The number of people behind bars has grown substantially in many countries over the past 20 years.” (para. 9). Better policing can also be attributed to the decline in crime rates as evidence of the growing prison population. According to Mitchell (2010), "In Denver, 30 of the 2009 murders — almost 80 percent — have been solved, according to Mary Dulacki, records coordinator for Denver police.” Per a Denver Police spokesperson, another factor in the reduction of murders is the improvements with emergency medical treatment and services. First responders are able to save more lives than in the past (Mitchell, 2010).
The number of theft of motor vehicle offences recorded in 2010/2011 (14,370) was 4.6% lower than the 15,068 recorded in 2009/2010, continuing a downward trend that has been seen over the past decade. Despite this trend, an increase of 11.8% was seen in theft of number plates, which was the most common type of property stolen. Drug offences In 2010/2011 there were 14,789 drug offences recorded, an increase of 0.9% compared with 2009/2010. There was an increase of 4.4% for possession or use of drugs, but a decrease of 7.1% for the cultivation/manufacture or trafficking of drugs. Cannabis was the most common type of drug found in both possess/use offences and cultivation/manufacture/trafficking offences.
The median household income in the region is significantly higher than the national average, and is substantially higher in Suffolk County than Nassau County ($85,994 vs. $76,847). According to 2000 census Nassau County is the third richest county per capita in New York State, and the 10th richest in the nation. The region had a lower poverty rate (5.2%) than the U.S. as a whole (9.8%) and significantly more households making over $100,000 a year (38.3% vs. 18.9%), although there are still pockets of poverty and unemployment.
“In 2008, law enforcement agencies in the United States made an estimated 2.11 million arrests of persons younger than age 18. * Overall, there were 3% fewer juvenile arrests in 2008 than in 2007, and juvenile violent crime arrests fell 2%” (Puzzanchera, 2009, p. 1). Although there was a small increase in juvenile offenses during 2008 it was
Decrease in Juvenile Crime In 2001, according to the FBI, juveniles accounted for 17% of all arrests and 15% of all violent crime arrests (Snyder, 2003). In the late 1980s, juvenile violent crime arrest had a substantial growth then peaked in 1994. However, between 1994 and 2001, the juvenile arrest rate for Violent Crime Index fell 44% and as a result, the juvenile Violent Crime Index arrest rate was the lowest since 1983 (Snyder, 2003). Furthermore, in 2001, the rate of juvenile arrests for Violent Crime Index offenses that included forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault and murder declined for the seventh consecutive year. The juvenile arrest rate for each of these offenses has been declining steadily since the mid-1990s; for murder, the rate fell 70% and manslaughter arrest rate fell 40% from its 1993 peak through 2001.
Murders by firearm rates are 17.5 times higher than in twenty-two other populous high-income nations combined. The United States is one of the most violent nations in the world. Because of this, suicide rates are very high, and costs are very high. Nearly as many citizens are killed each month, as were killed in the first seven years of the Iraq war. The suicide rate of children between the ages of five and fourteen is eleven times higher than that of twenty-five other countries.
Since 1992, the United States crime rates have decreased and started to keep a steady rate from 2000. The types of crimes that usually occur in New York are violent crimes and property crimes. “Crime in New York City was high in the 1980s during the Mayor Edward I. Koch years, as the crack epidemic hit New York City, and peaked in 1990,[2] the first year of Mayor David Dinkins' administration (1990–1994). (During the administration of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (1994–2002),” (Roughead, William, and W. N. Roughead. Classic Crimes ) Everyone sees this state as dangerous because of the crimes that occur there.
Gang violence, still largely confined to Belize City, is a significant contributor to the high murder rate. There were 125 murders recorded for 2011, four less than 2010, likely due to the gang truce in Belize City that began in September 2011. There was a Government of Belize (GOB)-supported gang truce, which was agreed to in September 2011, by all active gangs of Belize City which later dramatically reduced the number of homicides during the final four months of 2011. Due to the amount of criminal activity taken place in Belize City, it has changed drastically the way the society has gone about with their lives. Before people wouldn’t mind attending public functions in the city, taking their family out to parks, and other outdoor activities, but this steady increase in criminal activity has led people to be afraid to attend these functions since they can become a victim and a statistic.
Task 1-Analysis Gun Crime Statistics for Newham East London I have selected statistics on gun crime in Newham East London from the official Metropolitan Police statistics, as the Borough of Newham has one of the highest recorded gun crime incident hot spots in London from September 2008 to September 2010 From the 12 months leading up to September 2009 there were 127 recorded incidents of guns being used this works out as an average of 10 incidents being reported a month. From 12 months leading up to September 2010 there were 200 recorded incidents of guns being used this works out as an average of 16 incidents being reported a month. In total this works out to be an increase of 57% from the previous year, this is a very significant increase in gun crime and must be addressed as if these statistics were to continue like this over the following years gun crime would be completely out of control. To draw further information from these statistics it would be very helpful to know such things as the size of the population of the Borough of Newham compared to the other Boroughs of London as this would give a better indication of the overall problem of gun crime in this area, also if there has been tensions between ethnic minorities there due to immigration of immigrants and also if the area is socially deprived and has a high unemployment rate and high levels of substance misuse leading to high levels of crime. Another problem could be gang related violence that has led to this increase in violence that would also have an effect on Newham’s neighbouring boroughs.
“Last year, 15,890 Americans became victims of violent crime each day” (Brinkerhoff). Property crimes are the most committed crimes in the U.S. (Crime). I am shocked how many crimes are committed daily in the U.S. What causes people to commit criminal behavior? Are they born to be aggressive? Are criminals made from their environment?