression and not based on a statistical analysis. But Michigan is in economic distress now because of the loss of jobs in the auto industry and our murder rate went up. Louisiana is in economic distress because of the effects of Katrina and their murder rate is up. And years ago GM closed a number of plants in Flint resulting in the loss of many jobs. In that year Flint had the highest murder rate of any city in the US. The next year it came back down.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Michigan is fairly high with 7.1 murders per 100,000 population. But once again Detroit is by far the biggest problem. It has only 9% of the state's population but 57% of the murders. Take out Detroit and our murder rate falls to 3.2 per 100,000.

So once again I'd like to offer our Canadian neighbors the chance to make a trade for Detroit. You can have it in exchange for Toronto.

Too high?

How about Windsor?

Still too high?

How about a 6 pack of Labatts Blue?

We wouldn't take Detroit if you paid us.

How about you take Detroit if we take your trash again - sure the suburbs would rise into uproar again, but they'd be happier overall if Detroit wasn't their problem anymore.

[opebo]

im shocked that opebo hasnt stopped by this thread and saluted the poors for acting out against their owners and societal betters.

Good for them for trying to fight back, though alas in most cases they only abuse their fellow poors.  The owners are well protected.

[??????????]

Well, maybe people should start focusing on actual violent crime instead of victimless crimes like drugs, prostitution, or being an undocumented immigrant.

Drug sales/usage is not a victimless crime. Quit being so damned naive.

[Ebowed]

Drug sales/usage is not a victimless crime. Quit being so damned naive.

How is someone using a drug in their backyard, and not driving anywhere, affecting anyone else?

[Nym90]

Michigan is fairly high with 7.1 murders per 100,000 population. But once again Detroit is by far the biggest problem. It has only 9% of the state's population but 57% of the murders. Take out Detroit and our murder rate falls to 3.2 per 100,000.

So once again I'd like to offer our Canadian neighbors the chance to make a trade for Detroit. You can have it in exchange for Toronto.

Too high?

How about Windsor?

Still too high?

How about a 6 pack of Labatts Blue?

We wouldn't take Detroit if you paid us.

Well I was going to throw in the deposit on the bottles, but I guess that wouldn't work either.


On a more serious note though, I notice that when an area is under economic distress the murder rate seems to rise. Although that's just my impression and not based on a statistical analysis. But Michigan is in economic distress now because of the loss of jobs in the auto industry and our murder rate went up. Louisiana is in economic distress because of the effects of Katrina and their murder rate is up. And years ago GM closed a number of plants in Flint resulting in the loss of many jobs. In that year Flint had the highest murder rate of any city in the US. The next year it came back down.

Definitely true.

This shouldn't be so surprising though, I wouldn't think. The poor will tend to commit more violent crime than the wealthy since they are more desperate and less likely to see any positive alternatives. Just one of the many reasons why poverty is an important issue for everyone, not just the poor.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Well, maybe people should start focusing on actual violent crime instead of victimless crimes like drugs, prostitution, or being an undocumented immigrant.

Drug sales/usage is not a victimless crime. Quit being so damned naive.

You're right its not victimless. It's not victimless because drugs are banned and the criminal element can profit off of it and spike the drugs with poision. For once I agree with a post of yours 100%.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Also the money from the sale of drugs goes to low-life scum like gangstas or terrorists as opposed to legitimite businessmen. By keeping the bans on drug usage, the United States government is putting money into the pockets of criminals and taking it away from potential law abiding businessmen.

[memphis]

Hopefully, this will be just a little statistical blip. The larger story that nobody on tv seems to have reported is the enormous and unprecedented decline in violent crimes in the mid to late 1990s and early 2000s. Somehow, lack of crime isn't as sexy for the media.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Hopefully, this will be just a little statistical blip. The larger story that nobody on tv seems to have reported is the enormous and unprecedented decline in violent crimes in the mid to late 1990s and early 2000s. Somehow, lack of crime isn't as sexy for the media.

Was this just a rise in crime or rise in crime rate?

[Ebowed]

The larger story that nobody on tv seems to have reported is the enormous and unprecedented decline in violent crimes in the mid to late 1990s and early 2000s. Somehow, lack of crime isn't as sexy for the media.

Yeah, but that period also saw the number of prisoners throughout the US literally double as the Clinton/Gore administration focused on jailing drug users (including marijuana).  The death penalty was also expanded, and tough-on-crime policies were strengthened.

Unfortunately, those things will take credit for the decline in violent crime, quite unfairly, when the actual reason is too unsavory to mention.

[Gabu]

Unfortunately, those things will take credit for the decline in violent crime, quite unfairly, when the actual reason is too unsavory to mention.

Which is what?

[Ebowed]

Which is what?

Roe v. Wade.

[Gabu]

Which is what?

Roe v. Wade.

Wasn't that way back in the '70s?  Why would it have taken until 1994 for crime rates to start dropping?

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Which is what?

Roe v. Wade.

Wasn't that way back in the '70s?  Why would it have taken until 1994 for crime rates to start dropping?

I suppose because 1994 is the year when those who were not born due to Roe would have been in a significant age group to commit crimes.

I wouldn't agree with all of that btw. Though there is some truth in that assertion I doubt it's the full picture.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I suppose because 1994 is the year when those who were not born due to Roe would have been in a significant age group to commit crimes.

No one commits crimes before the age of 21?

[Tetro Kornbluth]

I suppose because 1994 is the year when those who were not born due to Roe would have been in a significant age group to commit crimes.

No one commits crimes before the age of 21?

Of course not. I was merely making an assertion at Ebowed's expense. Though I think it should be fairly self-evident that the rate of criminals tends to plateau among people in their twenties (IIRC) of course as I don't know the New York example at all well I will take your advice to Inks here and follow Healy's rule of holes.

[Gabu]

I suppose because 1994 is the year when those who were not born due to Roe would have been in a significant age group to commit crimes.

No one commits crimes before the age of 21?

Not to mention the fact that crimes went down among those who were over the age of 21, as well.