Why does violent crime seem so much more prevalent in America in the last few years?

Question

Are there really more violent criminals today than there were just 100 years ago? Or is the media just more efficient at reporting it?

I too believe that Society has become far too lenient. People are no longer taught to fear for their souls, they are no longer afraid of prison. But aren't people born with an interior moral compass, isn't that what seperates us from animals?

Answer 1

ummm, there was just a crime report released by the DOJ or FBI that showed violent crime is at a 30 or so year low. so i guess, its the media you've been watching. look up the report if you don't believe me. its too late for me to do that myself right now. :) The media has been becoming increasingly sensationalistic. There is a lot of competition for viewers/listeners and unfortunately sensationalist, fear-mongering news sells.

I think you are totally wrong about the second part of your question. There are far more lenient and secular societies that have far fewer violent crimes. Both sweden and holland, for example are both a lot more secular and a lot more tolerant than the US, but are also a lot safer. Of course people are born with an interior moral compass. How do you think early human societies survived? Humans put a lot of stock in their reputation among others. This is what keeps small, tightly-knit societies orderly. Its when you fracture society, isolating people from one another that you get increasingly anti-social behavior. Saying that we need tougher punishments or more prayer in school doesn't address the issue. Societies functioned for thousands of years without prisons, without centralized states, and without christianity. there is something inherent in humans that makes us internalize the values of the society we belong to. but that internalization process needs social interaction.

P.S.: if crime is at a 30 year low, and, according to you, society has gotten more lenient, doesn't that argue against your position? If society has gotten more lenient and crime is at a low, then it seems like that is a major argument against instituting harsh sentences or getting people to fear for their souls again. thats actually inspired me to look up the previously mentioned crime report. ;)
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/tables/viortrdtab.htm

according to the bureau of justice statistics linked above, overall violent crime went from 47.7 instances per 1,000 people (aged 12 and up) in 1973 to 21 instances per 1,000 (aged 12 and up) in 2005. Seems like there's something to be said for how things are going after all, doesn't it?

Answer 2

Because we have more people. If 5% of our population commits a violent crime, that would be 1.5 million violent crimes a year in the US. What is the population of your country and the number of violent crimes committed using the 5% theory? If that number sounds reasonable to you, based upon your daily observations of the news in your part of the world, then you will understand that it is a matter of percentages, not increased numbers.

History is littered with the brutal slayings between men, heinous murders, serial killers and serial killers who ruled countries.

No, there are no more vilent crimes now that 100 or 1000 years ago. Our media does effectively ferret out all the nastiness in the world but also, our idea of what is considered violent has changed too.

100 years ago it was not considered a violent act to tie a woman to posts and flog her for the crime of infidelity. It was considered just, and a husband's right.

And, finally, there is a moral compass and that is what keeps the balance of the population, say the other 95% us of, from going off kilter.

Answer 3

Partially, I'm sure it's a resuilt of the media's preference for sensational reporting, but also I think there is more violent crime, owing to the morals currently taught explicitly in our schools, and implicitly in our entertainment, that says anything goes as long as you can get away with it. Plus years of teaching that nobody's keeping score, and watching out more earnestly for the criminal's rights than the victim's.
Not only is the judicial system more lenient and encouraging to the violent criminal, but the society is likelier to forgive than to condemn those who prey on their fellowman. Thanks to all those liberal-minded psychologists and sociologists, we're all too ready to blame the victim or Society for the violence and exploitation than the people who indulge it.
So the answer is both--the new media looks harder for violence, and the society sympathizes instead of punishing the perpetrators of violence.

Answer 4

Actually the number of violent criems has been stedialy declining since 1994. It only seems more prevelant lately due to 24 hour news channels and sensationalized media reporting tactics.

Answer 5

truly the speed of violent crime has declined notably because the early ninety's; as to the international locations to quote for comparative applications,they're for sure a lot smaller than the U.S. i visit also upload that those violent crimes figures include "attack" - which consists of mere verbal abuse. Such information are in any journey in preserving with arrests,no longer convictions,so that they don't seem a correct mirrored image. regulation enforcement agencies robotically use arrest fairly than conviction stats so as tocreate an alarming effect - and subsequently take care of will develop of their federal funds.

Answer 6

I think there are more violent criminals because of the drug epidemic. New drugs come out everyday and people will kill, steal, anything for another hit!!

Answer 7

more media coverage,better transportation,people are speaking out more ,telling their abuse stories from long ago,where as before people would live with the sorrow.some of that old abuse that we didn't hear of caused some of the horrors that we did hear of. vicious cycle.

Answer 8

Better news coverage

Answer 9

America was founded through violence....
Seems that its still that way now

Know your History
or repeat it later

Answer 10

Not media, not drug
I call it GANGSTA RAP
in my farking opinion